GfK research: ‘TalkSport is the commercial leader’

TalkSport is the UK’s leading national commercial station, according to the third instalment of research from the GfK Media’s National Broadcast Media Survey. It gives the station more than 7 million listeners and a weekly reach of 16 per cent.

The results are in stark contrast to Rajar research, which shows that TalkSport has just 2.2 million listeners and a weekly reach of four per cent. It is understood that both GfK and TalkSport have been trying to meet media agencies to discuss the results.

The controversial media survey, which is supported by TalkSport-owned The Wireless Group, also finds that Radio 1 is the number one radio station in the UK among 16- to 44-year-olds and has a listenership of 12.6 million. It also gives the station a 40 per cent weekly reach.

In comparison, the second quarter figures for Radio 1 from Rajar showed the station had slumped to lowest ever listenership of 9 million.

Radio buyers say that even though they accept that The Wireless Group is frustrated by the flaws in the Rajar diary system, it will never be possible to trade on this alternative data because of doubts over its validity.

The Wireless Group chairman and chief executive Kelvin MacKenzie threatened to sue Rajar earlier this year when it decided against implementing electronic measurement (MW July 3). The Wireless Group is demanding to see the findings of the research carried out by Rajar into GfK’s Radiocontrol wristwatch and the Arbitron pager. The two groups are currently in contact via their solicitors.