The “reach” of BBC local radio for the fhird quarter of 2023 was 7.3 million listeners a week, according to data published by the Radio Joint Audience Research organisation (Rajar) at the end of last month.
The figures also showed that most listeners tuned in for just over seven hours each week.
Some coverage of these figures suggested that fewer people were listening to local radio than at the same time last year, but the BBC pointed out that Rajar had changed its methodology in January, affecting the reliability of year-on-year comparisons.
With local radio cuts still to take effect in some parts of England, their effect on ratings will not be apparent until annual comparisons next become possible – in January 2025.