BBC local radio shows suffer drop in listeners over past two years

NUJ members at the BBC on the picket line at Broadcasting House in central London (James Manning/PA)

BBC local radio shows have suffered a drop in listeners amid planned cuts to their programming by the corporation, new figures show.

The average weekly audience for local and regional stations has fallen by 20% in the past two years, from 9.2 million in the third quarter of 2021 to 7.3 million in the same period for 2023, according to data from research body Rajar.

The BBC World Service has experienced an ever sharper drop in listeners, with its average weekly audience down 33% from 1.4 million in July-September 2021 to 940,000 in the same period in 2023.

By Naomi Clarke and Ian Jones,

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