GMG Radio have announced another great set of RAJAR results:
* Record figures for Real Radio Network
* Real Radio becomes Scotland?s most listened to station
* Smooth FM north west hits new record audience levels
Real Radio?s network of regional stations has smashed all records in the latest audience research ? reporting a record reach of over 1.5 million adult listeners a week.
The popular speech and music stations, which broadcast across Wales, Scotland and Yorkshire, now pull in an incredible 17.6 million hours of listening every week ? up over 1.35 million on the quarter. The brand now has its sights set firmly set on becoming the biggest network of regional stations outside London.
In Scotland, Real Radio is now the country?s most listened to radio station, overtaking BBC Radio Scotland in listening hours for the first time. Not only have Real?s hours shot up by over a million, to 9.1 million hours of listening a week, its audience has broken through the 700,000 barrier for the first time. Real Radio remains Scotland?s biggest commercial radio station with a new record reach of 733,000 adult listeners a week.
100.4 Smooth FM in the north west of England continues the GMG Radio group trend of breaking records this quarter with the highest ever reach recorded by the frequency of 567,000 listeners a week. This surely bodes well for its fledgling sister Smooth FM station in London, which expects the results of its ?1.5 million marketing campaign to be reflected in the new year figures.
In Yorkshire Real Radio has increased its weekly reach by 18,000 to 413,000 adult listeners a week, while in Wales, Real Radio remains Wales? No.1 commercial radio station with 366,000 adult weekly listeners.
GMG Radio Group Programme Director John Simons said: ?The success of Real Radio has been truly phenomenal. Our target now is for the brand to become the No.1 regional station network outside London.?
Source: RAJAR/Ipsos-RSL p/e September 2005 within the respective station?s TSA. Scotland-wide figures relate to the BBC Radio Scotland TSA. Wales-wide figures relate to the BBC Radio Wales TSA.