Listener figures at BBC Radio WM have plunged to a record low, raising concerns about the long-term viability of the flagship station.

A total of 190,000 people a week tuned in during the six months from April to September this year – a dramatic fall from the 400,000 peak seen in 2004.

The station, which marks its 40th anniversary this month, now has an audience reach of just eight per cent and a market share of 4.6 per cent. The latest figures show that BBC Radio WM has lost 100,000 listeners in just two years.

By comparison, Heart West Midlands has 769,000 listeners and a 22 per cent reach, while Smooth West Midlands has 375,000 listeners and a 10 per cent reach.

Internal emails from senior managers at the BBC’s Mailbox headquarters in Birmingham have indicated a sense of frustration.

Radio WM managing editor Keith Beech, who has been in charge for almost 10 years, told staff: “The latest listening figures are in and I’m afraid that they are not at all good.

“In a market where listening to any radio is declining our reach now stands at 8.4 per cent which is down both on the quarter and on the year.

“We will be taking time to look at these carefully and at which sections of the population we have lost most listeners, but no excuses they are disappointing and I take full responsibility for them.”

Mr Beech goes on to tell staff that listening figures are only one of the measures upon which the station should be judged.

Equally important, he says, is “original journalism”, where he believes BBC Radio WM is outperforming all other local radio stations in the country.

He adds: “We are judged on the quality of our programming around big stories and events and we showed with 19 hours of live coverage on the Pope’s visit, our ambition around the General Election and coverage of the Tory party conference that we take ownership of the big events and bring unrivalled coverage of these to the people of the West Midlands.

“Over the last 12 months we’ve generated more original stories for the BBC than anyone else in English regions and in recent weeks we’ve had Chris Blakemore’s Sandwell schools scoop, Adrian Goldberg’s exclusive on the spy cameras, and Steve Dyson’s scoop last week with the Monetary Policy Committee.”

Concluding defiantly that “the fightback begins now”, Mr Beech promises “outstanding programming” to mark the station’s 40th anniversary this month.

In January 2009, when the station’s listening figures stood at 274,000, Mr Beech told staff: “I am disappointed that we’re not back above 300,000 already. As I said at the away day that is our initial target and that remains the same. But we are making progress and the new schedule that launches on Monday gives us a great opportunity to bring in new listeners and progress even further over the next year.”

When Radio WM’s listening figures dipped below 300,000 four years ago, programme chiefs blamed the fall on the departure from the breakfast slot of popular Birmingham presenter Adrian Goldberg.

The latest collapse is bound to raise questions about what may happen when veteran presenter Ed Doolan, approaching his 70th birthday, decides to retire.

A BBC insider at the Mailbox said: “It’s astonishing that the audience has roughly halved during Keith Beech’s decade in charge and there’s very little evidence of that decline halting.

“If for example the station lost Ed Doolan for any reason the audience would implode. Keith hasn’t seemed able to  bring on new talent.

“Ten years ago when the  audience was healthy he was still able to rely on the old ex- BRMB gang of Doolan, Tony Butler and Les Ross. But time doesn’t stand still particularly in broadcasting.

“Why didn’t he secure Jon Gaunt as Doolan’s successor? Why did Adrian Goldberg - a great local broadcaster - slip through his hands ?”

Asked to comment on the figures, Mr Beech said: ‘‘Of course the loss of listeners is disappointing and should be taken in the context of nearly all other local radio stations in the West Midlands region also losing listeners.

“It is a tough market and fewer people are listening to local radio services  now than they were one year, two years and five years ago.

“BBC WM  is the only radio station that provides West Midlands listeners with a comprehensive local speech service with the emphasis on news and sport.”