Commercial radio sees “very healthy” Q1 revenue

Commercial radio has reported a 9.4% year-on-year increase in national advertising revenue in a “very healthy” first quarter for the sector. It comes despite the continuing concern about the tough economic climate in the UK.

The sector reported a 6.7% year-on-year increase in overall advertising revenue, its fourth successive quarter of growth and a 5% increase in revenue over the past 12 months.

Andrew Harrison, the chief executive of industry body RadioCentre, says: “This is great news for our sector and these revenues show that there is an increasing understanding of radio’s role in the digital age – including its effectiveness when used alongside online advertising.”

RAB managing director, Simon Redican, adds that advertisers are continuing to see radio as a “critical part of the media mix”. He adds: “We can see that advertisers are recognising that radio adds bite to their media campaigns, multiplying the effectiveness of their other media.”