More than a billion BBC radio programmes have been downloaded since the launch of the BBC’s podcast service in 2007, it was announced today.
To mark the occasion, the BBC is launching a special podcast, One Billion Downloads: A Selection Box, which features BBC presenters introducing their favourite free downloads from the BBC. Contributors include: Lauren Laverne, Matt Edmondson, Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, Stuart Maconie and Richard Bacon.
The billion total is made up of monthly, daily, weekly and ad hoc downloads. There are 320 titles available from BBC Radio. These include a wide range of content such as World Service Documentaries, Rhod Gilbert’s Best Bits from BBC Radio Wales, Steve Bunce’s Boxing Show on BBC London and archive collections like Desert Island Discs.
News programmes have been the most downloaded daily podcasts over the period – with Global News leading the way (89 million downloads since 2007) followed by NewsPod (45m) and the Today Programme (41m) – while The Archers has amassed 35 million downloads, Radio 4’s History Of The World In 100 Objects has drawn 25 million downloads since 2010 and Radio 1’s Scott Mills Daily has notched up 31 million.
Amongst weekly titles, The Best Of Chris Moyles / Best Of Moyles Enhanced has been downloaded most (50 million combined), followed by Radio 4’s Friday Night Comedy (47m), Kermode & Mayo’s Film Reviews (24m) and Melvyn Bragg’s In Our Time (20m).
The Top 10 daily and weekly titles since the service began are as follows:
Entire World Top 10 Daily Podcasts (millions)
1 Global News (World Service) 89
2 Documentaries (World Service) 77
3 NewsPod (Radio) 45
4 Best Of Today (Radio 4) 41
5 The Archers (Radio 4) 35
6 Scott Mills Daily (Radio 1) 31
7 A History Of The World In 100 Objects (Radio 4) 25
8 5 live Football Daily (5 live) 16
9 Business Daily (World Service) 14
10 World Business Report (World Service) 11
Entire World Top 10 Weekly Podcasts (millions)
1 Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 (Radio 4) 47
2 Best Of Chris Moyles (Radio 1) 29
3 Mark Kermode And Simon Mayo's Film Reviews (5 live) 24
4 Peter Day's World of Business (Radio) 23
5 Best Of Chris Moyles Enhanced (Radio 1) 21
6 In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg (Radio 4) 20
7 From Our Own Correspondent (Radio 4) 19
8 6 Minute English (World Service) 17
9 Chris Evans Breakfast - The Best Bits (Radio 2) 16
10 The English We Speak (World Service) 12
Mark Friend, Controller of Multiplatform and Interactive, BBC Audio & Music, says: “BBC Radio’s one billionth download shows how audiences value being able to listen to audio when and where they want. Downloadable content draws in new listeners to a wide range of content with nearly a third of people who download podcasts listening to radio programmes they hadn’t previously listened to. Downloadable content is good for our listeners and good for the industry.”
Podcasting has proved a popular way for radio audiences to listen to their favourite programmes. 8.5 million adults in the UK have downloaded a podcast, according to figures published by RAJAR in 2011 (Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd.), nearly double the 4.3 million in 2007.
Notes to editors
The BBC was the first British broadcaster to offer podcasts. In 2004, it published downloads of Radio 4’s In Our Time. Figures are for entire world downloads and exclude curated archive collections.
One Billion Downloads: A Selection Box runs from Monday 12th to Friday 16th December. Content will be available for seven days.
RAJAR Surveys: MIDAS, June 2011 and PALVIS, October 2007.
One billion entire world downloads have been recorded since the BBC’s Podcast Service began in July 2007.
The BBC Podcast Directory can be found here
JA
BBC Radio’s one billionth download shows how audiences value being able to listen to audio when and where they want."