The media is evolving, and the world appears to be gravitating towards digital channels.
Contrary to general perceptions that radio broadcasting is an ‘ancient’ means of information dissemination, recent studies have revealed that about 89% of adults tune in to their radio every week in the UK.
And they are not merely tuning in to pay tribute; the average adult Briton listens for at least 21 hours a week!
While this is evidence that the radio is still very much in vogue, there are features that a radio station must possess to attract many listeners every week.
Today, people are more likely to listen to radio broadcasting companies introducing modern developments such as websites and mobile applications. This is understandable because we are in a digital age where everyone wants to conveniently access their preferred form of entertainment by merely tapping an app on their mobile devices.
While this is evidence that the radio is still very much in vogue, there are features that a radio station must possess to attract many listeners every week.
Oftentimes these radio companies also offer shares that investors can purchase using the best stock trading app in the UK to encourage their audiences to keep tuning in. Little wonder the average adult Briton listens for at least 21 hours a week.
Audience attraction is frequently measured by user traffic on streaming services and digital channels, so we will rank these companies according to the innovations they introduced to ensure the people in the UK did not stop listening to the radio.
Based on the foregoing, we present our top 5 radio broadcasting companies in the UK:
5. Capital FM
Capital FM has evolved over the years to meet the needs and expectations of an engaged audience. It is one of the most popular radio stations in the UK. It began in 1973, and since then, it has broadcasted some of the most listened-to radio shows. Currently, Capital radio is owned by the Global media company and has twelve stations throughout the UK that broadcast on both DAB and FM.
The company introduced the Radio Player that listeners can easily access at CapitalFM.com using a mobile phone or a computer, and in 2017 it launched a mobile app. This innovation increased their listenership to over 7.8 million per week as of 2018.
Frequency: D1 (DAB), 95-108 MHz (FM).
4. BBC Radio 1
BBC 1 began broadcasting in 1967, and in 1991 it started offering 24-hr transmissions to its listeners. Since then, it has provided premium radio news and entertainment nonstop and regular news bulletins throughout the day.
Each week, BBC Radio 1 amasses a whooping 9.3 million listeners, making it one of the UK’s most popular radio broadcasting stations. This broad listenership base is courtesy of BBC Sounds, a user-friendly application developed using a responsive design that provides a similar, consistent experience for users across their devices.
Frequency: 97.1, 97.7-99.8 MHz (FM), 12B (DAB).
3. Heart
Heart is a regional radio station owned by the Global brand. It was initially launched in 1994. Heart has 22 local stations operating across the UK, three of which are franchised.
The company has the Heart app, an application with attractive features with which Heart delivers a great combination of contemporary trending music and rhythmic features. With 7 million listeners every week, Heart is ranked as one of the UK’s most popular radio broadcasting stations.
Frequency: 88-108 MHz (FM).
2. BBC Radio 4
Radio 4 started broadcasting in 1967 through the BBC network. Its popularity increased because of the intelligent talk shows and witty programmes.
For several years, BBC Radio 4 has been recorded as the best radio broadcasting station based on its large population of listeners.
The company broadcasts using television providers, FM, and DAB frequencies.
About 11 million people listen to BBC Radio 4 every week, making it the UK’s second most popular radio station. The introduction of the iPlayer app has played a pivotal role in making this happen.
Frequency: 92.5-96.1 MHz (FM), 12B (DAB).
1. BBC Radio 2
The number 1 radio station in the UK, based on listeners population, is BBC Radio 2. The radio station began in 1967, at the same time as Radio 1 and 4. Currently, about 15.3 million listeners tune in to Radio 2 each week. The channels offer popular music, news broadcasts, competitions, and several exciting shows. It’s the UK’s most preferred radio broadcasting station and can be easily accessed via the new iPlayer app as well. You can tune in on DAB or FM frequencies or simply listen on the internet.
Frequency: 88.1-90.2 MHz (FM), 12B (DAB).
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