BBC Radio’s Audience Continues To Decline

The latest RAJAR figures released today offer little encouragement for BBC Radio with its share of listening falling by 3.5% points over the past year to 58.4% and its weekly reach falling by 5% points to 57%.

Radio 1 has suffered most with its weekly reach falling from 36% in Quarter 4 1992 to 31% in Quarter 4 1993. Announcing the results the controller of Radio 1, Matthew Bannister, referred to last October’s programming changes; “As we expected the schedule changes have resulted in some additional loss of audience. The changes were the first step in moves to increase Radio 1’s distinctiveness from commercial radio.” The station’s share of all Radio listening has fallen by 5.3% points year-on-year to 17.1%.

Radio 3 faired better with its weekly reach rising from 5% to 6%, an extra 400,000 listeners over the past year. Nicholas Kenyon, controller of the station, drew attention to the Sunday morning slot which has increased its audience by 15%. Ironically the soon to be defunct Radio 5 also increased its weekly reach, up by 1% point to 9%. Listenership to the BBC local and regional services appears to be increasing with their combined reach up by 2% points year-on-year to 22% and their share of all radio listening up by 1.4% points to 10.9%.

Commenting on the results the controller of regional broadcasting, Mark Byford, said; “The developing speech led service on local and regional radio is proving immensely popular with the majority of stations showing increases in their audiences over the year.”

Overall 65% of the population listen to BBC Radio each week compared to 57% for commercial radio.