Radio presenters 'glamourising excessive drinking'

Radio presenters have been accused of promoting excessive alcohol consumption by a government-funded survey.

Researchers from the University of the West of England listened to 1,200 hours of radio from various stations and found 703 extracts containing references to alcohol.

Some 73% of comments made were said to encourage drinking, with 13% related to binge drinking.

One show was entitled "The Morning After."

It was found that alcohol was often used to build relationships between presenters and listeners.

Professor Norma Daykin, who led the research, said: "Making such comments is not necessary, as some presenters were able to successfully create identity and connect with young listeners without mentioning drinking."

Commercial stations were found to be more likely to talk about drinking - of the BBC stations checked, almost half of the alcohol-related comments made were to discourage excessive alcohol consumption.

However, the Chris Moyles Show made a 74-second reference during a three-and-a-half hour programme, making it among the worst offenders, according to the research.

A spokesperson from Radio 1 said: "We don't agree that our presenters encourage a culture of drinking. In fact, throughout this week we have run a high profile campaign on the radio and online asking listeners to think about the amount of alcohol they drink and how it could affect their health, looks and behaviour."

According to figures released by Alcohol Concern, drink companies spend around £800 million a year on marketing.

One in three attendances to accident and emergency wards is due to alcohol-related injuries.