Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
File image of RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst Alamy
Radio Gaga
RTÉ Radio 1 is still Ireland's most popular station, but it's down 50,000 listeners since 2025
When compared to last year’s figures, Radio 1 is down close to 50,000 listeners.
RTÉ RADIO 1 remains the most-listened-to station in the country but some of its popular shows have seen a decline, according to radio data published today.
The latest JNLR figures cover the 12-month period up to June of this year.
The JNLR survey is conducted among an annual sample of around 16,800 people aged 15 and over.
It uses the “one-day-aided” recall methodology, whereby the respondent recalls all their listening activity for the day prior.
RTÉ
All the top 10 most-listened-to radio shows in Ireland belong to RTÉ, while its stations also hold 16 of the top 20 programmes.
RTÉ Radio 1 remains Ireland’s biggest radio station, but it has seen a fall in its numbers in recent times.
The most recent JNLR figures covering the last 12 months up to June show it had a weekly average audience of 1.354 million.
That’s a slight dip of 2,000 since the previous figures in March, and a sizeable fall of about 49,000 since the 12-month period ending in June 2025, when it clocked up a weekly audience of 1.403 million.
Morning Ireland is still the most-listened-to programme with an audience of 457,000, up 5,000, but down 12,000 in the year.
Other shows on Radio 1 – while remaining popular – have seen a decline for a second survey in a row.
Today with David McCullagh has seen a slight drop of 1,000, down to 422,000.
In his new slot, however, Oliver Callan sees a more marked drop, down 11,000 to 285,000.
Liveline has dropped 14,000 to 254,000. Joe Duffy signed off from the show in 2025 with an audience of 299,000.
News at One is down 2,000 listeners when compared to the last survey, with an audience of 273,000, but down 25,000 when compared to last year’s audience of 298,000.
Drivetime with Katie Hannon and Colm Ó Mongáin meanwhile remains steady when compared to the last survey, on 211,000.
And while Brendan O’Connor remains popular, he too has seen declines.
His Saturday show has 400,000 listeners, down 14,000, while his Sunday show had an audience of 399,000, down 10,000.
Over on RTÉ 2FM, the newly extended 2FM Breakfast with Carl, Roz & Aisling has 175,000 listeners tuning in on weekday mornings, while some 86,000 tune in for 2FM Mornings with Doireann Garrihy/ Laura Fox.
Patricia Monahan, director of audio at RTÉ, said “these results are very encouraging and clearly indicate that our new schedules across RTÉ Radio 1 and 2FM are beginning to resonate with audiences”.
Meanwhile, Tara Campbell, head of RTÉ Radio 1, said there have been “solid performances for both Morning Ireland and Today with David Mc Cullagh, massively outperforming all of their competitors at this time of day”.
Newstalk
Newstalk is five months on from the most significant overhaul in the station’s history, and it said there has been a “strong audience response to the refreshed line-up”.
Its weekly audience is 855,000, up 9,000, while its daily audience is up 18,000 to 484,000.
The Claire Byrne Show now has an audience of 210,000, up 4,000, while the Hard Shoulder with Ciara Kelly and Shane Coleman remains steady on 153,000.
Anton Savage left his Saturday show on Newstalk in February to take over the breakfast show and has gained 10,000 listeners, with an audience of 168,000 – Newstalk said this is a record jump within the station for this time slot.
The Pat Kenny Show meanwhile achieved another Newstalk record, with his Saturday show becoming the most listened-to programme in the station’s history with an audience of 167,000, up 7,000.
His Sunday show has also added 3,000 listeners, to reach 122,000.
Today FM
Over on Today FM, the station now reaches a weekly audience of 974,000, a jump of 20,000 since the last survey.
Daily listeners have hit 524,000, up 4,000 since the last survey.
The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show has added 8,000 listeners to reach an audience of 240,000. This is the sixth survey in a row in which Dempsey has gained new listeners.
Matt Cooper’s The Last Word has also increased its audience slightly, up 3,000 to hit an audience of 195,000, the highest listening figures in over 15 years.
Dave Moore meanwhile has added 5,000 listeners to his show, with an audience of 211,000, while Louise Cantillon sees a slight dip of 1,000 to 134,000.
Alison Curtis meanwhile has added an impressed 8,000 to her Saturday show, an audience of 188,000, while her Sunday show has added 14,000 to reach 147,000.
‘Radio embedded in everyday life’
More locally, Red FM in Cork now has a market share of 21.2%, up 2.3%, with the Neil Prendeville showing pulling in an extra 10,000 listeners, with an audience of 83,000.
SIN 1038′s weekly reach is 253,000, with iRadio has a weekly audience of 336,000.
Radiocentre Ireland, which aims to promote radio stations, said the latest figures “underline radio’s remarkable place in the everyday lives of Irish people”.
Close to 3.5 million adults tune in on average weekday and Radiocentre Ireland said radio “remains one of Ireland’s most widely shared daily habits”.
Younger audiences also continue to listen in significant numbers.
Almost 900,000 15–34-year-olds listen to radio each weekday, representing 65% of that age group.
Among 15–24-year-olds, 59% tune (417,000) in on an average weekday.
Meanwhile, close to 2.3 million adults listen to a local or regional station every weekday.
CEO of Radiocentre Ireland, Ciarán Cunningham, remarked that it is “striking just how embedded radio remains in everyday life in Ireland”.
“At a time when audiences have an extraordinary amount of choice about what they watch, read and listen to, 78% of adults choosing to spend part of every weekday with radio is a remarkable level of engagement.”
have your say