BBC’s share of radio listening falls to lowest level since 2021, figures present
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he BBC’s share of the time individuals spend listening to radio within the UK has fallen to its lowest stage because the Covid-19 pandemic, although audiences stay regular at a few of its flagship networks, figures present.
The company’s stations accounted for 46.3% of complete listening within the first three months of 2023, down from 47.1% within the earlier quarter and 49.2% in the identical interval in 2022.
The determine has been above 50% solely as soon as because the reporting of radio listening figures resumed in the summertime of 2021 after a break in the beginning of the pandemic, in response to knowledge from the analysis physique Rajar.
Audiences for the BBC’s native and regional radio stations might also be on a broad downwards pattern, with the whole variety of listeners averaging 7.4 million in January to March of this yr, down from 7.8 million the earlier quarter and from 8.6 million within the first three months of final yr.
The determine stood at 9.2 million in July-September 2021, the primary interval for which comparable knowledge is out there.
The BBC introduced cuts final October to native radio companies, which had been to see stations share extra content material and broadcast much less programming distinctive to their space – though a number of the proposals have since been revised.
The newest knowledge reveals that Radio 4 has seen its common viewers drop 11% yr on yr, from 10.6 million to 9.4 million – the bottom quarterly determine since reporting resumed.
Radio 2 stays the station with the most important viewers within the UK, with a mean of 14.5 million listeners within the newest quarter, up from 14.3 million within the earlier three months and down solely barely yr on yr from 14.6 million.
Radio 1’s viewers stands at 7.6 million – once more, down barely yr on yr from 7.7 million, and down from 7.8 million within the earlier quarter.
Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s chief content material officer, stated: “Our brilliant music stations drew in audiences with their expert DJs, and Radio 2 with its incredible 14.5 million listeners delighted everyone with its unique content offer, which in this quarter put a spotlight on specialist music.”
She added: “With Radio 4 we’re adapting to meet the changing listening needs of our audiences and have risen to the challenge with on-demand listening for the station up by 15.1% year on year with its programming dominating the most listened to charts.”
Rajar modified the way in which it compiles knowledge in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and now makes use of a combination of in-person surveys and knowledge collected remotely, as an alternative of the pre-pandemic methodology of basing its findings solely on surveys arrange by means of face-to-face interviews.
This means figures reported since 2021 can’t be in contrast straight with knowledge from earlier than the pandemic – and that it’ll take time earlier than long-term developments in listeners’ behaviour develop into clear.
BBC radio breakfast programmes held regular within the newest figures, with Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 present having fun with a mean viewers of seven.3 million in January to March, up 2% on the earlier quarter and down 1% on the yr, whereas Greg James’s present on Radio 1 had a mean 4.0 million listeners, a drop of 5% on the quarter however down by a smaller 2% on the yr.
By distinction, Radio 4’s Today programme had a mean viewers of 5.8 million in January to March, its lowest quarterly determine since Rajar resumed reporting in 2021, down 7% on the quarter and down 12% on the yr.
It follows a leap in figures for Today in October to December 2022, a interval that coincided with visitor modifying from Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and TV chef Jamie Oliver over the Christmas interval.
The BBC World Service noticed a mean viewers of 1.1 million in January to March, down 17% on the quarter and 28% yr on yr.
Some 382 jobs are attributable to go from the World Service as a part of plans to maneuver the broadcaster to a extra digital-led providing, with the Arabic and Persian radio companies amongst these closing as a part of the plans to develop into a digital-led broadcaster.
Smaller industrial radio stations, who’ve fewer listeners than the BBC, skilled blended success.
GB News Radio, which launched in the beginning of 2022, noticed listeners develop quarter on quarter by 4%, from 306,000 to 319,000.
DiscussRadio’s viewers stood at 840,000 in January to March, up 38% on the quarter from 608,000.
Times Radio, which launched in June 2020, reported a mean viewers of 554,000, down 2% on the earlier quarter.