The Local Radio Company announces that, according to Q1 2006 RAJAR figures published today, it now has 849,000 listeners per week (compared with 862,000 listeners in Q4 2005) with total listening hours of 7.45 million (compared with 7.44 million in Q4 2005).
While TLRC’s reach percentage has remained the same at 21%, market share has increased to 8.3% (compared with 8.2% in Q4 2005).
Whilst group figure don’t look too bad on the surface, some stations within the group are suffering after introuducing the MusicFunLife branding in January 2005. 2BR in East Lancashire is down from 38% reach to 28% reach, Alpha FM in Darlington is down 7% and Mix 96 down 9%.
Silk FM and Spire FM however have seen a 4% rise (each) year-on-year.
Commenting on the results, Richard Wheatly, Chief Executive of The Local Radio Company, said:
?A number of stations have done particularly well in this survey. Minster FM in York and Yorkshire Coast Radio combines to see a 20% increase in their total listening to 1,077,000 hours compared to 894,000 hours in Q4 2005. Minster is our biggest single station and this significant increase in listening will give a tremendous boost to our business in the NE region.
?We have also seen some outstanding performances at some of our other stations. Fire FM in Bournemouth has seen a 75% increase in station hours year on year. Dune FM in Southport has seen a 30% increase in its listening in the same period.
?I am also pleased that in what continues to be a tough period for commercial radio in its battle with the BBC, The Local Radio Company has maintained its overall reach percentage at 21% and we have increased our brand share slightly to 8.3%. We are making progress in a tough environment.?
TLRC owns 28 local radio stations around the UK, most of them branded as MusicFunLife stations since January 10th 2005.