GB News Radio has achieved a remarkable milestone, surpassing Times Radio in audience numbers, according to the latest RAJAR ratings released today.
The station, which has been on air for just three years, has seen a 63 per cent increase in listeners over the past 12 months.
In the second quarter of this year, GB News Radio attracted 518,000 weekly listeners, compared to Times Radio’s 478,000, which experienced an 8.5 per cent decline. Total weekly listening hours for GB News Radio soared to 3.315 million, a 53 per cent year-on-year rise, solidifying its position as the UK’s fastest-growing radio station.
This surge in audience numbers places GB News Radio ahead of other news channels, including talkRADIO, LBC News UK, and Times Radio, all of which posted single-digit growth or lost listeners.
Core programming at GB News Radio continues to thrive. The Breakfast show, hosted by Eamonn Holmes, Isabel Webster, Stephen Dixon, Anne Diamond, and Ellie Costello, saw a 60 per cent increase in listeners year-on-year. Britain’s Newsroom, presented each weekday morning by Andrew Pierce and Beverley Turner, experienced an 89 per cent audience growth. Good Afternoon Britain, fronted by Tom Harwood and Emily Carver, enjoyed a 96 per cent rise, while the Martin Daubney show’s listenership grew by 99 per cent.
Commuters are increasingly tuning in to GB News Radio, with in-car listening up by 20 per cent quarter-on-quarter and 160 per cent year-on-year. The station has also seen a significant increase in female listeners, rising by 44 per cent over the last quarter, making up 45 per cent of the total audience.
The ABC1 demographic grew by 33 per cent in the last quarter, with AB audiences increasing by 52 per cent and up 76 per cent over the past year. Listeners aged 15-44 increased by 32 per cent in the last quarter, and 90 per cent of GB News listeners are the main shoppers in their households.
Digital platforms also contributed to GB News Radio’s success, with DAB radio listening up 72 per cent year-on-year, smart speaker audiences up by 106 per cent, and internet streaming up by 41 per cent.
GB News continues to innovate, with AI-powered sports news bulletins now delivered by the virtual voice of anchor Tatiana Sanchez. These bulletins are generated using AI summaries from the latest sports stories on the channel’s website and are broadcast hourly and half-hourly from 6:30 am to 11:30 pm daily.
Nicole O’Shea, GB News’ Commercial Director, commented, “These figures underline the strong continued growth of GB News Radio across the United Kingdom. To do this in the space of just three years is a great achievement, and we’re now reaching more listeners than ever all over the UK. Overtaking Times Radio is a milestone moment for GB News, but our aim is to build on this success and to reach out and connect with an even larger audience.”
