GMG Radio has posted mixed Rajar results this quarter, with a positive year-on-year numbers for Smooth Radio’s flagship station in London, but falling numbers for the two former Century stations based in Gateshead and Manchester.
100.4 Smooth Radio, the original Smooth station in the North West, still leads the brand, with an additional 18,000 listeners quarter on quarter. Smooth Radio London lost 32,000 listeners in the same period, however, London’s total hours has increased from almost 3 million to 4 million year-on-year, suggesting that the long term picture could be positive.
GMG’s North-East stations showed interesting results – with Smooth Radio increasing both reach and share. However, across the corridor, Real Radio North East continued the decline of Q2, losing 50,000 listeners and reduced average listening hours. The other rebranded ex-Century station in the North West also failed to attract any extra listeners, with 5,000 less than in Q2. However, the station recorded a record high average hours for the frequency at 9.1.
The continually successful Real Radio Scotland maintains its 26 per cent reach, despite losing 9,000 listeners this quarter.
Elsewhere in the group, both Rock Radio stations have seen increases in listeners quarter on quarter; 10,000 extra listeners in Glasgow and 2,000 new pairs of ears in Manchester.
Stuart Taylor, GMG Radio Chief Exective said: “Smooth Radio London has proved to be our top performer this quarter and in such a tough market it is great that we are starting to bear the fruits of the station’s hard work.”