RAJAR Q2/14: talkSPORT smashes audience record
From a press release to news@media.info
Posted 30 July 2014, 8.16pm edt
- 3.4 million listeners overall, the HIGHEST EVER in the history of the station
- 17% increase in listening hours year-on-year
- Listening in London shoots up 34% year-on-year
- Highest ever listening figures for the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast
Following talkSPORT’s comprehensive coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil the station has posted the highest ever listening figures in its history. 3.4 million sports fans are now tuning in each week according to industry figures released by RAJAR today (31 July). The official industry figures cover the second quarter of the year from 31st March - 22nd June.
Highlights of the period for talkSPORT included the climax of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season and the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The station was the only UK broadcaster to broadcast every match of the tournament live.
People are also listening to talkSPORT for longer. The station’s overall listening hours now stand at 22.7million per week, a 17% year-on-year increase. These record figures show a 30% jump in hours and a 35% leap in listeners from when talkSPORT last broadcast the FIFA World Cup in Q2 2010. These massive increases have resulted in talkSPORT recording its highest ever Q2 market share.
The station’s flagship show, The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast (weekdays 6-10am) scored its largest audience ever, with 1.5 million tuning in every week to hear Alan and his team of co-hosts from across the world of sport bringing fans the day’s breaking news and interviews first. This RAJAR period saw Brazil live in Brazil, with Alan broadcasting his show overlooking the world famous Copacabana beach with all the excitement and build up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
In London, talkSPORT listening rocketed up by 34% year on year to 6.3m hours – 45% higher than Absolute Radio in the capital.
There is further success across the station’s weekday programming. Drive (4-7pm weekdays) has grown its audience to 1.34million listeners. Colin Murray and Friends (10am-1pm) attracted more than 1 million listeners, a 7% increase on Q1. Hawksbee and Jacobs (1-4pm) also achieved 1 million listeners, a 4% increase.
It’s not just football that is proving a winner on the world’s biggest sports radio station. Rugby programme Full Contact (Sundays 8-10pm), hosted by ex-England and British & Irish Lions hooker Brian Moore has seen an 87% year-on-year increase in its listeners.
Calum Macaulay, talkSPORT Managing Director said: “This is a fantastic day for talkSPORT and a great testimony to a hugely talented programming team. The record numbers also reflect our consistent and continued investment into talent and rights. Our FIFA World Cup coverage was superb and that followed on from another season of exhilarating Barclays Premier league commentaries on the station. We continue, through brilliant sports content, to attract a young and very upmarket audience with an ABC1 male profile higher than 5 Live. We have also seen our position in the London market grow significantly. It’s great news for the station and our advertisers.”
talkSPORT is the global audio partner of the Barclays Premier League and official broadcaster of the FA Cup and Capital One Cup.