It has been reported that for the first time ever digital listening has accounted for over half of all radio output figures.

Over half

RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research) is the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK.

It is jointly owned by the BBC and the Radiocentre on behalf of the commercial sector, and has reported that 50.9% of all radio listening in the first three months of this year was digital.

The figure is up 8% year on year, and marks the first time digital has accounted for over half of radio listening.

DAB accounts for 36.8% of that share, with online and app listening at 9.3% and Digital television at 4.8%.

Government pressure

The figures are said to draw further pressure on the government to consider a review of the future of FM radio.

After scrapping plans to shut down analogue radio in 2015, it announced it would only consider a full switchover when 50 % of people consumed radio digitally and 90 per cent of the population was covered.

RAJAR has reported that 50.9% of all radio listening in the first three months of this year was digital4BR

Shake up

The statistics come just days after BBC director of radio and music Bob Shennan said music streaming services could kill off radio — and follows radical shakeups in output on Radio 2, which saw the demise of programmes such as 'Listen to the Band'.