Figuring out radio

James Cridland's MediaUK site is the best way to read how your favourite radio station is doing in the ratings, and offers a series of very clear league tables.  This shows how the big brands are doing, as Ofcom allows more commercial stations a national profile.

1. BBC Radio 2 (13.9m)
2. BBC Radio 1 (11.6m)
3. BBC Radio 4 (10.8m)
4. Heart (7.6m)
5. Capital (6.8m)
6. BBC Radio 5 live (6.6m)
7. Classic FM (5.7m)
8. Kiss (4.2m)
9. Magic (4.0m)
10. talkSPORT (3.2m)

Probably equal 10th now should be Smooth Radio, also rounded at 3.2m.  It'll be interesting to track this table over the licence fee period - and 20% cuts at the BBC.

With record numbers listening for record hours, there's good news for most stations. Some of the big winners are 1Xtra, Absolute 80s, the growing stable of Jack FM stations and BBC Wiltshire/Swindon.

Amongst the biggest losers - BBC Radio Manchester, down 33% in reach year on year; 107 The Bee (broadcasting from a business park just off the M65 between Blackburn and Burnley) and 107.6 Banbury Sound, each down 27%, and 107.5 Sovereign ("Eastbourne's Feel Good Station"), down 25%.

Best piece of writing about RAJARs this time ?  Alex Duffy's guide to PR spin on the figures - and this spin-spotting from James Cridland...