Radio is the most common audio listening activity in UK in 2020 according to Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator. In Ofcom’s fourth annual Media Nations research report it reviews trends in the TV and online video sectors as well as radio and other audio sectors.
Audio listening key findings
The radio and audio sector continues to take advantage of DAB and online platforms to innovate.
- Live radio on a radio set remains the most common audio listening activity. However, the proportion of total audio listening that this represents has declined from 74% to 58% since 2015. Streamed music accounted for 17% compared to 5% in 2015.
- As of Q1 2021, the share of weekly audio time for radio, including live, catch-up and radio podcasts, was 68%. Listening via a DAB radio was the most popular way of listening; more than half (53%) of UK adults listened to live radio via a DAB set.
- Growth in podcast use appeared to slow during the pandemic, with 15% of adults listening to podcasts on a weekly basis in Q1 2021 – only one percentage point higher than in early 2020.
- Overall radio industry revenues were hit by the pandemic, with sector revenue down 14% compared to 2019, driven by the contraction of radio advertising spend.
- Despite these challenges, in the past year broadcasters have launched new stations and services, while streaming platforms have continued to expand their products to include higher quality audio and podcasts, including some exclusive to the platform. And in early 2021 several developers released social audio apps, combining elements of podcasts and conference calls.
- In Q1 2021 50% of adults claimed to have a smart speaker in their home.
The research found that “Consumers continue to listen to radio and audio content on a wide range of devices. Although listening to live radio on a radio set has been in decline for the past few years, for adults overall it continues to account for much of their audio consumption. Conversely, consumption of digital audio services, including online live radio, music streaming services and podcasts, has grown over time, especially among adults aged 15-34 for whom live radio on a radio set now accounts for less than a quarter of listening.”
Innovations introduced during 2020 included a subscription radio service from Bauer and small-scale DAB multiplex licences enabling even more local radio stations. The growth in podcast listening slowed during the pandemic with only 15% of UK adults listening on a weekly basis. Music streaming did not appear to benefit from the lockdown with a slight dip in reach which is likely to be due to reduced commuting time.
Smart speaker penetration reached 50% in the UK with the Amazon Echo being the most common brand. Among those with a smart speaker in their household in 2021, 69% had an Amazon Echo device followed by Google Nest at 25%. All other smart speaker brands had penetration below 10%. The most popular activity by those who used smart speakers in 2021 was listening to music via a streaming service, at two-thirds of UK adults, followed by listening to live radio (60%) and getting weather reports (45%).
For more detailed statistics on radio and audio listening habits together with information on TV broadcasting the 102 page report, Media Nations: UK 2021, is free and can be downloaded here.
