Today’s Rajar results say 45.5 million people listen to the radio in Britain every week for an average of just over 22 hours each. 89.7% of the UK population listens to radio every week. You don’t need me to tell you that’s huge.

Here’s the really heartening bit. Despite the proliferation of digital distractions (some of which include radio of course), radio reach is holding up well. Not just relatively well, though it is when compared with print and television, but remarkably well.

Indeed today’s total reach figure is up both on the last quarter (88.9%) and the same period last year (89.3%). Let me say that again. Total radio reach has grown.

And how does this compare with radio’s performance in a bygone era, before the Nintendo Wii, iPhone, Sky+ and Strictly Come Dancing? Rajar Q4 from 1999, the earliest year shown on Rajar’s website, reports a reach figure back then of 89%.

Tomorrow: one reason why radio is the resilient medium.

Source: Rajar