In the late 1950s, despite the growth of television and radio's consequent decline, the programme was still claiming 11 million listeners and was also being transmitted in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.Smethurst, William (1996), The Archers: The True Story. London: Michael O'Mara Books; pp. 75–76. By the mid-1970s, however, the audience for the two daily broadcasts and the weekend omnibus combined was less than three millionSmethurst (1996) The Archers, p. 144. and in 1976 the BBC Radio Four Review Board twice considered whether or not to axe the programme.Hendy, David (2007), Life On Air, A history of Radio Four Oxford University Press, p. 205. The serial's woes at this time were seen to mirror the poor standing of radio drama in general, described as "a failure to fully shake off the conventions of non-realism which had prevailed in the 1940s and 1950s."Hendy, David (2007) Life On Air, p. 204.
In the late 1950s, despite the growth of television and radio's consequent decline, the programme was still claiming 11 million listeners and was also being transmitted in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.Smethurst, William (1996), The Archers: The True Story. London: Michael O'Mara Books; pp. 75–76. By the mid-1970s, however, the audience for the two daily broadcasts and the weekend omnibus combined was less than three millionSmethurst (1996) The Archers, p. 144. and in 1976 the BBC Radio Four Review Board twice considered whether or not to axe the programme.Hendy, David (2007), Life On Air, A history of Radio Four Oxford. University Press, p. 205. The serial's woes at this time were seen to mirror the poor standing of radio drama in general, described as "a failure to fully shake off the conventions of non-realism which had prevailed in the 1940s and 1950s."Hendy, David (2007) Life On Air, p. 204