Who listens to radio 4?

I love Radio 4 and listen to it, plus some Radio 3, a lot. I think if we lived in some other countries we'd realise how good Radio 4 actually is...........but of course different people enjoy different things. I do not enjoy all of the programmes, but know it has to please a variety of people. But for instance I find I enjoy several of the current affairs programmes, a wonderful series called "more or less', documentaries of many kinds, a few comedy programmes and more. I feel very lucky to be able to hear these.

The station continues to have a balanced audience in terms of gender (49% male / 51% female). The
average age of the Radio 4 listener is 56 years old and skews towards an older audience. Our target
audience of 35-54 ABC1 (commonly termed ‘replenishers’) makes up 24% of the audience. The station
also continues to have an upmarket bias – 75% of those tuning in fall into the ABC1 demographic.
This was on the BBC website, so now I know.

I'm 76 and love Radio 4. I never tune in to any other radio station. I listen to it while doing jobs around the house. My husband and I always try to sit down to our evening meal at 7 pm so we can listen to The Archers while we eat.

I love Radio 4, always have, but I pick and choose what I listen to, and rush to switch off most “comedy”, which is invariably dire, and drama output seems to be very lightweight these days.

I have Radio 4 to thank for a large chunk of my education and interest in all subjects under the sun, and every day I learn something new. I wouldn’t be without it.

I used to listen to some R4 programmes but find it much handier to listen via the Sounds app, then I can pick the time to listen that’s best for me. Agree I don’t enjoy the plays as much and the news programmes are very repetitive. You’d think with so many reporters they could put different slants on some of it.
I also listen to R2 and R5 live up to 9 am and sometimes late at night in bed I used to enjoy the interactive talk shows late at night, especially the TV Question Tome broadcast followed by a phone in. It doesn’t seem to be on any more, sadly.
I did enjoy listening to Graham Norton on R2 at the weekends but have now followed him to Virgin Radio.
I do listen to many audio books in the night too.

As a long-time listener working from home I still find much to enjoy on Radio 4 and have it on for much of the day. There are the old favourites - eg The Archers, Desert Island Discs, In Our Time, From Our Own Correspondent - the book programmes such as A Good Read, Open Book, Book of the Week and Book at Bedtime (or early lunchtime!) - documentaries on a variety of subjects - and the news shows (though Today and World at One can be infuriating at times!), I also listen to the BBC World Service in the night, and some other BBC radio stations: R5 for Stephen Nolan, R3 for Private Passions. From time to time I listen to other stations: LBC, Times Radio. I'm worried about all the government pressures on the BB - not all the criticisms are justified - and hope it will survive - Radio 4 in particular. OK, so it has its low points eg some of the comedy shows and dramas, but overall I think we're lucky to have it!

I only listen to The Archers now on Radio 4, all got a bit too "preachy" for me.

I listen to 5Live for the sport, nothing else; otherwise it's Classic FM for me.

ooops, always though radio 4 was for old people, never yet felt old enough. I just listen to Planet Rock or my own music. Don't get pod casts

I have always listened to R4 and R4 extra but tend to pick and choose a bit more now and Sounds is a new great live of mine. I like to listen to Cosy crime at bedtime- Miss Marple etc. as I don’t want anything too stressful or thought provoking in the wee small hours. I don’t know what I would do without the BBC!

It has seriously deteriorated, roughly since the pandemic started. I loved the final series of the Brief Lives plays but most of the rest is dross and since Sandi Toksvig gave up the News Quiz, that is total b&£*ks too. As for Today, please don’t start me off.

I now listen to Radio Gaelheal and Radio Scotland which are still, just about, keeping up the edutational output ratio.

Same here Foxie48, but agree that the ‘comedies’ and plays are poor, I really don’t know who commissions these things! I think they are trying to appeal to a different audience but are not clear what this is. DH regularly rants at Front Row in the evening as it’s generally full of London centric luvvies.
I do enjoy The Life Scientific, The Food Programme, More or Less and do hear the odd programme that I wouldn’t otherwise have heard had I not had the radio switched on. I do enjoy listening to James O’Brien and Shelagh Fogarty on LBC, but appreciate that’s not to everyone’s taste

Same as SEPTIMIA, We don't usually listen to anything else. The clock radio is set to Radio 4 to wake us up at 6.57am for weather and news. possibly for 20 or 30 minutes. It is the only station we tune into while driving anywhere. It is always so varied and interesting.

In the years when the children were small, Radio 4 was my constant companion; I woke up to it and the radio was on all day. Now I hardly listen to the radio at all. Like many other posters I find the programmes irrelevant, and I'm not sure if I have changed or Radio 4 has - a little of both probably. Lord Reith said that the radio should 'Educate, entertain and amuse' - or words to that effect - and I don't find Radio 4 is doing any of that for me.

I don't listen anymore - it's changed beyond recognition

Just the Archers which I adore.

I'm using Sounds a lot more as most of the comedies are just not funny (for me) anymore and programmes like Today are just too aggressive now. Most of the plays too are either repeats of repeats or just determined to make me miserable so they get turned off too.

I’m enjoying Times Radio at the moment. It’s newsy but depending on the presenter not too heavy. Really like Matt Chorley in the morning. Gone off LBC (but I do like Iain Dale) and TalkRADIO, too sensationalist and too many idiots phoning in. BBC Sounds is good for catching up. Love a bit of Tony Blackburn. And I listen to a wide range of podcasts in my iPhone, some newsy, some people focussed. Really enjoy Rob Beckett and Josh Widecombe’s parenting nightmare.

I listen in the mornings after 10.00am, I enjoy Woman’s Hour and some of the programmes that follow and Sunday morning is a ritual. The Archers, Desert Island Discs, I’m sorry I haven’t a Clue and the Food Programme.

I always put radio 4 on about 7.30 am off at 9. On at 1-1.45 and again either at 5 or 6 for the news.
The Archers and Women’s Hour, Dead Ringers.
But - I find I’m drifting off, shouting at the radio or switching off. Im finding all the Covid coverage depressing, I know, shallow of me.
Plus any government minister sets my teeth on edge

I Love You and Yours, The Money Programme, Desert island discs, The Archers! The Untold with Grace Dent is excellent as is the the listening programme where people meet who do not know each other. Some of the afternoon plays are good, others are awful. I like question time and any answers plus the food programme and I learn a lot about gardening too. Woman’s Hour is a bit disappointing though.

I don't listen to Radio 4 in the mornings (Ken Bruce fan), but I listen quite a lot in the afternoons. Some of the plays are good, usually the repeats, e.g. Isaac Newton - Nemesis. I love The Kitchen Cabinet, Money Box and Inside Health. I listen to Front Row while I'm cooking dinner. This week I'm also listening to Subterranean Homesick Blues, just because of Bill Nighy's voice. I also love anything with Roger Allum in in, his voice is like chocolate. I often listen to things on Radio 4 Extra, love the repeats of Agatha Christie and Jane Austen. If I wake in the night, I listen to podcasts on BBC Sounds, like Fortunately, or You're Dead to Me, they are great for sending you off to sleep.

I have the same taste as Vegansrock. I use BBC Sounds a lot but their plays are not the same anymore. I just love a good murder and police procedurals,but Radio 4 has gone “woke” so these days I listen to Radio 3, LBC or sometimes Talk Radio, but that is a bit repetitive and too many ads. I love podcasts and listen to the Archers online plus Nicky Campbell who I have always loved. These days Eddie Mair and Shelagh Fogarty are on LBC and Andrew Marr is joining them, so I will listen to him.

Don't listen to Radio 4 anymore. For music Boom radio is good, sounds of the 60s ,Tony Blakburn and Ken Bruce.

Always listen to local radio. So much good local information. Not all music. The music when on is middle of the road.

I enjoy Woman’s Hour, The Archers, Desert Island Discs, I’m Sorry I haven’t a Clue and I do agree the comedy, in general n Radio 4 doesn't hit the mark, and recent plays are often left lacking. Maybe they should invite scripts in from the listeners?

My go to Podcast has to be Fortunately by the warm, familiar and friendly voices of Jane and Fi. They are hysterical and have such interesting and varied guests. They aren’t trying to provoke or prove anything as the flow and content is easy to listen to. Shame they only do one a week and are only available on podcast. I am 64 and my daughter if 37 loves them and now my son of 25 listens in too! They say its like giggling with Aunties!