PopMaster and Greatest Hits: Ken Bruce listener surge is another gut punch for the BBC
ANALYSIS
Ken Bruce’s mid-morning replacement on Radio 2, Vernon Kay, continues to lose listeners
Figures revealing a surge of 1.6 million listeners for Ken Bruce’s show on Greatest Hits Radio (GHR) will have been a gut punch to the BBC.
A year after quitting Radio 2, where he felt underappreciated by bosses, the genial Scot has increased the average audience for his mid-morning GHR slot from 2.2 to 3.8 million – an impressive 73 per cent rise.
At the same time, Bruce’s mid-morning replacement on Radio 2, Vernon Kay, continues to lose listeners, and is now getting about 1.5m fewer than the 8.2m his predecessor regulalrly entertained on the BBC.
Kay is said to be down by more than 30,000 on the previous quarter, with 6.75m listeners, figures from audience body Rajar show.
“They say time flies when you’re having fun and that must be true because I can’t believe it’s been a year at Greatest Hits Radio already. It’s truly been incredible,” said Bruce.
Thanking listeners “old and new who’ve spent time with me over the past year,” Bruce, 73, added, “It’s great to know all of you are enjoying the very best music from the 70s, 80s and 90s.”
Playing the songs his listeners want to hear is a key factor in Bruce’s success. Meanwhile, Radio 2’s shrinking audience follows a shift in music policy, with noughties pop and dance hits replacing golden oldies.
Bruce said he struggled with the playlist changes, which have driven listeners aged 60 and above to GHR as well as Boom Radio, a new station dedicated to luring disaffected Radio 2 listeners which now has 600,000 loyal fans.
The highpoint of Bruce’s show, and its audience peak, remains the PopMaster trivia quiz. Bruce retained the rights to the game, after the BBC declined to pursue a trademark.
An extensive marketing campaign by GHR owner Bauer Media ahead of Bruce’s arrival let his audience know that the quiz would be following the DJ to his new home. All they needed to do was switch the dial.
PopMaster has since become a successful Channel 4 quiz show, helping promote his daily radio slot.
GHR recorded a 50 per cent increase in its weekly audience across its schedule, now standing at 7.69m.
