Words: Marija Tomsone | Subbing: Tracey Popoola
BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show’s ratings fall dramatically as “young people don’t consume as much radio as they used to”.
The Breakfast Show, run by Nick Grimshaw attracted 5.3 million listeners over the age of 10 in three months to the end of September. This is the lowest figure since the beginning of the RAJAR data collection in 1992. The number is also believed to be the lowest since the breakfast show’s debut in 1967.
The programme, which has been hosted by Grimshaw for the past five years, had attracted 7 million listeners back in September 2012 when he took over the show.
Nick Grimshaw at the BBC Radio 1
The BBC backs Nick Grimshaw, saying that “the show is still relevant as ever. It is still the number one breakfast show for young people, but they don’t consume as much traditional radio as they used to”.
Radio 1’s overall ratings, however, have experienced an increase with weekly ratings going from 9.58 million to 9.6 million listeners. Last month Radio 1 celebrated its 50th anniversary by launching a pop-up radio station called Radio 1 Vintage run by Nick Grimshaw and Tony Blackburn.