talkSPORT audience grows by 8%
From a press release to news@media.info
Posted 20 May 2015, 8.20pm edt
- 3.25 million listeners to the station overall
- 8% quarter-on-quarter increase in listener numbers
- 84% of listeners are male
talkSPORT, the world’s biggest sports radio station, has achieved 3.25 million listeners according to figures released by RAJAR today (21 May) - an increase of 8% on the previous quarter and a 2% year-on-year increase. The official industry figures cover the first quarter of the year from 5th January - 5th April 2015.
Football continued to prove successful for the station, with talkSPORT’s live commentaries on a Saturday afternoon hitting record figures of just under one million listeners. In this period talkSPORT broadcast exclusive Barclays Premier League commentaries including Chelsea v Manchester City and the Merseyside derby, plus full commentaries of FA Cup matches.
All of talkSPORT’s weekday daytime and evening shows (6am – 10pm) have increased their listener numbers on the previous quarter. The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast (weekdays 6am-10am) saw an 8% growth in listeners to take it to 1.5million.
Call Collymore, the station’s post-match phone-in with Stan Collymore has also hit its highest ever figures with listeners sharing their views and thoughts on the day’s football.
talkSPORT’s audience is also listening to the station for longer – talkSPORT’s total hours have grown to 21.5 million, an 8% increase on the previous quarter and 5% year-on-year.
84% of all listeners to the station are men and 56% of listeners are ABC1 adults.
Within the next year talkSPORT’s parent company, UTV Media (GB), is set to launch brand new national speech radio stations talkSPORT 2, talkRADIO and talkBUSINESS. The group will also bring iconic radio brand Virgin Radio back to UK airwaves.
Calum Macaulay, talkSPORT Managing Director said: “It’s a really exciting time for everyone at talkSPORT . The audience figures today are superb and talkSPORT continues to go from strength to strength, driven by our investment in live rights and talent. We’re also in the middle of planning for the launch of our four new national radio stations next year and about to start work on our new expanded broadcast centre on the South Bank.”
talkSPORT is the global audio partner of the Barclays Premier League, official broadcaster of the FA Cup, England internationals and the Capital One Cup.