Radio stations tune in after release of listenership figures

RADIO listenership figures for RTÉ Radio 1 remain unchanged at 26% while RTÉ 2FM recorded a two percentage point drop, according to the latest JNLR/TNS figures.

Interim radio listenership figures for the survey period, October 2004 to March 2005, show Today FM’s rating has increased by two points with RTÉ Lyric FM holding its own.

Cork 96FM/County Sound achieved a listened yesterday figure of 47% (-2) while Red FM recorded a reach of 15% (-2).

Galway Bay FM and WLR FM achieved figures of 50% (-2) and 47% (-7) respectively.

Limerick’s Live 95FM remained unchanged at 56% while Midlands 103 increased their listenership to 43% (+8).

In the South-East region BEAT 102-103FM achieved a figure of 18% (+1) for the period.

With regard to Dublin’s local stations FM104’s figure remained unchanged at 20%, while 98FM achieved a figure of 17% (-3). Q102’s and Newstalk’s figures remained unchanged at 12% and 5% respectively.

Spin 1038 recorded an increase of five percentage points to reach 10%, while Dublin’s Country 106.8 achieved a listened yesterday figure of 4% (+1).

Beat 102-103FM chief executive Kieran McGeary is delighted that more people in the area are making the switch to the station.

“We continually ask our listeners what they want and programme the radio station with our target audience in mind. This strategy is obviously paying off as these figures show that while stations like 2FM, Today FM and local station WLR FM have lost listeners compared to the same period 12 months ago, we’re increasing our audience all the time,” he said.

Some 62,000 people across Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow and Tipperary are tuning into Beat 102-103 on a daily basis.

SPIN 1038, Dublin’s young adult station has doubled its audience. “We are delighted to have remained the number one young adult station in Ireland,” said SPIN 1038 chief executive Tom Wright.