'Drastic changes' needed in local radio stations to achieve gender and racial parity

Denise Chaila performing at Ed Sheehan concert at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Of the 18% of Irish artists who featured in Ireland's top 100 most played artists in 2021, only three songs were by female artists. No Irish entries in the top 100 were by artists of colour. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

“Drastic changes” are needed in local radio, a new report has found, identifying "staggering and shocking" gender and racial disparity when it comes to the most-played artists on Irish stations.

Data collected by the WhyNotHer? campaign found that the stations most successful in achieving gender parity were Spin 103.8, Spin South West, MidWest Radio, RTÉ Radio 1, and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, which reached 50:50 gender parity on air last year.