Five FM has gained one of the best starts any station could hope for in their first RAJAR, recording a weekly reach of 25 per cent and average hours per listener of 10.3.
Other new-comers Abbey FM, JACK fm, KCFM, Palm FM and Smooth Radio have also got off to an impressive start.
Barrow-in-Furness station Abbey FM, part owned by CN Group, TLRC and The Radio Business has a 15 per cent reach, giving them 13,000 listeners in a TSA of just 85,000.
Absolute Radio's JACK fm debuts with 47,000 listeners in a TSA of 412,000 – a weekly reach of 11 per cent. FM107.9 and JACK fm Programme Director Sue Carter said: “We’re thrilled with this result. Its early days, and these figures added to the success our current advertisers are having, tells us we’re doing something right.”
Both Palm FM and KCFM open with 12 per cent.
Smooth Radio in the north east looks like it will be another success story for GMG, with an opening book of 13 per cent weekly reach and 9 average hours. Some of this success could be at the cost of stable-mate Century Radio which has seen a loss in audience share and average hours.
Debbie Bowman, managing director of Smooth Radio north east, said: “These are just fabulous results for everyone here at Smooth Radio. There’s been a real buzz about the station since before we even launched and it’s clear that listeners continue to love the brand and the station’s output.
“The whole team will continue to work hard behind the scenes to attract even more listeners to Smooth Radio in the north-east.”