Latest RAJARs

[Quarky]

Post scriptum: Looking at the Breakfast figures by quarter, this latest figure is very good for the December quarter, since Breakfast became 6.30-9.00. Did someone say that the weekend Breakfast figures where very good 'for Elizabeth Alker'. Digesting that fact (assuming it to be correct), I wonder whether new listeners who have come to Radio 3 for Elizabeth Alker will become the much desired new concertgoers, record buyers &c which will see music making and creation thrive, rather than just new Radio 3 listeners. I suspect the BBC/R3 will be satisfied with the new radio listeners.

Well that's interesting. On a personal view, I enjoy Petroc's selections, Martin Handley chugs along in his habitual groove, Georgia Mann I find quite leaden in comparison, but I feel somewhat uncomfortable with Elizabeth's somewhat unpredictable selections for Breakfast.

A clearer view of Elizabeth's inclinations is found I think on Unclassified: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000dy2s . She obviously follows very keenly the latest developments in "experimental" music. But it's not all YouTube, publications by the Composer on the Web, Wordpress or whatever. Young composers do release new CD albums and young listeners do attend concerts - at least according to Alker, and my scanty knowledge of the subject.

[french frank]

Do young people buy records any more?

I wondered how to express what I meant. Regardless of whether any money changes hands for audio or a physical record/CD/download, would they be inspired to listen/seek out/explore more music off their own bat as a result of listening to Breakfast - or would they just be content to listen to Elizabeth Alker on a Saturday and then revert to 6 Music/Radio 5 or whatever else they listen to?

I don't think EA would inspire a new generation of classical music lovers, but that's only a quick impression having listened to her once and read what others have said. However, I did listen to one of her late night programmes, thought she did it very well but personally hated the music - which is hardly going to attract its listeners to classical music.

The educative value of Breakfast - and Essential Classics - seems limited.

[Anastasius]

:-P :-)

....

Completely unknowable is to what extent the type of programming aimed at 'new listeners' is genuinely building up an audience for classical music - one that will go to classical concerts and recitals, buy classical recordings, join music societies, support and enjoy the music of living composers - or merely increasing the listening figures for Radio 3's Breakfast and Essential Classics, with their mix of 'easier listening' (short pieces, presenter chat etc). And that, to me is the much more fundamental point than Radio 3's RAJAR performance.

All this just my opinion and E&OE, especially quick mathematical calculations.

Exactly, FF and well put. The cynic in me says that they got bored with Radio 4 and hit the Seek button on the radio and came across Essential Classics playing The Lark Ascending.

[Anastasius]

Well that's interesting. On a personal view, I enjoy Petroc's selections, Martin Handley chugs along in his habitual groove, Georgia Mann I find quite leaden in comparison, but I feel somewhat uncomfortable with Elizabeth's selections for Breakfast.

A clearer view of Elizabeth's inclinations is found I think on Unclassified: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000dy2s . She obviously follows very keenly the latest developments in "experimental" music. But it's not all YouTube, publications by the Composer on the Web, Wordpress or whatever. Young composers do release new CD albums and young listeners do attend concerts - at least according to Alker, and my scanty knowledge of the subject.

Interesting viewpoint. For these 'snippet' programmes I find that the voice and timbre of the presenter actually goes a long way to whether or not I will stay and listen, I'm afraid.

[LMcD]

Interesting viewpoint. For these 'snippet' programmes I find that the voice and timbre of the presenter actually goes a long way to whether or not I will stay and listen, I'm afraid.

That's why I'm giving 'Breakfast' a miss today.

[Anastasius]

That's why I'm giving 'Breakfast' a miss today.

Absolutely. With you 100%.

[oddoneout]

Interesting viewpoint. For these 'snippet' programmes I find that the voice and timbre of the presenter actually goes a long way to whether or not I will stay and listen, I'm afraid.

And I think that is something to which those in charge only pay scant attention - or perhaps more accurately only consider one side. The idea that a presenter can draw in/engage/keep listeners must acknowledge that it will have an opposite effect on others, where the programme's structure means considerable exposure to the presenter in relation to the amount of music. Where audiences are small the movement away is at least as important as the movement to.
I don't find EA a complete turn off but I don't like her delivery so don't listen as attentively when she's on - the radio is on and I may or may not be in the room/listening.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Is there any one on the forum so starved of their quarterly Rajar fix that they are planning to log on at midnight tonight ?
Predictions - total Radio up
Radio 3 up
Radio 4 up
Maybe total BBC share down
Times Radio - just moving the needle..

[french frank]

This had passed me by! Though I have less interest now in checking on how new younger audiences are beginning to discover Happy Harmonies, Tearjerker and Downtime Symphony, while older listeners are beginning to give up. The R3 stalwarts who still find something of interest on the station will carry on listening to Composer of the Week, the Evening Concert and Choral Evensong and ensure that any new listeners boost the figures.

The BBC's criteria for 'success' are quite at odds with what was Radio 3's original purpose.

[Stanfordian]

This had passed me by! Though I have less interest now in checking on how new younger audiences are beginning to discover Happy Harmonies, Tearjerker and Downtime Symphony, while older listeners are beginning to give up. The R3 stalwarts who still find something of interest on the station will carry on listening to Composer of the Week, the Evening Concert and Choral Evensong and ensure that any new listeners boost the figures.

The BBC's criteria for 'success' are quite at odds with what was Radio 3's original purpose.

Hiya French Frank,

I heard a programme not too long ago that young people (I think it was university students polled) don't normally listen to a physical radio and it is rare to have them. They choose their own music playlists on their own devices.

I've said it more than once that I believe most young people wouldn't be seen dead listening to radio 3 and 4 and there are so many other alternatives currently.

[french frank]

I've said it more than once that I believe most young people wouldn't be seen dead listening to radio 3 and 4 and there are so many other alternatives currently.

I think it's a problem the BBC (and Radio 3) faces. But by 'younger audiences' I think Radio 3 is after what they term the 'replenisher audience' in the 35-54 age bracket. What they are now doing for music/listening, I don't know. But they either listen to radio or they don't. If they do, they're listening to their chosen station(s) and Radio 3 needs to be providing them not only with what they will like but what they will prefer to their current listening. During lock-down, working from home &c there may well be a rise in radio listening but what happens longer term will be something else.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I think it's a problem the BBC (and Radio 3) faces. But by 'younger audiences' I think Radio 3 is after what they term the 'replenisher audience' in the 35-54 age bracket. What they are now doing for music/listening, I don't know. But they either listen to radio or they don't. If they do, they're listening to their chosen station(s) and Radio 3 needs to be providing them not only with what they will like but what they will prefer to their current listening. During lock-down, working from home &c there may well be a rise in radio listening but what happens longer term will be something else.

Problem is the last quarter wasn’t a lockdown quarter so we’ll never really know what impact it has on radio. What will be interesting if any of the (assumed - it’s a fair assumption) increase in listening has persisted. All I know is since lockdown I’ve subscribed to the Met Opera, Qubuz , Now TV , National Theatre Live and countless one off digital relays from opera , concerts etc .On paper it’s a fortune but in fact less than just one trip to Covent Garden for two with rail, hotel and inexpensive meal.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Looks like R3 like most radio did well during lockdown - share in Total Survey Area up fro 1.3 % in Q1 2020 to 1.6% in Q3 2021. For direct comparison (though Rajar say they’ve changed the data gathering method so it’s potentially misleading) the figure is also up on Q3 2019. Total listening hours are also up and also reach and all the other metrics.
Total radio listening in increasing but it appears from the newspapers breakfast shows are down. My predictions were accurate but Times Radio is doing more than “moving the needle” . It’s doing pretty well.

[french frank]

(though Rajar say they’ve changed the data gathering method so it’s potentially misleading)

What they actually say is: "Please note that all RAJAR listening figures from Q3 2021 have been calculated using a modified survey methodology and this should be considered when making comparisons against historical data." I can't see any information on how they did their calculation - what they based it on. Just fewer people, or what? If the share is 1.6% it could mean anything - that's very high for R3's share which is normally roughly 1.1%-1.3%. The breakfast figure is 708k which it pretty good. The problem is there's no knowing whether this is largely the result of a changed 'lockdown listening routine' (even if we haven't actually been in lockdown), a response to the new programming or a quite large over estimate.

Classic FM's reach is substantially down, and its listening hours down too. On the current basis, make what you will of all this.

[Andrew Slater]

What they actually say is: "Please note that all RAJAR listening figures from Q3 2021 have been calculated using a modified survey methodology and this should be considered when making comparisons against historical data." I can't see any information on how they did their calculation - what they based it on. Just fewer people, or what?

More information is given here, but it's a bit vague:

RAJAR has also adapted the existing specification design to broaden its data gathering sources and create a flexible methodology integrating panellists completing either RAJAR diaries or providing data collected passively alongside face-to-face recruited respondents.

The passive data is collected via an app running on a smartphone/tablet that identifies radio stations by matching exposure to a station’s audio output. All data is from the diary and passive sources is integrated and processed to conform to the standard quarter-hour weekly diary format, consistent with the existing RAJAR data structure.

It seems that listening data is collected from smartphones or tablets, but it's not clear whether this just backs up the diaries or is a separate source. I'm having difficulty understanding the significance of 'alongside face-to-face recruited respondents'. The final quoted sentence doesn't seem to make sense either! (I think the first 'is' should be deleted. Even having done that, it's still all very vague.)