Radio listening is an important part of everyday life in the UK - an average listener hears over 20 hours of radio a week.

The range of stations, local and national, ensures that almost every taste in music, news and entertainment is catered for. BBC radio continues to account for over half of all radio listening in the UK.

Every three months, stories appear in the local and national newspapers, detailing the latest audience figures for the radio stations that we hear on the way to work, have on in the background at home, or sing along to in the shower. But have you ever wondered just how radio audiences are measured, when radio listening is done in so many places and situations?

This site aims to explain the ways in which radio audiences are measured across a day and through the year. You can also find out how the BBC local radio station nearest to you does, compared to its counterparts across the country. And if you want to know more, then the BBC's audience research experts will aim to answer your queries!