GMG: Audience up across the group

GMG Radio has seen a year-on-year increase across Real and Smooth Radio, taking it to 5.6 million adult listeners, but the figure is down from 5.7m in Q3.

The figures include its London station losing 25% of its audience in the latest quarter.

But nationally, the station remains popular with 3.3 million listeners, 1 million of those listening on digital radio each week. The figures make it the UK’s second most listened to national commercial radio station. Simon Bates is celebrating his first year on Smooth Radio Breakfast and has grown the breakfast audience by 69,000 to almost 1.4 million a week year-on-year.

All but one of the Real Radio stations lost listeners this quarter with Real Scotland being the exception. The Glasgow based station added an extra 26,000 listeners taking it back to the same audience it had at the beginning of the year. Both former Rock Radio stations were also down in listener numbers this quarter after a re-brand to Real XS.

GMG Radio Chief Executive Stuart Taylor said: “To grow our listener number by 7.2% year on year in a competitive and volatile environment, is a fantastic result, confirming not only the appetite for Smooth Radio`s unique sound but also the strength of the Real Radio brand. I am so proud of our talented teams and really pleased the hard work of the last year is bearing fruit. Simon Bates on Smooth Breakfast is proving a huge success and our multi-platform approach has delivered a significant 17% growth in digital listening.”