BBC Rajar results roundup

The BBC has increased its radio audience share lead over rival commercial stations, according to new Rajar listening figures released today.

BBC stations achieved a record share of 53.5% for the first quarter of 2003, compared with a 44.5% commercial share - thus increasing the corporation's lead by 1% compared with the previous quarter.

BBC Radio 2 remains the country's most popular station, despite recording a 0.1% share fall and a 30,000 drop in its overall weekly audience; however, Terry Wogan recorded his highest audience (of 7.86 million) and Jeremy Vine maintained the audience level held by his predecessor, Jimmy Young.

BBC Radio 3 also suffered a slight fall in share, but Radio 4 increased its share by 0.3% to achieve a record audience of 10.034m, helped by the record audiences achieved by The Archers and Woman's Hour.

BBC Radio Five Live also increased its reach by 141,000 listeners over the quarter to maintain an audience share of 4.7%, with the station's breakfast show increasing its audience by 50,000 after the appointment of new hosts Nicky Campbell and Victoria Derbyshire.

The BBC's Local and National radio stations also achieved a record reach of 11.1m to increase its share to 11.5%, with BBC London 94.9 achieving its highest ever reach of 437,000 listeners and BBC Radio Wales reaching half a million for the first time.

Additionally, the first listening figures were reported for the BBC World Service and the BBC Asian Network, which recorded audiences of 1.4 million and 433,000 respectively.

"Today's figures show that the whole industry goes from strength to strength with more people listening to radio," commented Jenny Abramsky, director of BBC Radio and Music.