RAJAR Q1 2014: Radio 2 breaks records in award-winning week
BBC Radio 2, this week named Radio Academy Station of the Year, is more popular than ever - with the Chris Evans Breakfast Show also reaching record numbers of listeners - according to new figures published today.
Published: 15 May 2014
I am delighted to see Radio 2 gaining both accolades and audiences. The station never fails to surprise and amaze with the diversity of its output...
- Radio 2 more popular than ever
- Success follows Radio Academy Station of the Year award earlier this week
- Record audience for Chris Evans Breakfast Show
BBC Radio 2, this week named Radio Academy Station of the Year, is more popular than ever - with the Chris Evans Breakfast Show also reaching record numbers of listeners - according to new figures published today.
The data published by RAJAR shows 15.57 million people listen to the station each week (compared to 15.27m last year and 15.51m last quarter) – the highest since records began in 1999. It has a 17.9% share of listening (from 17.7% last year and 17.6% last quarter).
The Chris Evans Breakfast Show drew a record audience of 9.83 million listeners every week during the survey period (December 30–March 30), compared to 9.80m last year and 9.82m last quarter.
Helen Boaden, Director of BBC Radio, said: “I am delighted to see Radio 2 gaining both accolades and audiences. The station never fails to surprise and amaze with the diversity of its output, which includes an unrivalled breadth of music alongside news, current affairs, documentaries, religion, arts, comedy and readings. It also boasts many of the finest broadcasters in the country and the continuing success of the Chris Evans Breakfast Show is a tribute to all those who work so hard to make the show utterly unique.”
The figures show all BBC Radio has a weekly reach of 35.31million - up on last year’s 35.07m but down from last quarter’s record 36.22m – and a share of 54.9% – down from 55.7% last year and 55.2% last quarter.
Radio 1 attracted 10.53 million listeners aged 15+ during the period, compared to 10.26m last year and 10.97m last quarter. Including all listeners aged 10+, that figure rises to 11.48 million. The station has a share of 6.7%, (from 6.7% last year and 7.9% last quarter).
The Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw has gained 130,000 under-24s whilst shedding 526,000 over-25s and has a weekly reach of 5.85 (5.78 m last year and 6.29m last quarter). Including all listeners aged 10+, the show has a weekly audience of 6.33 million.
Radio 3 has a weekly audience of 2.09 million listeners – compared to 1.99m last quarter and 2.16m last year. The network’s share is 1.3%, from 1.1% last quarter and 1.3% last year.
Radio 4 posted a weekly reach of 10.95 million during the period, up from 10.76m last year but down from last quarter’s record high of 11.21m. Its share of listening is 12.2% compared to 12.5% last quarter and 12.8% last year. The Today programme has 7.06 million listeners each week, from 6.94m last year and 7.14m last quarter.
BBC Radio 5 live posted a combined reach with sister station 5 live sports extra of 6.33 million listeners, from 6.41m last year and 6.53m last quarter. Share for Radio 5 live (inc. sports extra) is 4.3% (4.2% last year and 4.5% last quarter).
Among digital-only stations, Radio 1Xtra posted a reach of 1.10 million weekly listeners (from 1.00m last year and 1.09m last quarter), Radio 6 Music drew 1.93 million listeners (from 1.81m last year and 1.96m last quarter), the Asian Network recorded an audience of 478,000 (from 554,000 last year and 668,000 last quarter) while Radio 4 Extra attracted 1.66 million listeners per week (from last quarter’s 1.65m and last year’s 1.64m).
BBC Local / Regional radio reached 9.26 million listeners per week - from 9.32m last quarter and 9.53m last year – while BBC World Service’s weekly UK audience was 1.30 million - from 1.41m last quarter and 1.30m last year.
For further information:
Radio 1 and 1Xtra – PC
Radio 2, 6 Music and Asian Network – SH
Radio 3 – AH
Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra – LZ
Radio 5 live and 5 live sports extra – VO
