The Audio Landscape
Overall Audio
The Irish Audio Report 2024 reports that there is almost universal listening to audio content in Ireland with 97% of the adult population tuning into audio each week. Live radio continues to be the dominant form of listening – 90% tune into live radio on a weekly basis compared to 55% to on-demand, online audio.
In terms of daily listening patterns (defined as average ‘yesterday’ listening) overall, live radio is the number one choice among the population, by a significant margin. Indeed, it is the leading format across all age cohorts. Daily listening to live radio now stands at 78% compared to24% for music streaming, according to The Irish Audio Report 2024. However, for the younger 15-24-year-old cohort, on demand online audio accounts for 55% of their listening.
Irish people are digitally connected with significant levels of ownership of technology. This technology facilitates access to media content at home and on the go. The Irish Audio Report shows that smart phone ownership has reached a high of 92%. Unsurprisingly, almost all 15-24’s own a smart phone now whereas ownership levels are lowest among the older 65+ group (72.5%).Further empowering audiences on the move, we see that more than half of the population (55%) own Bluetooth enabled wireless headphones.
There has been considerable growth in ownership of Voice activated technology or smart speakers such as Alexa or Google Home. When this was first measured in 2018, just one in ten people owned a smart speaker. This now stands at 44% in 2024.
In-home is the most common location for listening to audio with 71% of respondents to The Irish Audio Report stating that they listen at home. In-car listening is the next most common location. More than two-in-five people (43%) listen in the car. More than one-in-ten respondents (11.2%)consume audio content while in work, school or college, and this is most prominent among those aged 15-24 (16.0%) while 8.3% listening on the go. You can find more details about the overall audio environment in Ireland by accessing The Irish Audio Report 2024.
Access The Irish Audio Report here Radio Centre Ireland - The 2024 Irish Audio Report provides comprehensive analysis of the Irish audio market
Irish Radio Broadcasters
RTÉ, the national semi state broadcaster operates 4 FM stations in Ireland, RTE Radio 1, 2FM, RTÉ Lyric FM and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. The independent sector operate 33 commercial FM stations in Ireland. All these stations are available on FM or on IP platforms such as pc,mobile phone, smart speakers and internet enabled car entertainment systems. Both RTÉ and the independent stations also broadcast a range of digital only radio stations.
The regulator Comreg has commissioned FáilteDAB to carry outa DAB+ trial in Dublin and surrounding areas for 12 months from April ’25 to April ‘26. Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) is designed for delivery of high-quality digital audio from terrestrial transmitters. DAB+ is distributed to listeners by means of transmitted signals n a similar way to the analogue FM service. DAB+ technology allows for a greater range of stations to be provided to the listener. Licensed radio operators will be allowed to participate in the trial.
Below are the list of all commercial stations in Ireland:
National stations
• RTÉ Radio1
• RTÉ 2FM
• RTÉ Raidióna Gaeltachta
• RTÉ lyricFM
• Today FM
• Newstalk
Regional stations
• Beat 102103 – Counties Carlow, Kilkenny,Waterford, Wexford and south Tipperary
• iRadio – Counties Cavan, Donegal, Galway, Kildare,Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo,Westmeath and north-east County Laois
• SPIN SouthWest – Counties Clare, Limerick, Kerry, north
Multi-city
• Ireland's Classic Hits Radio – Counties Clare, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Limerick, Meath and Wicklow
Local - Dublin
• 98FM
• FM104
• Q102
• Radio Nova
• SPIN 1038
• Sunshine106.8
Local - Cork
• C103
• Cork's96FM
• Red FM
Connacht
• Galway BayFM – west County Galway
• MidWestRadio – County Mayo
• OceanFM – County Sligo, north County Leitrimand south County Donegal
• ShannonsideFM - County Roscommon, south County Leitrim, east County Galway and north-westCounty Longford
Leinster (excluding Dublin)
• East CoastFM – County Wicklow
• KCLR96FM – Counties Carlow and Kilkenny
• Kfm – County Kildare
• LMFM –Counties Louth and Meath
• Midlands103 – Counties Laois, Offaly, Westmeathand south-east County Longford
• South EastRadio – County Wexford
Munster (excluding Cork)
• ClareFM – County Clare
• Live95 – County Limerick
• RadioKerry – County Kerry
• TippFM – County Tipperary
• WLRFM – County Waterford`
Ulster
• HighlandRadio – north County Donegal
• NorthernSound – Counties Cavan and Monaghan
Below is a list of the main radio groups in Ireland:
Radio Listenership
Click on the link below to access the latest JNLR listenership statistics.
