Press Releases Radio 1 and digital networks on rise

Category: Radio
Date: 26.10.2006
Printable version

Radio 1 growth continues

6 Music and BBC 7 post record reach to boost digital portfolio

Chris Evans success

BBC Radio 1 has added 248,000 listeners over the past year, according to figures released today by Rajar (Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd).

The figures - covering the period from 26 June to 17 September 2006 - show the network's reach is 10.58 million (10.42m last quarter and 10.33m last year), while share is 9.8% - up from 9.4% last year but down on last quarter's 10.3%.

The Chris Moyles show has 6.81 million listeners - up from 6.52m last year and 6.79m last quarter - and a share of 11.3% (10.4% last year and 11.7% last quarter).

Record reach for digital-only networks BBC 6 Music and BBC 7 - 400,000 and 697,000 respectively - provide the other notable increases in the portfolio.

Jenny Abramsky, Director, BBC Radio & Music, said: "I'm pleased to see the continued, steady growth of Radio 1, and our digital-only networks contributing to the rise in digital listening."

BBC Radio's reach of 32.66 million is slightly down on the quarter (32.85m) and the year (32.87m), while share of listening - at 54.3% - also shows a small drop from last year (54.6%) and last quarter (54.7%).

BBC Radio 2 has 12.74 million listeners (12.86m last year and 13.29m last quarter). Share, at 15.5%, is slightly down on the year (15.6%) and the quarter (15.7%).

Despite the network's usual seasonal dip, Chris Evans added 33,000 listeners on the quarter and 109,000 listeners over the year to reach an audience of 4.88 million.

BBC Radio 3's reach is up to 2.03 million - from 1.83m last quarter and in line with last year's 2.07m. Share (1.3%) is up on the quarter (1.1%) and the year (1.2%).

BBC Radio 4 has 9.47 million listeners - up on the quarter (9.19m) and down on the year (9.62m). The station's share, at 11.8%, is up from 10.7% last quarter and 11.5% last year.

BBC Radio Five Live (which records a combined reach with its digital service Five Live Sports Extra) has a reach of 5.87 million, down from 6.17m last year and 6.14m last quarter. Share is 4.4%, down from 4.7% last quarter and last year.

BBC Local and National Radio has a reach of 9.73 million (9.86m last year and 9.97m last quarter) and share of 9.8% (10.7% last quarter and last year).

Five Live Sports Extra has 649,000 listeners, up from 482,000 last year but slightly down on last quarter's record 658,000. Its share is steady at 0.2% (0.1% last year and 0.2% last quarter).

BBC 6 Music has record reach of 400,000 - up from last year's 285,000 and 354,000 last quarter, while share stays at last quarter's 0.2% - up from 0.1% last year.

BBC 7's reach is up to 697,000 (631,000 last year and 668,000 last quarter), while share is 0.3% - the same as last year but slightly down on the quarter (0.4%).

1Xtra has 394,000 listeners - steady on the year (405,000) and up on last quarter (284,000). Its share (0.2%) is up on the quarter (0.1%) but down on the year (0.3%).

The BBC World Service has 1.35 million listeners - up on last quarter (1.26m) and slightly down on the year (1.42m). Share is up to 0.8% from 0.7% last year and last quarter.

The BBC Asian Network has increased reach for the second successive quarter following significant schedule change, with 481,000 listeners - up on last quarter's 444,000 but down on last year's 524,000 - while share, at 0.3%, is level with last year and down on the quarter (0.4%).

BBC Radio Publicity

Notes to Editors