Here we’re going to have a closer look at the individual National Stations in terms of their various programmes. We’ll also look at them through their quarter hours to see how they stack up against each other. All you have to do is click on the individual station tabs (if you have an appropriate browser) here to see the various programmes for seven to seven and their quarter hours comparisons for the last three years.
A slight word of caution before looking at these figures. In comparing this year to last, it has to be remembered that the sample size of the survey increased to reflect our changing population. In the 2011-3 survey, the estimated universe was 3.511m whereas the estimated universe in the latest survey (2012-3) is 3.608m and extra 97,000 listening people. This has a tendency to slightly confuse the comparisons at times. Stations may have the same
The overall figures for any station will only reflect the individual programmes they broadcast. Throughout the day stations will have different audience levels depending on what the population is doing and for some stations what the competition is at. As you can see for the chart below that looks at all adults listening to all radio, its ramps up very rapidly in the morning and then tails off as the day drifts by. Without going
There is always a big analysis (outside these four walls) on the individual programmes in the schedule and who’s doing what. The analysis is based on absolute numbers and, therefore, the comparison to last year might be thrown due to the change in the universe. In each analysis it comes down to who has the bragging rights – and that would be Morning Ireland which reaches 441,000 people every morning (or 12% or the population).
If the national picture is more or less static, then at least the Dublin figures adds a tinge of excitement into the mix. With thirteen stations vying for position, the competition is fairly intense. Like the national figures it’s dominated by RTE1 with a 28% reach, but that top slot is, every quarter, being chipped away at by FM104, who now stand at a 24% reach in the City. Whereas some years back the fight
Finally the Local listeners. Still on top by a country mile is Highland Radio followed by Mayo’s finest Midwest – the rest of the figures are fairly straightforward. It’s worth pointing out the leap that Galway Bay took gaining eight percentage points. Likewise Tipp FM gained 5 percentage points. Conversely KCLR dropped five points and Midlands dropped four.
Finally, a take on the demographics of the national listening. Below is a chart which looked at the demographics in a slightly different way. There’s enough analysis of the figures via the radio stations to make your eyes glaze over aka “we’re the fastest growing station in Ireland and we reach 12 people”. Below are “propensities” – they show a particular demographics leaning towards or away from a station above or beyond the national average.
The local stations are showing mixed results, but one that stands out is Galway Bay FM. Over the two surveys they have managed to increase their listenership by a staggering 33%. This is followed by East Coast and Tipp FM who both added 15% to their numbers. On the other end of the scale WLR FM dropped 15% and KCLR 96FM who dropped 12%. Nine increases and seven fallers in this year’s Local radio numbers.
Looking now at the individual radio programmes. With the change in the universes between the two annual surveys it makes the absolute figures a little bit redundant. One could rebase one of the years so that a status quo is maintained to a degree – but it’s not the “done thing” in survey reporting. This year the universe increased by 2.76%, so in order to ‘stand still’ you should be (theoretically) increasing by that in
The JNLR national radio listenership figures were released today. The first item to record is that whilst the increases in the absolute numbers of listeners for some stations look nothing short of meteoric, it would have to be tempered with some other numbers. The universe used suggests, like last time out, that the population has grown from 3,511,000 to 3,608,000. So while stations may have larger absolute listener numbers, their percentage reach may have stayed
Normally very little happens in the National scene and that follows through again this year. Radio listenership is up 56,000 and the gains can be attributed to a variety of sources. The National stations are up 46,000, the Regionals up 87,000 and the Locals up 52,000. Naturally there’s a lot of crossover there, but the sector is doing well. RTE’s woes continued with 2FM shedding even more listeners and is now down to 409,000 and
The Local listenership also suffered at the hands of the mathematicians when the national population estimates changes from 3,516,000 to 3,608,000. Station County 12-1 ‘000 12-1 % 11-1 ‘000 11-1 % +/- +/- Mid West Radio Mayo 63 61% 53 51% 10 10% Tipp FM Tipperary 60 48% 53 43% 7 5% South East Radio Wexford 44 39% 38 35% 6 4% Galway Bay FM Galway 81 41% 76 40% 5 1% Midlands 103FM Laois/Off/WM
Dublin radio listenership gained ever so slightly in the last 12 months rising by 19,000 people in the metropolis. But as a straight head count that’s encouraging, but in percentage terms it looks very different. The survey this quarter was altered slightly to reflect the population changes in the capital and the “estimated universe” aka theoretical survey population moved from 967,000 to 1,028,000 – a gain of 61,000 people (the census shows an 89,000 growth
Reach in ‘000 accross the day from 6:00am until 8:00pm {module JNLR 2011 V 2010}
On the issue comparisons and the JNLR, I am perhaps a lone voice on a particular topic- the comparisons. Every quarter the figures are issued and there is great emphasis placed on the falls and the gains. But they draw their data from two overlapping surveys. This means that the comparative surveys are using the exact same figures in both sets of data, which to my mind is hardly a comparison. Take a look at
National Listenership of any radio stations fell to 82%. Still it’s a bad figure being just shy of three million people listening every day, but it’s certainly going in the wrong direction. The rant on this part of the web is normally the spiralling decline of the newsprint business, surely this medium is not going in the same direction. The big talking point, again, is another decline in the listenership of 2FM. This survey see
Still dominating the capital is the National broadcaster RTE1 having pulled back 3% points on the same period last year. 2FM dipping into single digits in Dublin has to be worrying (again). Perhaps Montrose would allow the newly appointed Commercial Director, Willie O’Reilly, to look at 2FM for a week or two and come up with a plan. It strikes me that there is none currently and that the station is bouncing around from one
Briefly the locals. Highland is still the highest listened to local station reaching 65% of its franchise area, but still dropped 4% points year on year. Bolting into second this year, from forth, is Mid-West with an impressive 8% points increase. Equally impressive is the rise of Ocean FM who gained 9%. Galway bay and LM FM see the biggest declines Local 2011 2010 2009 11/10 11/09 Highland Radio 65 69 67 -4 -2
The local stations have varying penetration ranging from Highlands 67% to East Coasts 23%. But still in top spot is Highland with a fairly commanding lead. The only real movements were KCLR up 7 points and ocean up 6. On the other side of that coin TippFM was down 6 points and LMFM down 5. Station 2011 2010 +/- Highland Radio 67 69 -2 MWR 55 52 3 Shannonside 54 Radio Kerry 51 50
Dublin market whilst very crowded, it’s actually fairly static. In the list below there has only been two one changes in the order: 2FM down and Newstalk up. 2FM lost about a quarter of its listeners in the capital and is now firmly rooted, like Wolves last year, to the bottom of the table. Actually, things are so bad at the station (and no offence is intended here) that they are only 37,000 listeners
