We are pleased to say that the weekly listening figure for BBC Radio 3 is over 2 million this quarter: up 17.2% on the year and up 17.5% on the quarter.
Commenting on the figures, BBC Radio 3 Controller Sam Jackson says: “It’s so encouraging to see BBC Radio 3 reaching a weekly audience of over 2 million people, with the station welcoming around 300,0000 new listeners during this period. This is up nearly 18% on last quarter and 17% on the same period last year. We have evidently drawn in more lighter listeners this summer, and we hope those who have discovered the breadth of distinctive programming on Radio 3 will now stay with us for the longer-term.
What’s more, today’s news follows on from a summer of extraordinary music-making, with very encouraging figures for this year’s BBC Proms – including a record-breaking opening weekend on BBC Sounds. Engagement on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds and in multiple venues across the UK demonstrated the degree to which the BBC’s classical music offering is enjoyed by audiences old and new.”
Overall, RAJAR figures for Q3 this year show that BBC Radio reached 31.7 million people each week for live output across the stations, with a share of 44%, and that the digital offering to audiences has grown significantly, with a record 602 million plays on BBC Sounds.
Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, says: “Radio 2 continues to be the country’s most popular station and I’m delighted with the flying start Vernon Kay has made to mid-mornings as the UK’s biggest radio show, bringing his warmth, energy and charisma to listeners up and down the country.
“We’ve had an incredible summer of music and sport with record breaking figures at the Proms reflected by Radio 3 reaching over 2 million listeners with their unique commitment to live classical broadcasts.
“The Ashes, Wimbledon, the Women’s World Cup boosted 5 Sports Extra significantly as well as delivering for 5 Live and BBC Sounds.
“We had over 600 million plays on BBC Sounds – a new record and an incredible achievement for a platform we launched only five years ago. Our digital offer for audiences continues to go from strength to strength, delivering standout live and on-demand content for listeners, wherever and whenever they need it.”