I hope this doesn't mean yet more dumbing down on Radio 3 to try and boost audience figures, or generally speaking are radio listeners numbers falling anyway?
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Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750 -
Thanks for updating that, johnb. Yes, there's not much that's predictable about the changes which are probably greater with a small station than a larger one, which is much more vulnerable. A drop of 200,000 listeners IS a 'slight dip' for Radio 2, for example. It wouldn't be for Radio 3 - but that does happen. The other point is that there have been a number of stories about 'record figures', again this quarter, but Radio 3 has only once featured, topping its 1999 reach back in 2004. Since then it's had some goodish figures and some terrible ones. At a shade under 2m, this mediocre.It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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I recommend a return to proper R3 fare, full works for Breakfast, ditch the celebs and give us the real stuff again. The figures will soar - let's just try it for a month!Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View PostComment
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The 'problem' with that is that the message 'I don't like this' triggers an immediate switch-off - possibly for good. But how do people know that it's changed if they no longer listen? Chances are it will just lose the people who liked the popular style - result?Originally posted by cloughie View PostIt isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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R3 painting itself into a corner comes to mind.Originally posted by french frank View Post
O Wort, du Wort, das mir Fehlt!Comment
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More stats from RAJAR:
· Listening to digital platforms now represents 36.8% of all radio listening, up 16% year on year (+ 5.3pp year on year/+2.5pp quarter on quarter).
· DAB is now 24% of all radio listening, up 18% year on year, and listening to online/apps is now 6% (up 31% year on year), overtaking DTV listening.
· 52.5% of the population, or 28 million people, now tune in via a digital platform each week.
· 45.7% of the population now has a DAB set at home (24 million adults).
· Analogue listening in the home is below 50% for the first time.
· Analogue listening is below 50% for the first time among 15-24s.
http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/... to digital’
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/bu...ues to rise’
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It doesn't seem to care much about those who have had the 'popular side' inflicted on them!Originally posted by french frank View PostComment
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However excellent a particular Proms season is, and undoubtedly adds to R3's hours and reach for a third quarter, R3's Q3 figures are never its best, as a glance at JohnB's useful graph shows. Although there have been exceptions (Q1 and Q4 of 2012), R3's strong RAJAR quarters do tend to be over the winter months, Q4 and Q1.Originally posted by french frank View Post
My interpretation of your FB 'likes spike' is an indication of a fashionable frisson over the commencement of a Proms season. BBC's insertion of a Doctor Who element in the beginning part of the season is opportunistic, and there's nothing wrong with that in itself - as others have pointed out in Proms threads, part of the purpose of the Proms is to reflect 'popular' stuff. Facebook 'events' however are very transitory, and I'm somewhat sceptical whether that Dr Who element translates into a significant 'coming over' to R3. One can understand the BBC wanting to build upon its flagship brands, so whilst the prospect of a future Top Gear Proms conducted by Sir Jeremy Clarkson (mark my words it will happen) doesn't exactly thrill, every little bit helps, and maybe a few more new longer-term 'core R3' listeners are added thereby. As to what kind of music programmes will they be wanting, it's no surprise to me the BBC is doing a pan-station 'film music season' this autumn.
CFM's figures continue to be steady, and it has pushed the boat out in a puff piece, but in time-honoured RAJAR bullsheet mode, strangely omits to mention it has lost 400k listeners since early 2011. (The moral as usual is to never ever believe any RAJAR PR material.) One aspect CFM does seem to be very successful in is snaffling up popular personalities, in particular, the dulcet tones of the unceremoniously-dumped ex-R4 newsreader Charlotte Green seems to reaping considerable rewards.
Classical or non-classical, performer or presenter, the popular music biz has always been ruled by the cult of personality, or at least, familiarity.
BBmaestro: radio listening is still holding up very well, or even in rude health one might say in face of the huge visual competition. The factor holding it up is however a technological one - the growth of mobile listening.
RussComment
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There's a temptation to treat Rajar like the speedometer on your car but it must be resisted. It's much more like the temperature gauge - if it reads a bit higher in summer or while you're stuck in traffic you accept the fluctuations and don't panic about it. You only look for faults when it's behaving very abnormally.
By the same token advertisers, agencies and station controllers won't revise programme schedules, advertising plans and prices until there's a clear trend which is statistically valid for a series of "random" samples. Controllers will issue press releases highlighting any positives but rarely take them seriously.
Statistically, you can be 95% confident (industry standard) that the true total weekly audience for R3 is within about + or - 60,000 listeners (maybe 40,000 for 'Breakfast') So although unlikely, a reported yr on yr audience 'Increase' from 2,000,000 to 2,100,000, could in fact be a 'Loss' from 2,060,000 to 2,040,000!
Rajar is a blunt instrument. No single report should be used to support an argument or conjecture.Comment
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Absolutely right, though the longer the period under consideration, the less blunt it becomes.Originally posted by Zucchini View Post
As Russ, suggests, the RAJAR figures are primarily to get good publicity, so they are spun. If you lose 300,000 listeners one quarter, you keep quiet about it; if they miraculously return the next quarter you have 'gained' 300,000 listeners. Perfectly true in a way.It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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It seemed to me, the evidence the BBC Trust consulted was quite clear. No more popularising, please; if possible it should turn back from the direction it's been heading in. So why did the Trust agree to allow Radio 3 to go on doing it. Much as I would concede that a single quarter's figures have limited value, these come at an opportune moment. And they certainly aren't a deviation from any clear trend.Originally posted by cloughie View PostIt isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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Any RAJAR stats that talk about DAB listening has to be taken with a pinch of salt because they do not track those who use a DAB radio to listen on FM. If those who do this (use the DAB radio for FM), tick the 'I am listening on a DAB radio' (which is strictly true) then this overstates the figures for DAB.Originally posted by Gordon View PostComment
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This Proms quarter saw a reach of 2.025m - 30,000 more than last quarter's rather poor figure. Stunningly successful Proms season hasn't converted into good Radio 3 listening figures. Share still at 1.2%. Classic FM down a bit on last quarter, I think - haven't studied those figures in detail.
It is just about the lowest Proms quarter for about five years, when R3 was going through a very rocky period after introducing Breakfast - which looks to have had a particularly poor performance this quarter 533,000 as against 665,00 year on year and 615,000 last quarter.
NB None of these figures include the Sound of Cinema season which will come in next season.It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all of the Sound of Cinema season had finished before the end of September, so the Q3 RAJAR figures do include it. Given the R3 cinema season was announced (on R4's Feedback) as a 'ratings hit', and with (it would seem) a Proms season judged an overall critical success, the figures are disappointing, with the average weekly hours per listener an unremarkable 6.1. At 2025k, reach is down 1.5% on last quarter, and 6% down on 2012 Q3. Hours listened to, at 12309k, are 3.3% up on the last quarter, but 9.8% down on 2013 Q2.
R4 and R4X overall figures are steady and healthy, although the former's hours per listener is continuing on a steep downward slide. As predicted, the Ashes sent 5LiveSportsExtra figures through the roof!
RussLast edited by Guest; 24-10-13, 02:19.Comment
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Russ
Do you think weather plays any part? i.e. if it's a good summer, do people stay indoors less to listen to R3 maybe?Comment
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