• by May 29, 2002

MeasureCast, Inc. today announced that London-based Virgin Radio climbed back to the summit of the MeasureCast Top 25 Internet radio stations chart during the week of May 13-19.

Virgin Radio, which simulcasts its AM and FM programming over the Internet, streamed a total of 377,891 hours to an audience of 68,835 during the week of May 13. Not only did the station stream 74,348 more hours than it streamed the week before, but it grew its audience by 21,432 listeners.

Virgin Radio and fellow Webcaster JazzFM have been battling for first place in the MeasureCast rankings all year. Both stations have enjoyed the number one spot. But they may soon see increased competition from WQXR-FM, the radio station of The New York Times, which finished the week in third place. WQXR streamed 43,099 more hours than it did the week before, and saw its audience grow by 13,965 listeners from the previous week.

Internet radio stations continue to stream more hours of on-line radio programming. The MeasureCast Internet Radio Listening Index – a representation of the trend in Total Time Spent Listening (or the total number of hours streamed) across a spectrum of on-line stations measured by MeasureCast - rose 1% during the week of May 13-19. Since Jan. 6, 2002, the MeasureCast index has more than doubled, rising 120%. The week of May 13 saw 17 of the top 25 stations measured by MeasureCast stream more hours of entertainment than they did the week before, while 16 stations enjoyed larger audiences.

Demographic Highlights for the Week of May 13-19

76% of all listening occurred between 5 a.m. Pacific and 5 p.m. Pacific

The peak listening day was Tuesday, with 19% of all total time spent listening.

10% of the week's Internet radio listening took place over the weekend.

28% of Internet radio listeners were between the ages of 25 and 34.

56% were younger than 35, 29% were younger than 25, and 7% were older than 55.

In the U.S., 32% of listeners resided in the South; 30% lived in the West, 20% were in the Northeast, and 18% tuned in from the Midwest.

70% of listeners were men; 30% were women.

Top streaming nations include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan and Mexico.