Radio 1 Loses 3m Listeners In 1994

BBC Radio maintained its share of listening in Quarter 4 1994 at 48.6%, with a weekly reach of 59%. This was 65% in Q4 1993.

Radio 1 lost over 3 million listeners in 1994, with its total audience now 11,009,000 compared to 14,292,000 in Q3 1993. This is a weekly reach of 23% compared to 31% a year ago. Radio 1’s share of listening, at 11.3% is down 17.1% a year ago, and down from 11.8% last quarter. In Radio 1’s defence the BBC claims this is a stabilisation of the audience.

Radio 5 Live continues in audience growth, with its highest ever audience of 4.76 million, (10% reach) up 360,000 on the previous quarter and up 689,000 year on year (Radio 5).

Audience figures for Radios 2, 3 and 4 have remained very similar to the last quarter. Although audiences have dropped slightly, for Radio 2 and 4 it was not enough to affect weekly reach, with figures of 19% and 18% respectively. Radio 3 dropped from 6% last year to 5% this quarter.

BBC Local and regional stations have decreased their audience by 640,000 year on year, with reach at 21%.