The latest JNLR listening figures for 12 months to September 2022

Written by Roy Martin

The latest Joint National Listenership Report (JNLR) results are out for the period October ’21 – September ’22 and show more records being broken in terms of market share.

  • Ray Foley adds 6,000 listeners to afternoons on Today FM giving the slot its highest number in some time with 149,000
  • Ray D’Arcy has lost 18,000 listeners down to 179,000 – one of the lowest figures for that slot in over a decade
  • Sunshine 106.8 gets biggest music radio Market Share in Dublin for All Adults

The latest results show 3,182 million listeners (15+) tune into radio every weekday – that is daily radio listening at 78.3% of all adults. Weekly listening increases to 91.1% of the population.

Across the various regional areas throughout the country, National Radio holds the majority share position in Dublin (57.0%) and the greater Dublin Commuter belt (56.4%) while Local/Regional radio is in the majority in the other regions throughout the country, in particular, achieving its highest share position in Cork (65.0%), in the NorthWest (60.7%) and in the South-West (57.9%) Regions.

Local radio continues to perform strongly in the local radio markets across the country, with 37% of adults in the country tuning into their local station every day. In particular, on the criterion of share of minutes listened during prime 7am to 7pm, Highland Radio, Mid West Radio, Northern Sound Radio and Radio Kerry hold the majority share position (50%+) in their respective franchise areas.

Headlines from independent radio:

At Bauer, the group has a combined weekly reach of 1,733,000 listeners weekly and 1,077,000 listeners daily.

Bauer accounts for 20.65% of all prime-time listening and is the Number 1 group for listening share in the key audience demographics of 15-34-year-olds, 20-44-year olds, and 25-54-year-olds.

Today FM is Ireland’s Number 1 commercial radio station on all top line audience measurements with a primetime Market share of 9.1% and 871,000 weekly listeners, more than 193,000 ahead of RTÉ2FM.

The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show is the nation’s largest commercial radio programme with 199,000 listeners, while Ray Foley has grown audience since his return to Today FM with 149,000 people tuning in to his afternoon show, bringing the listenership in this timeslot to its highest in over a decade.

Elsewhere on the Today FM schedule, there were drops at mid-morning and lunchtime for Dermot & Dave (-5,000) and Pamela Joyce (-4,000) respectively and while The Last Word with Matt Cooper saw a decline of 10,000 in this book, his drive time audience of 164,000 is still the most listened to show on commercial radio in that time slot.

Newstalk has added 17,000 listeners over the last year, growing weekly reach to 784,000 listeners while registering a national prime-time Market Share figure of 7.1%.

Newstalk remains the Number One commercial station in Dublin on market share and daily reach while nationally, it is the Number One talk station for 20 – 44 year olds on daily reach.

The latest results show an all-time high result in the breakfast time-slot with Ciara Kelly and Shane Coleman on Newstalk Breakfast reaching an audience of 147,000.

Today’s results show SPIN is Ireland’s leading youth radio brand with SPIN 1038 the Number One music station on weekly reach in Dublin with 275,000 people tuning in, putting it more than 50,000 ahead of all other music stations in the capital. The success of SPIN is replicated at SPIN South West where the weekly audience has increased to 159,000.

Following a relaunch under the banner of ‘Dublin’s Good Times’ early this year, 98FM has increased its primetime market share by 0.4% to 5.4%.

Sunshine 106.8 is now the leading music station in Dublin with a Market Share of 8.3% for All Adults. The station also claims the number one spot for 35+ Market Share, Housekeepers Market Share, 10am-2pm All Adults Market Share and Market Share for Women.

Radio Nova has recorded its highest JNLR figures to date, with the station now passing out rivals FM104, 98FM, Q102 and 2FM in market share in Dublin. Nova has scored its highest market share in its 12-year history, with 6.6% share in Dublin city and county.

Beat continues to be the most-listened to radio station among its target market with 157,000 people tuning in each week.

Live 95 has 90 thousand listeners tuning-in every week, which is 54% of people in Limerick City and County.

iRadio has 182,000 people listening every day with growth at breakfast. iRadio in the morning with Cooper & Oonagh… and producer Ciaran, has added 10,000 new listeners across the last twelve months.

Here are the headlines from RTÉ:

RTÉ Radio 1 reaches 859,000 listeners on weekdays.

  • Radio 1’s Playback is now the second most-listened to radio show in the country (previously 9th – increasing 40,000 YoY).
  • Morning Ireland has lost 22,000 listeners this survey but remains Ireland’s most listened to radio programme, with 451,000 listeners
  • The Brendan O’Connor Show on Sunday has 345,000 listeners (+4,000 BoB**) and 344,000 listeners on Saturday.
  • The Ryan Tubridy Show broadcasts to 344,000 listeners each weekday, down 25,000.
  • Ray D’Arcy’s mid-afternoon show has dropped 18,000 down to 179,000 – one of the lowest figures for that slot for over a decade
  • The Business, broadcasting on Saturday mornings, has 338,000 listeners (+4,000 BoB)
  • Today with Claire Byrne from Monday to Friday, and Sunday with Miriam both have 331,000 listeners.

RTÉ 2fm has a weekly reach figure of 678,000 of Adults15+, with RTÉ 2FM Breakfast seeing growth in listeners.

  • 2FM Breakfast with Doireann, Donncha, and Carl has 124,000 listeners tuning in on weekday mornings (+1,000 BoB).
  • Jennifer Zamparelli on 2FM has 131,000 listeners.
  • Tracy Clifford has 120,000 listeners.
  • The 2 Johnnies continue to entertain listeners across the country in the afternoons with 122,000 listeners (no change BoB)

RTÉ lyric fm now has 306,000 listeners on a weekly basis (+24,000 YoY).

  • Movies and Musicals with Aedín Gormley has 67,000 listening in on Saturdays (+3,000 BoB)
  • Lorcan Murray’s Classic Drive reaches 58,000 on weekdays
  • Marty in the Morning has 49,000 listeners tuning in weekday mornings
  • Evelyn Grant’s Weekend Drive has 49,000 listeners
  • The Full Score with Liz Nolan reaches 47,0000 listeners (+2,000 BoB)
  • Aedín Gormley’s Sunday Matinée has 47,000 listeners on a Sunday (+3,000 BoB)

Quotes

Radiocentre Ireland CEO Ciarán Cunningham: “I am delighted that the JNLR listenership data released today shows clearly the huge power and popularity of radio among the Irish population, whether they’re listening at home, in the car, on a mobile or a smart speaker. It is also a reflection of the amazing mix of entertainment, music, news, sport and commentary provided by all Irish radio stations every single day. Radio listening is booming and today’s figures are a great reminder that Irish radio is such a central part of people’s lives.”

Commenting on the results, Bauer Media Audio Ireland CEO Simon Myciunka said; ‘With all of the change and uncertainty of recent years, radio’s mass reach and high engagement has been a welcome constant.

Within that environment, Bauer Media Audio Ireland continues to deliver audience at scale across news and current affairs, music, entertainment and sport, allowing advertisers to access those audiences in both live and on demand environments.

A huge congratulations and thanks to the entire team, who’s hard work and dedication ensures our brands continue to play an active and relevant role in the lives of our listeners’.

Managing Editor of Newstalk, Patricia Monahan commented today; ‘We are delighted to see Newstalk retain its position as the No.1 talk radio station for 20 – 44 year olds nationally. It is fantastic to see growth right across the schedule. That can be attributed to the engaging and entertaining content our hard working teams produce every day and the strong connection we have developed with our audience.’

Commenting on his stellar performance, Ray Foley said: “Of course I’m completely thrilled and bewildered and overjoyed! It’s wonderful to know that more people are happy to indulge my waffly nonsense as I know to lower the radio bar every afternoon from 2pm. Tell your friends! And thank you!”

Dan Healy, Head of RTÉ Radio Strategy and RTÉ 2FM said: “I am really pleased with the results for Doireann, Donncha and Carl. The 2 Johnnies have also done well. The JNLR would appear to suggest that we are seeing a return to pre-Covid listening habits across all radio and in light of that I am pleased with how the station has performed overall.”

Peter Woods, Head of RTÉ Radio 1 said: “This book is a consolidation of radio and Radio 1’s position post Covid. As that tide washes out and more people are back in the workplace, our programmes remain at the centre of Irish life, as witnessed this week following the RTÉ Documentary on One’s programme, Blackrock Boys and the Liveline follow-up in particular. It is encouraging to see many of our programmes attract unprecedented audiences, including the Brendan O’Connor Sunday programme which is neck and neck with the Saturday audience for the first time in that slot.”

Sinéad Wylde, Head of RTÉ lyric fm said: “In another good book for RTÉ lyric fm we see growth in the afternoons across the week for Aedín Gormley’s Movies and Musicals, and Liz Nolan on The Full Score, and Marty in the Morning is an ever-popular choice to start the day. Listeners continue to come to the station for an alternative space where solace, joy and passion abound. We are delighted to welcome 24,000 new listeners to RTÉ lyric fm over the last year to a place where life really does sound better.”

CEO & Programme Director, Kevin Branigan, said, “These latest figures are astounding for Nova and represent a seismic shift in radio listenership in Dublin. For the first time, we’ve passed out FM104, which was the number one radio station in Dublin for almost 25 years, in market share, as well as 98FM, Q102 and 2FM. It’s a ground-breaking result for us and represents a momentous shift in listenership patterns in the city”.

Speaking following the release of the figures, Beat’s CEO & Programme Director Gabrielle Cummins, says: “Whether you want to hear brand new music, the biggest Old School tracks or feel a part of the craic and catch up on the latest news or sport in the South East, 157,000 people know they can get all of this and more from Beat. We don’t take these market leading numbers for granted. We’re always striving to do better for our loyal audiences on air and our 850,000 followers online. We consistently review how we do what we do & explore alternative ways to attract new people to the brand.”

Station Director of Live 95, Joe Nash said “We are honoured to serve the people of the great City and County of Limerick and grateful that they continue to respond in such numbers to Live 95 and our mix of the best music, chat, sport and detailed focus on local life in Limerick. I want to thank the team on-the-air and behind the scenes at the radio station for their hard work and dedication to delivering a service that the listeners of Limerick engage with so much and thanks also to our loyal advertisers, for their really valued support.”

He continued “We are always celebrating Limerick at Live 95, from the sense of community we witness through our partnership with the brilliant ‘Limerick Going for Gold’ community challenge, coverage and participation in local charity events such as this year’s sleep out for Shine a Light, to the passion we bring to listeners from our continued sports coverage, not to mention our ‘Fuel Good Freebies’ station giveaway. Live 95 is continuing to cover key local events and reflect the views of our audience on a range of issues, on the air and across our social media platforms”.

iRadio CEO Mark Cunning: “I know it’s early, but it feels like the most wonderful time of the year. I’m delighted – We’ve seen a further increase in our share number in both book on book and year on year. Our reach numbers are solid in both daily and weekly. We continue to be the market leader in our key demographics across our 15 counties. It’s a cracker of day at iRadio!”

If we’ve missed your good news, or your rivals bad news, let us know! news@radiotoday.ie



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