The commercial radio - self styled - professionals have done it again. When will they ever learn the lessons of history? When will they sort out the medium's restricted and ever narrower editorial policy?The listeners are voting with their ears and switching elsewhere

Commercial radio audiences  have fallen, and the BBC gained share, for the third consecutive quarter in 2007.

The 4 causes we identified a while back, namely: -

1. A medium that focuses entirely on one output  - music - cannot satisfy audience needs
2. A medium that focuses almost exclusively on one music style - youth - can't deliver what audiences want
3. A medium in which every station sounds like every other station delivers no scarcity - just more of the same
4. A medium that delivers music it wants to play, when it wants to play it, at a time when the MP3/i pod generation can get what it wants when it wants it, tailor made, can't achieve success.

The solution is to re-create the editorial structures and deliver editorial diversity.

The radio companies seem immune to what listeners are telling them. Buried in the data of dismay are the glimmers of hope. The London talk station LBC reports its higher ever audience. The national Talk Sport station records increased listening and  a record audience share. No youth music on those stations for sure.

At a time when advertisers are wishing success for commercial radio, the medium seems once again to have turned its back on the evidence. So please commercial radio; re-vamp your narrow editorial style - start listening to your audience and they will start listening to you