RTÉ Radio 1 is on fire! With an incredible four shows surpassing the 400k listener mark, this station is dominating the airwaves. But here's where it gets controversial... while RTÉ Radio 1 soars, RTÉ 2FM takes a slight dip in these latest listenership figures.
RTÉ's radio services collectively hold an impressive 29% share of the national audience, with nearly two million loyal listeners tuning in weekly. And get this - RTÉ boasts an incredible 18 of the top 20 programs, with the entire top ten all their own!
RTÉ Radio 1's adult audience share has skyrocketed to 20.3%, with a weekly listenership increase of 12,000, reaching an impressive 1,388,000. Even the younger crowd is tuning in, with a growth in listeners aged 15 to 34, pushing their share up from 6.6% to 7.3%.
And this is the part most people miss... for the very first time, RTÉ Radio 1 has four flagship shows with over 400,000 listeners each!
Morning Ireland remains the undisputed champion, with 467,000 listeners, a slight dip from the previous book but still a solid year-on-year increase. Today with David McCullagh takes the number two spot, attracting 440,000 listeners during the 9 am to 11 am slot. Oliver Callan's daily show from 11 am to 1 pm also boasts an impressive 308,000 listeners.
News at One has 279,000 listeners, a slight decrease from the previous book, while Liveline, now hosted by Kieran Cuddihy, stands strong at 280,000.
The top four radio shows in Ireland with over 400k listeners are:
- Morning Ireland - 467,000
- Today with David McCullagh - 440,000
- Brendan O'Connor (Saturday) - 429,000
- Brendan O'Connor (Sunday) - 418,000
On weekends, Radio 1 continues to deliver, with Brendan O'Connor leading the charge. His Saturday show reaches an impressive 429,000 listeners, a significant year-on-year increase. Sundays with Brendan also perform well, attracting 418,000 listeners, a slight dip from the previous book but still a substantial YoY growth.
Other notable weekend shows include Sunday Miscellany with 338,000 listeners (up 79,000 YoY), Sunday with Miriam at 341,000 (up 37,000 YoY), The Business with 370,000 (up 42,000 YoY), and Playback with 349,000 (up 30,000 YoY).
Patricia Monahan, Director of Audio at RTÉ, emphasizes that the new Radio 1 schedule is all about catering to the audience's needs, and these figures prove just that. With four flagship shows attracting over 400,000 listeners each, it's clear that Radio 1 is the go-to choice for an increasing number of people.
RTÉ lyric fm, on the other hand, continues its steady ascent, now reaching 342,000 listeners weekly and increasing its share to an all-time high of 3.1%, up from 2.6% over the last 12 months. Marty in the Morning, hosted by Marty Whelan, has 77,000 listeners, a small but significant increase.
Marty Whelan expressed his delight at the latest figures, saying, "I'm absolutely over the moon. It's lovely news, because you just never know until it happens."
RTÉ 2FM, despite its small dip, still reaches an impressive 645,000 listeners weekly. 2FM Breakfast, Laura Fox, and Tracy Clifford all experience slight decreases in listenership, while Demi and Mikey's 2FM Drive show sees a small increase, with Demi broadcasting from the RTÉ Cork studios. Weekends on 2FM also see a mix of increases and decreases, with Katja Mia and Weekend Drive with Emma and Graham attracting solid listener numbers.
Dan Healy, Head of RTÉ 2FM, attributes the small dip in adult market share to the introduction of new elements to the schedule, but assures listeners that "great plans" are in store for 2026 to ensure 2FM continues to deliver for the 15 to 34 audience in Ireland.
So, what do you think? Is RTÉ Radio 1's success here to stay, or is this just a temporary trend? Will RTÉ 2FM bounce back, or is it time for a major shake-up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
