RTÉ Radio 1’s 9am slot has taken a slight dip in its average ratings in the latest round of JNLR figures.
The most-recent book-on-book figures, which include the final six months of Ryan Tubridy at the station and the following six months which saw a rotating roster of hosts fill the seat, saw a decrease of 4,000 listeners tuning in.
Book-on-book is a comparison of the average listenership for programmes across the four previous quarters (three-month periods).
Year-on-year, the 9am slot is up by 12,000. It remains the second most-listened-to show in Ireland, tied with Brendan O’Connor on Sundays.
RTÉ Radio 1 remains the only Irish station with a weekly listenership of over 1 million.
Morning Ireland has grown by 23,000 listeners this book and remains Ireland’s number one radio show with 486,000 people choosing to start their day with RTÉ Radio 1.
Today with Claire Byrne is up 10,000 to 341,000, the News at One with Bryan Dobson is up 3,000 to 306,000 and Drivetime has gained 2,000 listeners to 221,000.
Playback is up 14,000 to 330,000 and The Business is up by 19,000 with 313,00 listeners.
Brendan O’Connor on Saturday is up 7,000 to 342,000 and Saturday with Colm Ó Mongáin is up 16,000 to 222,000.
The Irish-language show Beo ar Éigean, which is presented by Siún Ní Dhuinn, Áine Ní Bhreisleáin and Sinéad Ní Uallacháin, has an extra 4,000 tuning in since the last book.
Sunday Miscellany is up 13,000 to 308,000, Sunday with Miriam is up 20,000 to 292,000 and Brendan O’Connor on Sundays is also up 20,000 to 343,000. This Week is up 11,000 and Sunday Sport is up 19,000.
Over on 2FM, The Breakfast Show with Doireann, Donnacha and Carl also had a slight dip and is down 3,000 book-on-book to 146,000. However, year-on-year The Breakfast Show is up by 17,000 listeners.
Jennifer Zamparelli on 2FM and Tracy Clifford hold steady this book, while Drive It with The 2 Johnnies drops by 1,000.
At the weekend, Laura Fox on 2FM and Roz and Emma on 2FM are both up by 3,000 on Saturdays. On Sundays, Laura Fox is up by 1,000 and Roz and Emma have gained 4,000.
Commenting on the latest figures, Kevin Bakhurst, RTÉ Director-General, said: “The enduring value and relevance of public service media to people in Ireland is clear to see in these latest figures.
“Over two million adults tune into RTÉ’s radio services every week, and RTÉ Radio 1 remains the only station with a weekly reach of over one million people.
“It’s especially gratifying to see how more and more young people are connecting with 2FM, a vital element in RTÉ’s public service portfolio, with the service weekday reach up 1% year-on-year.
“The loyalty of lyric listeners, alongside the gains in weekday and weekend reach and share for Radio 1, are testament to the continuing connection between audiences and these essential public services.
“I’d like to thank our listeners, each one, for continuing to choose RTÉ’s radio services and our hard-working production teams and presenters for continuing to serve our audiences.”
Peter Woods, Head of RTÉ Radio 1, said: “This is obviously a very good book for Radio 1, up across weekdays and weekend programming.
“In the first place, I’d like to thank the listeners who continue to put their trust overwhelmingly in this station.
“There are also our presenters who are the very best, across all genres. Nobody should underestimate what it takes to front a programme and consistently perform, day after day.
“And there is – above all – the leadership and commitment our production teams provide every single day, which drives everything we do.
“All of our schedule is performing. Radio 1 has a particular commitment to Irish music and Irish artists, male and female. It is important to emphasise that this works.”
Dan Healy, Head of RTÉ Radio Strategy and RTÉ 2FM, said: “It is great that 2FM has consolidated audiences gained in the last survey.
“Listeners have been retained in general right across the daytime schedule. The new weekend schedule, which started this time last year, is going from strength to strength with Laura Fox and Roz and Emma on 2FM continuing to grow from survey to survey.
“2fm has always led the charge in promoting Irish-produced music to the front and centre and we are looking forward to the RTÉ Choice Music Prize on March 7, which will be hosted by Tracy Clifford and broadcast live on 2FM.”
Sinéad Wylde, Head of RTÉ lyric fm, said: “It’s very positive for the team at RTÉ lyric fm to see sustained growth and stability in our daytime programming.
“We are delighted to welcome our 22,000 additional listeners over the last year right across the weekly schedule: 6,000 on Niall Carroll’s Classical Daytime and 8,000 new listeners coming to Lorcan Murray’s Classic Drive. Marty in the Morning continues to attract 56,000 who start their day in the Marty Whelan way.
“Listeners continue to come to RTÉ lyric fm as a place to unwind from their busy lives and experience the unifying power of music on RTÉ lyric ‘Where Life Sounds Better’.”
