Press Releases Radio 1, 5 Live and BBC 7 boost BBC performance

Category: Radio
Date: 31.01.2008
Printable version

Increased reach and share for BBC Radio

Record listeners for Moyles

Radio 5 Live up half a million

Growth in digital listening with records for BBC 6 Music and BBC 7

Strong contributions from BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC 7 helped boost BBC Radio's reach and share, according to data released today by RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd).

The figures – covering the period from 17 September 2007 to 16 December 2007 – show all BBC Radio has a reach of 33.14 million, up from 32.81m last year and 32.89m last quarter, while share of listening is 55.4%, up from 54.4% last year and quarter.

Meanwhile, the BBC's portfolio of digital-only services continues to grow – with record listeners for BBC 6 Music and BBC 7 – and BBC services now reach more than nine million people via digital platforms.

Nearly 5.6 million of those tune in via DAB.

Jenny Abramsky, Director BBC Audio & Music, said: "It is really heartening to see digital listening continuing to grow and DAB digital radio playing a key part in that success."

Radio 1 has added more than 400,000 listeners in the last year and now has a reach of 10.69 million. The Chris Moyles Show has a record reach of 7.31 million listeners – up from 6.82m last year and 6.98m last quarter. The network's share is 10.3% – up from 9.7% last year. Highlights from the period included Est 1967, the celebration of 40 years of Radio 1.

BBC Radio 2 – the country's most popular station – has 12.82 million listeners. While this is a drop on this time last year, quarter four 2006 saw an exceptionally high total. Share, at 15.7%, is steady on year and quarter (both 15.8%). Wake Up To Wogan posted strong figures, with 7.73 million listeners tuning in each week – up on last quarter's 7.68m. Terry Wogan continues to wake up more people than any other UK broadcaster.

BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4 both gave solid performances: Radio 3's reach is 1.95 million – in line with last quarter (1.94m) but slightly down on last year (2.03m), while share (1.2%) is also steady on the quarter (1.2%) but down a little on the year (1.4%); Radio 4 has 9.29 million listeners – slightly up on the quarter (9.26m) and slightly down on the year (9.34m). The station's share is up to 11.8% from 11.2% last quarter and 11.1% last year.

Radio 5 Live and its digital service BBC 5 Live Sports Extra recorded a combined reach of 6.17 million – up more than half a million on last quarter's combined total (5.65m). The network was buoyed by a revised schedule (including the addition of Richard Bacon), live football rights and Rugby World Cup coverage. 5 Live Sports Extra contributed 630,000 listeners to the total.

BBC 6 Music posted its second consecutive record reach. It now has 493,000 listeners – up more than 100,000 on this time last year (383,000) – and BBC 7 also has a record number of listeners, with 853,000 people tuning in each week (up from 672,000 last year).

1Xtra BBC has 453,000 listeners – up on the year (368,000) and the quarter (421,000). Its share (0.3%) is up on year and quarter (both 0.2%).

The BBC World Service has 1.18 million listeners – from 1.30m last quarter and 1.26m last year. Share is 0.6%, level with last year but slightly down on the quarter (0.7%).

The BBC Asian Network has 441,000 listeners – slightly down on last quarter's 476,000 and last year's 493,000 – while share, at 0.3%, is the same as last quarter and last year.

BBC Local Radio (England) and National Radio (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) has a reach of 9.82 million (9.60m last quarter and 10.26m last year) and share of 10.0% (9.4% last quarter and 10.4% last year).

BBC Radio Publicity

Notes to Editors