Portable Planet

BBC Radio has its highest-ever reach and share of listening - buoyed by record performance from a number of its digital networks - according to data released today by Rajar (Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd).

The figures - covering the period from 1 January to 25 March 2007 – show BBC Radio’s reach of 33.46 million is up on both the year (32.57m) and the quarter (32.81m).

Share of listening - at 56.0% - is also up from last year (55.4%) and last quarter (54.4%).

Four of the BBC’s five digital-only networks – BBC 6 Music, 1Xtra BBC, BBC 7 and BBC Five Live Sports Extra – posted record reach, with digital networks (excluding World Service) contributing around three million listeners every week to the BBC’s reach.

Jenny Abramsky, Director, BBC Audio & Music, said: “The radio industry is in excellent health, as demonstrated by the strong performance of both BBC and commercial radio.

“It is particularly pleasing to see the continued growth of listening via DAB and digital platforms and the record audiences for a number of our digital stations.”

BBC Radio 1’s reach is up to 10.55 million, from 9.73 million last year and 10.26 million last quarter. Share is up to 10.1%, from 9.1% last year and 9.7% last quarter.

The Chris Moyles Show, Radio 1’s breakfast show, has more than seven million listeners (7.06m) for the first time - adding 744,000 listeners since this time last year (6.32m).

Source: BBC