woolley Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 9 hours ago, Gagster said: Well, well, well. The downward trend continues for Manx Radio. But there’s more: MANX RADIO March 2023 - 30,000 June 2023 - 28,000 Sept 2023 - 26,000 Dec 2023 - 25,000 3FM March 2023 - 22,000 June 2023 - 23,000 Sept 2023 - 24,000 Dec 2023 - 25,000 The latest audience figures, released today, show Manx Radio down by 1000 and 3FM up by 1000. So, for the first time ever, these stations are neck and neck with audience. It doesn’t mean 1000 people have switched from Manx to 3FM, they could have retuned to anything. But overall, these are appalling results for Manx Radio. If the trend continues, with Manx Radio audience dropping a bit and 3FM increasing a bit, the survey results in 3 months time could make very interesting reading. Notwithstanding my suspicions about the veracity of the RAJAR process raised earlier in the thread, the trend doesn't surprise me. Has anyone ever turned on Manx Radio to anything other than adverts? Maybe it's me, but I think it's just awful now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gagster Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 48 minutes ago, woolley said: Notwithstanding my suspicions about the veracity of the RAJAR process raised earlier in the thread, the trend doesn't surprise me. Has anyone ever turned on Manx Radio to anything other than adverts? Maybe it's me, but I think it's just awful now. To be fair to MR, I don’t think their advert levels are really any higher than most commercial radio stations. It may have increased a bit, if only due the reduced audience level. Their pricing for airtime now must reflect the reduced audience, compared with what it perhaps was 5-10 years ago. So, to maintain overall revenue levels, they may be having to run more adverts overall (at reduced rates). If it does come to be that 3FM ends up with a bigger audience than Manx Radio, it will be “all bets off!”. That would be quite an achievement for 3FM. Oddly, the scenario stems more from Manx Radio’s decline rather than 3FM’s growth. But, come the day, 3FM will be shouting about it like never before - and good on ‘em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Peters Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 The long answer: Any comparisons between Manx Radio and 3FM need to take into account that MR is not just a (semi) automated jukebox. People may not like the current affairs, heritage, specialist music, farming, phone-in and culture programmes (especially if you just want pop choons ), but you can only get that stuff on Manx Radio. It’s more expensive and labour intensive to produce and is exactly what a National Broadcaster needs to supply, even for a minority audience. They know that these shows lose them listeners, which partly explains the drop in listeners. The short answer: It went downhill when I left… 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Passing Time Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 8 minutes ago, Stu Peters said: The long answer: Any comparisons between Manx Radio and 3FM need to take into account that MR is not just a (semi) automated jukebox. People may not like the current affairs, heritage, specialist music, farming, phone-in and culture programmes (especially if you just want pop choons ), but you can only get that stuff on Manx Radio. It’s more expensive and labour intensive to produce and is exactly what a National Broadcaster needs to supply, even for a minority audience. They know that these shows lose them listeners, which partly explains the drop in listeners. The short answer: It went downhill when I left… I thought it improved… 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Mainwaring Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 If I understand it correctly, RAJAR respondents record their listening over a week in a diary, in quarter hour blocks. Does that mean if I say I listen to MR each day for one 15 minute block but 3FM for say 10 x 15 minute blocks a day, I am counted in both MR and 3FM's figures? So the numbers just give total listeners - not how much time spent listening? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopek Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 23 minutes ago, Stu Peters said: People may not like the current affairs, heritage, specialist music, farming, phone-in and culture programmes (especially if you just want pop choons ), but you can only get that stuff on Manx Radio. ... but some people would say that they didn't want to be subject to Manx radio because they had to 'queue' in a shop??? Can these people register a negative vote for MR? Turn it off please, don't subject me to your tranny when I come into your shop aaaaarrrrgghh!!!!! I think I would walk out if the shop left the Archers running!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A fool and his money..... Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 I actually quite like MR. I don't only listen to it, but when I do it's fine. As Stu says, it's a national broadcaster and does what a national broadcaster should do. It's also relatively cheap, in government terms. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopek Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 I think the problem arises when you try to include Manx Radio into the 'Universal Benefit' of the Govts provisions? We need Child benefit, social security, road repairs and renewals and tax allowances...? We do not 'need' a national radio when there are two other stations that provide the 'news' and indeed, more in depth examination of the Govts news releases> It may be a small subsidy of MR but is it needed at all??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 9 hours ago, Stu Peters said: The long answer: Any comparisons between Manx Radio and 3FM need to take into account that MR is not just a (semi) automated jukebox. And that's all 3FM is. The news repeated constantly throughout the day and the same 50 songs played in a different order each day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
display name Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 9 hours ago, Stu Peters said: . They know that these shows lose them listeners, which partly explains the drop in listeners. The ultimate aim of any radio station. A concept 3FM seem to be struggling with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Mexico Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 11 hours ago, Capt_Mainwaring said: Does that mean if I say I listen to MR each day for one 15 minute block but 3FM for say 10 x 15 minute blocks a day, I am counted in both MR and 3FM's figures? So the numbers just give total listeners - not how much time spent listening? Actually they report both publicly[1]. What has so far been discussed is 'Reach' the percentage of potential listeners (those 15+ living in the station's intended reception area) who tune in in the period. If you look at the latest tables, these are the five most popular stations in the UK+ that RAJAR covers[2]: But the figures also give Average Hours Per Listener and you can see on that that Manx Radio gets listened to for a bit longer. [1] Radio stations who subscribe to RAJAR (Energy hasn't for years) get much more detailed figures so they can see what programmes, days, time of day etc are most popular and this will be used to sell advertising, tweak output etc. {2} Island FM is the commercial station covering Guernsey, Channel 103 its equivalent in Jersey. Both are owned by the Tindle Group that also owns IOM Newspapers (and who were prevented from buying 3FM). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Onchan Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 12 hours ago, Capt_Mainwaring said: If I understand it correctly, RAJAR respondents record their listening over a week in a diary, in quarter hour blocks. Does that mean if I say I listen to MR each day for one 15 minute block but 3FM for say 10 x 15 minute blocks a day, I am counted in both MR and 3FM's figures? So the numbers just give total listeners - not how much time spent listening? Aye what we need are meters so that Rajar can provide accurate stats, just like the energy meters currently being installed around the Island. 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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