Listening Figures - On the Decline?

Radio 4's Feedback programme has been discussing why the listening figures for 'The Archers has taken a very sharp decline in the past few months.

Some listeners are convinced that the constant campaigning issues are the cause. All the chat about gay weddings, senility, gambling addictions, organic farming, multi-racial relationships and liberal religious issues obviously annoys a great number of people. Others have been alienated by the heavy Ruth/Sam/David storyline.

I just think what must be a big turn off for many people is the constant sentimentality and for me the class ridden snobbery of much of the Archers clan.

What we need are some villains to hiss and boo - some anger and fights. What could beat the Will/Ed scraps?

On the other hand the numbers of 'listen again' listeners has doubled over the same period - so perhaps the producers are doing something right?