91Èȱ¬

• Radio 4 adds half a million listeners and records highest ever share
• Today programme at seven-year high
• Moyles and Wogan add listeners
• Radio 2 up

91Èȱ¬ Radio 4 has added half-a-million listeners and recorded its highest share – buoyed by a strong performance from the Today programme – according to data released today by RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd).

The station now has 9.81 million listeners – up from 9.29 million last year, 9.45 million last quarter – and its highest reach since the start of 2003. During the measurement period (15 September to 14 December) it posted a record share of 12.4% – up from 11.8% last year and 11.5% last quarter.

The Today programme has 6.60 million listeners, up nearly half-a-million on the quarter (6.11m), almost 400,000 on the year, and its largest audience since the end of 2001.

Tim Davie, Director 91Èȱ¬ Audio & Music, said: "This quarter's figures are good news for the radio industry, the 91Èȱ¬ and particularly Radio 4.

"Radio 4 plays a unique role in the country's cultural and news agenda and these results reflect its influential place in British life."

All 91Èȱ¬ Radio now has a reach of 33.52 million (from 33.14m last year and 32.98m last quarter) and a share of 55.7% (from 55.4% last year and 54.9% last quarter).

91Èȱ¬ Radio 1 drew 10.58 million listeners per week in the quarter, from 10.69 million last year and 10.87 million last quarter. Its share, at 10.1%, is up on last quarter (9.8%) but slightly down on last year (10.3%).

The Chris Moyles Show has 7.30 million listeners – up from 7.02 million last quarter and steady on 7.31 million last year.

91Èȱ¬ Radio 2 has a weekly reach of 13.47 million listeners – up from 13.06 million last quarter and 12.82 million last year. Share, at 15.8%, is level with the year (15.7%) and slightly down on the quarter (16%).

Wake Up To Wogan has 7.96 million listeners tuning in each week (from 7.74m last quarter and 7.73m last year).

91Èȱ¬ Radio 3's reach rose to 1.98 million, from 1.95 million last quarter and 1.95 million last year. Share is 1.3% – up from 1.2% last year and last quarter.

91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 Live and its digital service 91Èȱ¬ 5 Live Sports Extra recorded a combined reach of 6.11 million – up on last quarter's combined total (5.94m) but down on last year (6.17m). Combined share is up to 5.0%, from 4.8% last quarter and 4.7% last year. 5 Live Sports Extra has a weekly reach of 663,000.

In digital-only services, 91Èȱ¬ 6 Music posted its sixth consecutive record reach, with 619,000 listeners, up on both year and quarter.

91Èȱ¬ Radio 7 has 850,000 listeners, the 91Èȱ¬ Asian Network has 379,000 listeners and 1Xtra has a reach of 533,000.

The 91Èȱ¬ World Service increased its reach to 1.43 million – up from 1.18 million last year and 1.36 million last quarter.

Notes to Editors

JA