Radio Ratings Reveal Shifting Audiences: 2FM Faces Listener Decline, Pat Kenny Exits on a High
The latest Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) figures have dropped, painting a clear picture of the winners and losers in the Australian radio landscape. While some stations are celebrating growth, others are grappling with significant listener attrition. The data reveals a challenging period for RTE 2FM, with its flagship breakfast show experiencing a notable drop in audience numbers. Conversely, veteran broadcaster Pat Kenny is bowing out of Newstalk’s weekday schedule on a triumphant note, having attracted a surge of new listeners.
2FM Breakfast Suffers Significant Listener Loss
RTE 2FM’s breakfast program, hosted by Carl Mullan, Roz Purcell, and Aisling Bonner, has seen a substantial decline, with an estimated 10,000 listeners tuning out. This means the show now commands a daily audience of 121,000 listeners. This downturn extends across most of the station’s programming, with only Doireann Garrihy’s slot showing an increase. This particular show is currently being helmed by Demi Isaac and Mikey O’Reilly while Garrihy is on maternity leave.
Other notable shifts at 2FM include:
- Laura Fox’s show: Lost 5,000 listeners, now broadcasting to 120,000 daily.
- Tracy Clifford’s program: Experienced a drop of 6,000 listeners, with 105,000 tuning in.
- Doireann Garrihy’s maternity cover slot: Gained 1,000 listeners since October, bringing its total to 126,000. This unexpected increase highlights the audience’s engagement with the temporary hosts.
Pat Kenny’s Strong Farewell and Newstalk’s Mixed Fortunes
Newstalk, while experiencing an overall dip in listenership across its weekday schedule, has a cause for celebration in the departure of Pat Kenny. The esteemed broadcaster’s weekday show has attracted an additional 10,000 listeners, bringing his audience to 206,000 just as he transitions to a weekend slot. Kenny will now host his program on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to midday, marking a significant shift in his on-air presence.
However, the station’s other programs have faced challenges:
- Newstalk Breakfast: Lost 3,000 listeners, with a current audience of 158,000.
- Lunchtime with Andrea Gilligan: Saw 7,000 listeners tune out, leaving her with 109,000.
- Moncrieff: Experienced a decline of 5,000 listeners, now reaching 92,000.
- The Hard Shoulder: Maintains a strong following of 149,000 listeners.
RTE Radio One: Navigating the Schedule Changes
RTE Radio One appears to be successfully integrating its new schedule, with several programs reporting positive listener engagement. Despite a slight decrease of 4,000 listeners, “Morning Ireland” remains the most dominant program on Irish radio, captivating an audience of 467,000.
Key figures from RTE Radio One include:
- David McCullough’s new 9 am slot: Attracting 440,000 listeners each morning.
- Oliver Callan’s program: Commands a solid 308,000 listeners.
- News At One: Lost 5,000 listeners, now broadcasting to 279,000.
- Liveline with Kieran Cuddihy: Shows promising growth, gaining 1,000 listeners as the audience settles into his tenure. Cuddihy now reaches 280,000 listeners.
Kieran Cuddihy expressed his relief at the positive JNLR results, acknowledging the inherent anxiety surrounding listener figures. He stated, “We’re delighted to have gone up in the latest JNLRs but we accept that with all the change that has happened, it will probably be a year before you get the real picture of where everybody is at but even allowing for that, it is always nice to go up. I think it is a testament to all the hard work from everyone behind the scenes over the last few months. The team has been absolutely brilliant. How they have managed to get the new show up and running and everybody is delighted with it. There is just a sense of relief. I shouldn’t get anxious about things like JNLRs, but I always do, and I probably always will. Maybe I should know better at my age. In three months time I will be anxious again about the next JNLR, so it is nice to go up. Long may it continue.”
Further additions to the RTE Radio One schedule include:
- Louise Duffy’s 3 pm slot: Attracting 158,000 listeners.
- Drivetime: Reaches 218,000 listeners.
Lyric FM’s Marty Whelan Sees Significant Gains
In a notable success for Lyric FM, Marty Whelan has gained 4,000 listeners, bringing his daily audience to 77,000. Insiders consider this a significant triumph for the station, especially given the competitive breakfast radio landscape.
Marty Whelan shared his enthusiasm: “We’re over the moon because we are up against all the big hitters at breakfast obviously and there we sit. We giggle our way through it and play the songs and we’re just having a good time. I know that sounds simplistic, but it’s not. For me, it is a great feeling to have the station do as well as we should. This is a station that could’ve closed down at one stage. We are really flying it and we are loving it to bits. We’re only a tiny team, bringing in what we do every morning. To know that we have these numbers every week is a great feeling.”
Brendan O’Connor and Today FM Show Mixed Results
Brendan O’Connor is also celebrating a substantial increase in listeners. His Saturday show gained 10,000 new listeners, reaching 429,000, while his Sunday program attracted 418,000 listeners, despite a drop of 9,000. Miriam O’Callaghan’s Sunday show also saw positive growth, gaining 4,000 listeners to reach a total of 341,000.
Over at Today FM:
- Ian Dempsey: Gained 6,000 listeners, now with 224,000 tuning in.
- Dermot and Dave: Experienced a slight dip of 1,000 listeners, maintaining an audience of 203,000.
- Louise Cantillon: Welcomed 1,000 new listeners, bringing her total to 130,000.
- Ray Foley: Gained 3,000 listeners, now reaching 159,000.
- Matt Cooper: Remains steady, retaining his audience of 184,000 listeners from the previous quarter.
