Rajar — the United Kingdom’s official radio measurement body — has released its Q1 2026 listening figures, prompting broadcasters across the U.K. radio sector to highlight audience gains, market leadership claims and growth in specific demographics or dayparts. Beneath those competing narratives, the topline data points to a market that remains broadly stable in reach while continuing its long-term shift toward digital listening. Among the major claims emerging from the release, Global said it remained the U.K.’s largest commercial radio group by share and hours. At the same time, Bauer Media Audio highlighted performance across several of its national brands and digital stations. The BBC, meanwhile, pointed to growth in listening share across its radio portfolio. Rajar’s published figures show BBC radio reaching 31.3 million listeners with a 43.4% share of listening, while commercial radio retained the larger overall audience reach at 39.2 million listeners and a 54.3% share. The figures suggest the BBC strengthened its share position in Q1, although commercial radio continued to dominate in total audience scale. According to Rajar, 50.6 million adults — 87% of the U.K. population aged 15 and over — tuned into radio each week during the first quarter of 2026. The figures suggest radio’s overall reach remains resilient despite continued competition from streaming, podcasts and on-demand audio. Rajar’s own trendline shows weekly reach remaining within a relatively narrow range over the past three years, fluctuating between 85.8% and 88.6% of the population. The more strategically significant movement continues to be digital consumption. Rajar says 45 million adults now listen to radio each week via digitally enabled platforms, including DAB, smart speakers, websites/apps and DTV. Digital listening accounted for 76% of all listening hours in Q1 2026, while 77% of the population tuned into digital radio each week. The importance of the connected