BBC presenter Nick Robinson has blamed the Radio 4’s Today programme’s falling listening figures on “news avoiders” who don’t want to face the world’s problems.
The news and current affairs show has lost more than a million listeners over the course of the past year.
However, Robinson and co-presenter Amol Rajan insisted the slump was down to a general decline rather than dissatisfaction with the Today show specifically.
Speaking to the Radio Times, Robinson said: “People just want to avoid the news. Market research literally calls them ‘news avoiders’.
“We will all know people who think ‘I just can’t face the world anymore’.”
Rajan meanwhile pointed to a recent Reuters Institute Report that showed a “precipitous drop” in interest.
However, although the Today programme’s audience fell to its lowest audience since 1999 – 5.76 million listeners – ratings for others channels including GB News and Times Radio rose over the same period.
The report which Rajan referenced, which surveyed people in a range of countries, found some are turning away from coverage of the war in Ukraine, climate change and politics.
It suggested that “less sensationalist, less negative, and more explanatory approaches” might help to tempt back listeners.
BBC insiders however have suggested the programme’s problems run deeper than a general loss of interest in the news.
One former Today employee told The Telegraph: “Today has been cut to the bone as part of all the cost-cutting in news, and it no longer has the editorial independence it once had because so many things are certainly commissioned. That shows.
“And the programme has lost its mojo. When was the last time you were gripped by an interview with a member of the Cabinet?
“Mind you, that might be due to the calibre of the Cabinet ministers.”
Robinson and Rajan (above) are now launching The Today Podcast as they hope to bring in a wider audience.
On the new podcast, Robinson told The Telegraph: “Tone is important. Being friendly, not being overly aggressive for the sake of it. It’s optimism, hope as well as scepticism and scrutiny.
“It’s recognising that people are listening in this incredible, more intimate way. So that you don’t want to just be like: ‘Oh, shut up. Stop shouting at each other’.”
He also gave his thoughts on podcasts The News Agents, hosted by Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel, and The Rest Is Politics with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, suggesting they follow similar templates to one another.
“A lot of people I know listen to that and really like having their own worldview reinforced to them," Robinson said.
“We’re not centrist dads.”
Rajan said the programme now better reflects the country because it has a range of accents, rather than all the presenters speaking in Received Pronunciation.
Both rejected rumours that the Today presenting team do not get along with one another.
“We’re very different, but you could smell it a mile off if people didn’t get on,” said Robinson.
Rajan said: “I’m full of unashamed love for Today. I’m also full of love for the BBC.
“I read the absolute filth and nonsense that’s written about it, devoid of understanding and context and nuance and all the rest of it, but I actually think there’s a lot to be grateful for.”
