I don't know if the  slide of BBC Radio 1 ratings and the layoffs in the news department are related. News is huge for BBC television, and BBC Radio 4 and 5 but doesn't play a big part overall of the format for radio 1 and 2. These networks are mostly music/youth oriented. And all of these radio networks are commercial free. Interesting to note that the BBC has hosts overnight as well. And I wouldn't be surprised if many of the live shows still had operators.

Radio 2 with it's AC/AOR format has been the most popular of the BBC radio networks for quite a while now, and has also been the most popular radio station in Europe.   BBC Radio 4, which is closer to our CBC Radio 1 does very well in ratings with over 10 million weekly listeners. 

BBC radio networks to their credit are very big on personalities. The hosts on radio one and two are stars in the UK and if you watch the Brit Awards, a few of the BBC Radio hosts will be presenters during the event. Actually this is also true with many of the private stations, the personalities are usually front and centre on British radio. And BBC (unlike CBC) is not afraid to have politically incorrect humour or controversial hosts on some programs.

This is what I find interesting is the fact that BBC radio does compete head to head with private radio in the UK with their music formatted stations. CBC Radio 1 really doesn't since there isn't an equivalent in private radio to them. You could argue that CBC Music (former CBC Radio 2) is starting to compete a little with private radio, but it is mainly Canadian alternative music and is definitely gearing itself to a younger demographic. They should get rid of the classical music mid day which isn't serving any purpose now..

I noticed in the article comments that BBC, like all public broadcasters, certainly has a lot of critics who would rather just shut the whole thing down. BBC is funded with a television license fee which amounts to $265 per year for every household with a TV, and is increasing $5 this year. In comparison, the CBC costs every Canadian $32 per year, so a family of four would be $128 for the household. The TV license in the UK applies to computers, desktops, laptops, tablets any device that you can watch TV on either live, recorded, stream or record. The fee covers up to 15 screens per household, and does apply to businesses as well. So any business that uses computers will be paying the annual fee. 

RadioActive wrote:

Quoth Homer Simpson: "Oh, Andy Capp. You wife-beating drunk."