Gareth O'Callaghan: The enduring magic of radio as RTÉ unveils new presenters and a new era

RTÉ’s new schedule prompts veteran broadcaster Gareth O'Callaghan to reflect on why radio remains a timeless, intimate companion woven into Irish daily life

The latest JNLR data shows that an estimated 3.48m people in Ireland — about two thirds of the population — tune into one radio station or another every weekday. Picture: iStock

IT’S BEEN quite a week of changes — our nation state gets a new president, and our national broadcaster rolls out a schedule of new presenters. New faces, new voices. Change, and all that comes with it, gives way to a poignant reminder of things past, and a sense of shift as we try to identify with the new landscape.

Last week’s changes on RTÉ Radio 1 remind me of how important the medium of radio is to so many people. Radio is woven into our daily lives and about 3.5m Irish people tune in every day — about two thirds of the population.