BBC’s plan to lure back Radio 2 listeners? Launch a station just like the old Radio 2!

THE BBC is attempting to claw back disaffected Radio 2 listeners by launching a spin-off station for ‘pop nostalgia’.

Bosses who have been accused of alienating the station’s heartland audience by chasing younger listeners will launch a service focusing on the music of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

It was one of four digital stations the corporation unveiled yesterday, sparking a competition row with the commercial radio sector.

As well as the Radio 2 station, there will also be a new classical chill- out style version of Radio 3 and two Radio 1 sister-stations.

The announcement comes as recent audience figures revealed that Radio 2 has continued to shed listeners since Ken Bruce’s shock departure last year after three decades. It came after a string of older presenters either left the station or were sidelined. Steve Wright was replaced by the younger Scott Mills.

The listeners who have quit Radio 2 are thought to have defected to stations such as Greatest Hits Radio and Boom Radio. Bruce’s show on Greatest Hits Radio boasts 3.8million listeners each week

But the BBC has been accused by industry body Radiocentre of trying to ‘directly imitate’ the success of its rivals and called on Ofcom to reject the plans. It said the BBC was ‘failing to provide distinct public value’.

A Radiocentre spokesman said: ‘Despite the polished BBC press release, when one peels back the veneer, the BBC are, yet again, attempting to compete directly with commercial radio stations, interfering with the market and failing to provide distinct public value.’

Lorna Clarke, director of BBC Music, said: ‘Our stations have captured the history of music in the UK during the past six decades for our audiences, and we now want to give them more choice from the BBC as listening habits are changing.’