Radio advertising grew again in 2025 despite a largely flat market for traditional media, according to Ofcom’s latest Media Nations report.
The report shows UK radio advertising revenue increased by 1% year on year to £747 million, making it one of the few traditional media sectors to record growth.
Television advertising fell by 1% to £5.2 billion, while newspaper and magazine advertising both declined by 5%.
Ofcom says radio proved more resilient than television because it was less affected by major sporting events and wider economic uncertainty. Cinema advertising also rose by 3%, although it remains below pre pandemic levels.
The wider UK advertising market grew by 6% to £46.7 billion, driven almost entirely by online platforms. Online advertising increased by 9% to £39.3 billion, with social media advertising rising 21% and search advertising growing 6%.
The report also highlights how broadcasters are adapting to attract a broader range of advertisers. In June 2026, Global launched AdPower, a self service platform allowing businesses to buy both audio and outdoor advertising more quickly.
Ofcom says platforms such as AdPower and the television industry’s Universal Ads simplify campaign buying and could appeal to existing local radio advertisers as well as businesses that have never previously used traditional media.
While digital advertising continues to dominate overall growth, Ofcom concludes that radio and audio remain an important part of people’s daily media habits, with broadcasters continuing to invest in new ways to make advertising easier to buy and more accessible.
Read the full report and indivdual nations here.
