Local commercial radio reached 25.418 million UK adults aged 15+ each week in RAJAR’s Q1 2026 survey, representing 44% weekly reach. Across its measured transmission areas, the sector generated 260.367 million listening hours and accounted for 25.9% of listening. These figures describe the survey period ending 5 April 2026.
Contents
- UK local commercial radio at a glance
- Scottish and Welsh audiences
- English local-station audiences
- Northern and Manchester services
- Groups and specialist regional services
- Other services in the local-commercial table
UK local commercial radio at a glance
The Quarterly Summary Of Radio Listening from RAJAR reports several different measures. Weekly reach counts adults aged 15+ who listened during the week. Average hours per adult spreads listening across the relevant adult population, while average hours per listener describes the time among people who listened. Listening hours are reported in thousands.
| Measure | All Local Commercial Radio, Q1 2026 |
|---|---|
| Weekly reach | 25,418 thousand adults aged 15+ |
| Weekly reach percentage | 44% |
| Average hours per adult per week | 4.5 |
| Average hours per listener per week | 10.2 |
| Listening hours | 260,367 thousand |
| Share of listening in measured transmission areas | 25.9% |
The reach figure gives local commercial radio a substantial weekly footprint: 25.418 million adults aged 15+ were reached during the quarter’s survey period. The 44% figure is a percentage measure of that weekly audience, not a claim that every adult listened for the same amount of time.
Time spent provides a different view. Average listening was 4.5 hours per adult aged 15+ per week, compared with 10.2 hours among listeners. The distinction matters when comparing stations: a service may have a smaller weekly audience but a high average number of hours among the people it reaches.
RAJAR also reports 260.367 million listening hours for All Local Commercial Radio. The accompanying 25.9% share applies to listening in the measured transmission areas, so it should not be read as a share of all audio listening everywhere or as a national population percentage. All figures in this section are from RAJAR’s Quarterly Summary Of Radio Listening, Q1 2026, survey period ending 5 April 2026.
Scottish and Welsh audiences
The local-commercial table includes services with different coverage areas and sample definitions. Capital Scotland reached 414 thousand people weekly in its H-sample area. Its listeners averaged 4.3 hours per week, and the station recorded 1,777 thousand listening hours.
Capital South Wales reached 183 thousand people weekly. Its listeners averaged 5.5 hours per week, with 1,011 thousand listening hours recorded. Heart North Wales reached 108 thousand weekly listeners, who averaged 7.3 hours per week; the service recorded 792 thousand listening hours.
| Service | Weekly reach | Hours per listener | Listening hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Scotland | 414 thousand | 4.3 | 1,777 thousand |
| Capital South Wales | 183 thousand | 5.5 | 1,011 thousand |
| Heart North Wales | 108 thousand | 7.3 | 792 thousand |
These entries are not interchangeable geographic totals. Capital Scotland’s reach is explicitly reported for its H-sample area, while the supplied RAJAR figures do not attach that same sample-area wording to the Capital South Wales and Heart North Wales reach statements. The values are therefore best used as service-level measurements for the stated quarter rather than as a combined Scotland-and-Wales population estimate.
The strongest average listening time in this group was Heart North Wales at 7.3 hours per listener per week. Capital South Wales recorded 5.5 hours, while Capital Scotland recorded 4.3 hours. The table’s listening-hours totals describe the measured services in the quarter and are not forecasts.
All figures in this section come from RAJAR’s Quarterly Summary Of Radio Listening, Q1 2026, survey period ending 5 April 2026.
English local-station audiences
The English entries in the local-commercial table range from a small county-level audience to broad regional services. Heart Hertfordshire reached 61 thousand people weekly, with listeners averaging 4.2 hours per week and 253 thousand listening hours recorded.
Heart Yorkshire reached 551 thousand people weekly. Its listeners averaged 6.3 hours per week, and the station recorded 3,495 thousand listening hours. Smooth Radio East Midlands reached 426 thousand weekly listeners, who averaged 6.6 hours per week; its recorded listening hours totalled 2,795 thousand.
| Service | Weekly reach | Hours per listener | Listening hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart Hertfordshire | 61 thousand | 4.2 | 253 thousand |
| Heart Yorkshire | 551 thousand | 6.3 | 3,495 thousand |
| Smooth Radio East Midlands | 426 thousand | 6.6 | 2,795 thousand |
Heart Yorkshire had the largest weekly reach among these three English services, at 551 thousand. Smooth Radio East Midlands followed at 426 thousand, while Heart Hertfordshire reached 61 thousand. Average time among listeners was highest for Smooth Radio East Midlands at 6.6 hours, narrowly ahead of Heart Yorkshire at 6.3 hours.
The geographic labels should be kept intact when using these numbers. “Heart Yorkshire” and “Smooth Radio East Midlands” describe named regional services in the RAJAR table, while Heart Hertfordshire is presented as a more local service. Their reported reach and listening hours are not a uniform national series, and no additional population adjustment is supplied here.
The measurement date for every figure in this section is Q1 2026, with the survey period ending 5 April 2026. The source is RAJAR’s Quarterly Summary Of Radio Listening.
Northern and Manchester services
The northern entries show how a service’s reach and listener engagement can appear together in the same table. Smooth Radio North East reached 578 thousand people weekly. Its listeners averaged 8.8 hours per week, and it recorded 5,063 thousand listening hours.
Smooth Radio North West reached 1,234 thousand people weekly, the largest weekly reach among the selected individual regional stations in this section. Listeners averaged 7.8 hours per week, and the service recorded 9,582 thousand listening hours.
Radio X 90s (Manchester) reached 66 thousand people weekly. Its listeners averaged 5.6 hours per week, with 368 thousand listening hours recorded.
| Service | Weekly reach | Hours per listener | Listening hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth Radio North East | 578 thousand | 8.8 | 5,063 thousand |
| Smooth Radio North West | 1,234 thousand | 7.8 | 9,582 thousand |
| Radio X 90s (Manchester) | 66 thousand | 5.6 | 368 thousand |
Smooth Radio North West had the highest weekly reach in this group at 1.234 million and also the highest recorded listening-hours total at 9.582 million. Smooth Radio North East had a smaller weekly reach but a higher average among listeners, at 8.8 hours compared with 7.8 hours for Smooth Radio North West.
Radio X 90s (Manchester) is reported with a Manchester geographic label and a 66-thousand weekly reach. That number should not be compared with the wider northern regional figures as though all three services covered identical areas. The table reports each service in its stated measurement context.
These figures are from RAJAR’s Quarterly Summary Of Radio Listening, Q1 2026, survey period ending 5 April 2026.
Groups and specialist regional services
Communicorp UK reached 3,598 thousand people weekly in Q1 2026. Its listeners averaged 7.0 hours per week, and the group recorded 25,135 thousand listening hours. This is a group-level entry, so it should be treated differently from a single named station such as Heart Hertfordshire or Radio X 90s (Manchester).
Central FM reached 40 thousand people weekly in its Y-sample area. Listeners averaged 9.1 hours per week, and the service recorded 362 thousand listening hours. The Y-sample wording is part of the measurement context and should remain attached to the reach figure.
Centreforce 883 reached 82 thousand people weekly. Its listeners averaged 5.6 hours per week, and it recorded 462 thousand listening hours.
| Entry | Measurement context | Weekly reach | Hours per listener | Listening hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communicorp UK | Group-level entry | 3,598 thousand | 7.0 | 25,135 thousand |
| Central FM | Y-sample area | 40 thousand | 9.1 | 362 thousand |
| Centreforce 883 | Service entry | 82 thousand | 5.6 | 462 thousand |
Central FM had the highest average listening time among listeners in this group, at 9.1 hours per week, despite the smallest reported weekly reach at 40 thousand. Communicorp UK had the largest reach and listening-hours total because its entry represents a group rather than one local station. The figures do not provide a basis for estimating the performance of individual stations within that group.
All measurements refer to Q1 2026, survey period ending 5 April 2026, and are reported by RAJAR’s Quarterly Summary Of Radio Listening.
Other services in the local-commercial table
CountryLine Radio reached 82 thousand people weekly in Q1 2026. Its listeners averaged 5.7 hours per week, and the service recorded 463 thousand listening hours.
Total Dee Radio Group reached 61 thousand people weekly in its Y-sample area. Listeners averaged 4.4 hours per week, and the group recorded 269 thousand listening hours. As with Communicorp UK, this is a group-level entry; the supplied figure does not break the total into individual services.
Boom Radio reached 636 thousand people weekly. Its listeners averaged 14.6 hours per week, and the service recorded 9,310 thousand listening hours.
| Entry | Measurement context | Weekly reach | Hours per listener | Listening hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CountryLine Radio | Service entry | 82 thousand | 5.7 | 463 thousand |
| Total Dee Radio Group | Y-sample area; group entry | 61 thousand | 4.4 | 269 thousand |
| Boom Radio | Service entry | 636 thousand | 14.6 | 9,310 thousand |
Boom Radio stands out for average time among listeners: 14.6 hours per week, the highest supplied figure among the named services covered here. Its weekly reach was 636 thousand, while its listening-hours total was 9,310 thousand. CountryLine Radio and Total Dee Radio Group had smaller reported weekly audiences, at 82 thousand and 61 thousand respectively.
The Y-sample qualification applies to Total Dee Radio Group’s reported reach and is not a general description of every entry in this section. These figures are measurements for Q1 2026, not forecasts or projections. They come from RAJAR’s Quarterly Summary Of Radio Listening, covering the survey period ending 5 April 2026.