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  2. Audience Data
May 19, 2016updated 25 May 2016 9:18am

Rajar radio figures round-up: Radio 4’s Today loses 300,000 listeners following departure of Jim Naughtie

By Dominic Ponsford

Radio 4’s Today breakfast news show lost 300,000 listeners in the first quarter of 2016 following the departure of long-serving presenter Jim Naughtie at the end of last year.

According to figures released by Rajar, it had an average reach of 6.8m listeners per week in the first three months of this year compared with 7.1m in the first quarter of 2015.

Naughtie was replaced by Nick Robinson who works alongside regular Today presenters John Humphrys, Justin Webb, Sarah Montague and Mishal Husain.

BBC Radio 2 is the most listened to radio station in the UK with weekly reach of 15.5 m (up 2.8 per cent year on year.)

Radio 4 dipped 2.9 per cent year on year to 10.6m listeners per week.

Radio 5 Live (including Sports Extra) grew 0.6 per cent to 6.1m on average across the quarter.

The BBC World Service grew its reach inside the UK by 8.4 per cent to 1.5m listeners per week.

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Overall the BBC’s local/regional radio network was slightly down by 0.3 per cent year on year to 8.8m listeners per week.

In the commercial sector, LBC (now available nationally on digital radio) grew 13.5 per cent to 1.5m listeners per week. Talksport fell 4.9 per cent year on year to 3.1m.

In London, LBC 97.3 grew 13 per cent year on year to 1m listeners per week, comfortably ahead of BBC Radio London, which fell 32.6 per cent year on year to 354,000 per week.

Full UK radio station listening figures for Jan-March 2016 (source: Rajar)

All Individuals 15+ for period ending March 2016
Station/Group Survey Period Survey Period Reach 000s
Mar ’15 Mar ’16 Y on Y % change
102 Touch FM – Warks Worcs Cotswolds 48 48 0.0
102.4 Wish FM 73 80 9.6
102.5 Radio Pembrokeshire 43 36 -16.3
106 JACKfm (Oxford) 69 84 21.7
106.3 Bridge FM 41 33 -19.5
107 JACK fm Berkshire 17 22 29.4
107.2 Wire FM 54 39 -27.8
107.4 Tower FM 53 43 -18.9
107.5 Sovereign Radio 21 22 4.8
107.6 Banbury Sound 15 15 0.0
107.8 Arrow FM for Hastings 15 19 26.7
1Xtra from the BBC 839 1038 23.7
2BR 60 59 -1.7
3FM 29 30 3.4
96.2 The Revolution 28 21 -25.0
96.2 Touch FM – Coventry 22 20 -9.1
96.4 FM The Wave 145 150 3.4
97.2 Stray FM 47 46 -2.1
Absolute 80s 1448 1720 18.8
Absolute Radio n/a 2174 n/a
Absolute Radio (London) 924 760 -17.7
Absolute Radio (National) 1576 n/a n/a
Absolute Radio (West Midlands) (was Planet Rock (West Midlands)) 199 212 6.5
Absolute Radio 70s 224 285 27.2
Absolute Radio 90s 584 681 16.6
Absolute Radio Classic Rock 516 566 9.7
BBC 6 Music 2064 2236 8.3
BBC Coventry and Warwickshire 96 88 -8.3
BBC Essex 197 229 16.2
BBC Hereford & Worcester 119 112 -5.9
BBC Radio 1 9699 9907 2.1
BBC Radio 2 15087 15514 2.8
BBC Radio 3 2084 2117 1.6
BBC Radio 4 10886 10568 -2.9
BBC Radio 4 Extra 2172 1851 -14.8
BBC Radio 5 live 5757 5774 0.3
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra 1339 1326 -1.0
BBC Radio Berkshire 98 113 15.3
BBC Radio Bristol 149 164 10.1
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire 104 122 17.3
BBC Radio Cornwall 149 142 -4.7
BBC Radio Cumbria 108 127 17.6
BBC Radio Cymru 126 112 -11.1
BBC Radio Derby 157 156 -0.6
BBC Radio Devon 221 194 -12.2
BBC Radio Gloucestershire 97 79 -18.6
BBC Radio Guernsey 23 19 -17.4
BBC Radio Humberside 175 171 -2.3
BBC Radio Jersey 30 27 -10.0
BBC Radio Kent 198 203 2.5
BBC Radio Lancashire 186 213 14.5
BBC Radio Leeds 250 220 -12.0
BBC Radio Leicester 160 121 -24.4
BBC Radio Lincolnshire 104 96 -7.7
BBC Radio London (was BBC London 94.9) 404 354 -12.4
BBC Radio Manchester 229 176 -23.1
BBC Radio Merseyside 306 286 -6.5
BBC Radio Newcastle 286 282 -1.4
BBC Radio Norfolk 180 202 12.2
BBC Radio Northampton 90 87 -3.3
BBC Radio Nottingham 155 174 12.3
BBC Radio Oxford 86 81 -5.8
BBC Radio Scotland 931 940 1.0
BBC Radio Sheffield 276 233 -15.6
BBC Radio Shropshire 91 92 1.1
BBC Radio Stoke 130 118 -9.2
BBC Radio Suffolk 129 104 -19.4
BBC Radio Tees 138 148 7.2
BBC Radio Ulster 524 546 4.2
BBC Radio Wales 426 380 -10.8
BBC Radio Wiltshire/Swindon 90 79 -12.2
BBC Radio York 74 81 9.5
BBC Somerset 68 55 -19.1
BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey 271 263 -3.0
BBC Three Counties Radio 147 162 10.2
BBC WM (Birmingham & Black Country) 209 225 7.7
BBC World Service 1353 1466 8.4
C.F.M (Bauer Carlisle) 114 112 -1.8
Capital Birmingham 441 454 2.9
Capital East Midlands 490 504 2.9
Capital East Midlands – Derbyshire n/a 131 n/a
Capital East Midlands – Leicestershire n/a 165 n/a
Capital East Midlands – Nottinghamshire n/a 245 n/a
Capital Liverpool (was 107.6 Juice FM) 257 228 -11.3
Capital London 1793 2286 27.5
Capital Manchester 511 494 -3.3
Capital North East 493 488 -1.0
Capital North West and Wales 174 155 -10.9
Capital Scotland 514 573 11.5
Capital South Coast 200 202 1.0
Capital South Wales 186 170 -8.6
Capital XTRA (London) 311 548 76.2
Capital XTRA (UK) 841 1202 42.9
Capital Yorkshire 1016 1023 0.7
Central FM 45 58 28.9
Channel 103 FM 45 52 15.6
Cheshire’s Silk 106.9 23 23 0.0
Chester’s Dee 106.3 37 33 -10.8
City Talk 105.9 66 45 -31.8
Classic FM 5525 5121 -7.3
Clyde 1 556 627 12.8
Clyde 2 155 151 -2.6
Clyde 3 n/a 17 n/a
Connect DAB 7 2 -71.4
Connect FM (was Connect FM and Lite 106.8FM) 36 38 5.6
Cool FM 349 388 11.2
Dearne FM 45 51 13.3
Dilse 1035am 72 32 -55.6
Downtown Country n/a 84 n/a
Downtown Radio (DTR) 299 243 -18.7
Dream 100 35 44 25.7
Eagle Radio 135 126 -6.7
Fire Radio 52 54 3.8
Forth 1 354 336 -5.1
Forth 2 76 45 -40.8
Forth 3 n/a 11 n/a
Free Radio 80s (Birmingham & Black Country) 61 102 67.2
Free Radio 80s (Coventry & Warwickshire) 20 28 40.0
Free Radio 80s (Herefordshire & Worcestershire) n/a 12 n/a
Free Radio 80s (Shropshire) 18 21 16.7
Free Radio FM (Birmingham & Black Country) (was BRMB and Beacon) 324 392 21.0
Free Radio FM (Coventry & Warwickshire) (was Mercia) 118 116 -1.7
Free Radio FM (Herefordshire & Worcestershire) (was Wyvern) 97 97 0.0
Free Radio FM (Shropshire) (was Beacon) 89 90 1.1
Gem 106 (East Midlands) 430 476 10.7
Gold East Midlands 76 65 -14.5
Gold London 263 250 -4.9
Gold Manchester 56 70 25.0
Hallam 2 (was Magic AM (Sheffield)) 90 88 -2.2
Hallam 3 n/a 13 n/a
Hallam FM 364 301 -17.3
Heart Cambridgeshire 236 265 12.3
Heart East Anglia 261 296 13.4
Heart East Anglia – Norfolk n/a 161 n/a
Heart East Anglia – Suffolk n/a 135 n/a
Heart Essex 438 393 -10.3
Heart Essex – Chelmsford & Southend n/a 328 n/a
Heart Four Counties 451 551 22.2
Heart Four Counties – Beds/Bucks/Herts n/a 171 n/a
Heart Four Counties – Northamptonshire n/a 186 n/a
Heart Kent 405 359 -11.4
Heart London 1533 1547 0.9
Heart North East 331 324 -2.1
Heart North Wales 131 139 6.1
Heart North West 550 631 14.7
Heart Scotland 430 411 -4.4
Heart Solent 298 274 -8.1
Heart South Wales 447 459 2.7
Heart South West 422 391 -7.3
Heart South West – Cornwall 105 102 -2.9
Heart Sussex 358 333 -7.0
Heart Thames Valley 328 393 19.8
Heart Thames Valley – Berks & N.Hants n/a 229 n/a
Heart Thames Valley – Oxfordshire n/a 164 n/a
Heart West Country 704 700 -0.6
Heart West Country – Bristol/Weston & Bath n/a 440 n/a
Heart West Midlands 770 709 -7.9
Heart Yorkshire 441 402 -8.8
Heat 902 878 -2.7
IOW Radio 41 39 -4.9
Island FM 104.7 33 32 -3.0
JACKfm 2 Oxford 33 50 51.5
Jazz FM (National) 457 506 10.7
KCFM 83 88 6.0
Kerrang! 920 787 -14.5
Key 103 444 n/a n/a
Key 103 n/a 356 n/a
Key 2 (was Magic 1152 (Manchester)) 51 n/a n/a
Key 2 (was Magic 1152 (Manchester)) n/a 49 n/a
Key 3 n/a 39 n/a
Kingdom FM 61 60 -1.6
Kiss n/a 4478 n/a
Kiss (East) 459 457 -0.4
Kiss (London) 1883 2011 6.8
Kiss (West) 461 442 -4.1
Kiss Fresh 422 548 29.9
Kisstory 1131 1441 27.4
KL.FM 96.7 52 n/a n/a
KL.FM 96.7 n/a 61 n/a
kmfm East 93 83 -10.8
kmfm West 73 94 28.8
Lakeland Radio 19 19 0.0
LBC 97.3 887 1001 12.9
LBC London News (was LBC News 1152) 375 482 28.5
Lincs FM 102.2 330 301 -8.8
Lyca Radio 1458am 115 62 -46.1
Magic (London) 1911 1745 -8.7
Magic Network n/a 3434 n/a
Manx Radio 42 42 0.0
Metro 2 Radio (was Magic 1152 (Newcastle)) 91 123 35.2
Metro 3 Radio n/a 15 n/a
Metro Radio 406 341 -16.0
Minster FM 65 73 12.3
Mi-Soul n/a 29 n/a
Mix 96 48 45 -6.3
Moray Firth Radio (Bauer Inverness) 113 117 3.5
Nation Radio 176 107 -39.2
North Norfolk Radio 21 16 -23.8
Northsound 1 127 139 9.4
Northsound 2 37 31 -16.2
Norwich 99.9fm 45 44 -2.2
Oak FM 24 27 12.5
Original 106 (Aberdeen) 83 80 -3.6
Panjab Radio n/a 75 n/a
Peak 107 FM 87 77 -11.5
Pirate FM 165 166 0.6
Planet Rock n/a 1265 n/a
Premier Christian Radio 124 159 28.2
Pulse 1 (was The Pulse) 98 123 25.5
Pulse 2 37 42 13.5
Q Belfast’s City Beat (was Citybeat 96.7/102.5FM) 145 127 -12.4
Q Radio 129 121 -6.2
Radio Aire 86 98 14.0
Radio Aire 2 (was Magic 828 (Leeds)) 83 75 -9.6
Radio Aire 3 n/a 10 n/a
Radio Borders (Bauer Borders) 57 59 3.5
Radio Carmarthenshire and Scarlet FM 37 32 -13.5
Radio Ceredigion 18 16 -11.1
Radio City 381 359 -5.8
Radio City 2 (was Magic 1548 (Liverpool)) 56 106 89.3
Radio City 3 n/a 19 n/a
Radio Essex (was Southend & Chelmsford) 52 34 -34.6
Radio Essex DAB 54 44 -18.5
Radio Exe 24 26 8.3
Radio Mansfield 103.2 38 31 -18.4
Radio Plymouth 43 36 -16.3
Radio Wave 96.5 FM 68 73 7.4
Radio X London (was XFM London) 363 337 -7.2
Radio X Manchester (was XFM Manchester) 194 179 -7.7
Radio Yorkshire 71 46 -35.2
Ridings FM 45 37 -17.8
Rock FM 253 180 -28.9
Rock FM 2 (was Magic 999 (Preston)) 20 43 115.0
Rock FM 3 n/a 17 n/a
Rother FM 30 24 -20.0
Rugby FM 22 24 9.1
Sam FM Bristol (was JACK fm (Bristol)) 114 78 -31.6
Sam FM South Coast (was JACK fm (South Coast)) 231 189 -18.2
Sam FM Swindon (Surveyed as JACK fm (Swindon)) 39 22 -43.6
Signal 107 60 56 -6.7
Signal One 293 266 -9.2
Signal Two 66 68 3.0
Smooth Extra n/a 910 n/a
Smooth Radio Cambridgeshire 44 44 0.0
Smooth Radio Devon 53 44 -17.0
Smooth Radio East Anglia 56 63 12.5
Smooth Radio East Midlands 315 380 20.6
Smooth Radio Essex 34 70 105.9
Smooth Radio Four Counties 71 69 -2.8
Smooth Radio Kent 50 77 54.0
Smooth Radio London 627 779 24.2
Smooth Radio North East 451 489 8.4
Smooth Radio North West 1172 1004 -14.3
Smooth Radio North West and Wales 69 107 55.1
Smooth Radio Scotland 401 416 3.7
Smooth Radio Solent 43 77 79.1
Smooth Radio South Wales 55 51 -7.3
Smooth Radio Sussex 66 63 -4.5
Smooth Radio Thames Valley 42 39 -7.1
Smooth Radio West Country 128 83 -35.2
Smooth Radio West Midlands 498 477 -4.2
Spire FM 45 36 -20.0
Spirit FM 52 51 -1.9
Star North East 51 50 -2.0
Sun FM 78 71 -9.0
Sunrise Radio 250 n/a n/a
Sunrise Radio n/a 269 n/a
Swansea Bay Radio (surveyed as Nation Hits!) 43 28 -34.9
Swansea Sound – 1170 MW 64 36 -43.8
talkSPORT 3246 3088 -4.9
Tay 2 63 42 -33.3
Tay 3 n/a 3 n/a
Tay FM 153 134 -12.4
TFM 2 (was Magic 1170 (Teesside)) 60 45 -25.0
TFM 3 n/a 12 n/a
TFM Radio 182 135 -25.8
The Bay 100 99 -1.0
THE BEACH 57 62 8.8
The Bee 43 43 0.0
The Breeze (Basingstoke / Newbury and Andover) 42 52 23.8
The Breeze (Cheltenham) 19 21 10.5
The Breeze (Solent/ East Hants and West Surrey) 69 70 1.4
The Breeze (Yeovil/ Shaftesbury and Bridgwater) 57 47 -17.5
The Breeze South Devon (surveyed as The Breeze (was Palm FM)) 29 40 37.9
The Breeze South West (Bristol/ Weston/ Bath and West Wilts) 101 67 -33.7
The Hits 681 693 1.8
The Wireless from Age UK n/a 29 n/a
Time FM 106.6 19 n/a n/a
Time FM 107.5 n/a 25 n/a
Total BBC Radio Solent 272 261 -4.0
Total Connect n/a 40 n/a
Touch FM Staffs 30 31 3.3
Town 102 FM 62 59 -4.8
Trax FM 82 79 -3.7
U105 180 229 27.2
UCB 1 (was UCB UK) n/a 121 n/a
Viking 2 (was Magic 1161 (Hull)) 58 60 3.4
Viking 3 n/a 6 n/a
Viking FM 221 189 -14.5
Wave 102 n/a 24 n/a
Wave 105 FM (Bauer South Coast) 366 364 -0.5
Wessex FM 56 55 -1.8
West Sound (Bauer Southwest Scotland) 180 187 3.9
XFM Scotland 35 n/a n/a
XS Manchester (surveyed as 106.1 Real XS Manchester) 118 93 -21.2
Yorkshire Coast Radio 54 49 -9.3

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