Big audience rise for Classic FM

1 August 2013, 00:01

More than 130,000 new listeners have switched on Classic FM over the last year, according to the latest official figures.

The latest results are out – and the UK's biggest classical music radio station has posted another impressive increase in audience.  Over 5.6 million people now listen to Classic FM every week – that's up by 134,000 compared to the same time last year.

During the week, Classic FM's More Music Breakfast with Tim Lihoreau is leading the way, with 80,000 new listeners in the last three months alone.  Over 1.7 million people now wake up with Classic FM every weekday morning.  John Suchet, meanwhile, has broken through the 2.7 million barrier, with his audience growing by an impressive 78,000 over the last 12 months.

There's success at the weekend, too, with some of Classic FM's newest signings proving to be a big hit. Aled Jones, who joined the station as the voice of Sunday mornings back in March, is attracting an audience of over a million people every week, with 77,000 new listeners tuning in over the last three months.  And newsreader turned Classic FM presenter Charlotte Green has proved to be a huge success, increasing the audience for her Sunday afternoon slot by a remarkable 49% year-on-year.

There was further good news across the schedule: Saturday Night at the Movies with Howard Goodall posted an audience uplift of 12% over the last year, The Classic FM Chart with John Brunning grew by 16% during the same period, and Jamie Crick's Saturday show saw an increase of 21%.

These quarterly results, provided by the official industry body RAJAR, were gathered during a period of wide-ranging success for Classic FM, which saw the station being named Brand of the Year at the Sony Radio Academy Awards and Best Classical Format at the New York Radio Awards.  

Sam Jackson, Managing Editor of Classic FM, said: "Classic FM is continuing to grow a new audience for classical music in the UK. As the nation's classical station, more people experience classical music through us than via any other broadcast medium  – and the entire Classic FM family is delighted to be welcoming in so many new listeners."