The provisions of the Westminster Media Act became effective early last month, and across the water the big Radio groups lost no time in moving to network their programmes, limiting local content to news, information and advertising.
Here, fully local remains dominant, attracting 58% of all radio listening hours, according to the latest RAJAR* research which has just been published, covering the last quarter of 2024.
In this the week of its 35th birthday, Cool FM holds the top spot in reach, with 471,000 listeners tuning in each week. The same period last year that figure was 538,000, with total hours now 3,397,000 compared to 4,155,000 and share at 10.8 from 14.3.
BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle leads on hours (5,609,000 from 4,927,000) and on share (17.9 from 17.0), but their reach has declined to 454,000 from 506,000 year on year.
Q Radio now has 335,000 listeners (was 351,000), with 2,423,000 hours (were 2,068,000) and a 7.7 share (was 7.1).
At Downtown reach has jumped from 259,000 to 309,000, and hours were up (3,240,000 from 2,259,000) as was share (10.3 from 7.8). Sister station Downtown Country, which will celebrate 10 years on air in April, receives an early birthday present of increased reach of 135,000 (was 105,000), hours at 1,301,000 (were 897,000) and share of 4.1 (was 3.1).
U105 was the choice of 204,000 weekly listeners (were 220,000) in its FM broadcast area, with 2,279,000 hours (were 1,866,000) and a 12.1 share (was 10.9), while in the station’s DAB-only zone there were 23,000 listeners (were 31,000) with 112,000 hours (were 211,000) and a 0.9 share (was 1.8).
Turning lastly to the hybrid stations, Greatest Hits Radio NI reached 69,000 listeners (compared with 82,000 a year ago) and Hits Radio NI 25,000 listeners.
Each station is quoted within its own Total Survey Area.
*RAJAR is compiled by Ipsos-MORI
Here, fully local remains dominant, attracting 58% of all radio listening hours, according to the latest RAJAR* research which has just been published, covering the last quarter of 2024.
In this the week of its 35th birthday, Cool FM holds the top spot in reach, with 471,000 listeners tuning in each week. The same period last year that figure was 538,000, with total hours now 3,397,000 compared to 4,155,000 and share at 10.8 from 14.3.
BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle leads on hours (5,609,000 from 4,927,000) and on share (17.9 from 17.0), but their reach has declined to 454,000 from 506,000 year on year.
Q Radio now has 335,000 listeners (was 351,000), with 2,423,000 hours (were 2,068,000) and a 7.7 share (was 7.1).
At Downtown reach has jumped from 259,000 to 309,000, and hours were up (3,240,000 from 2,259,000) as was share (10.3 from 7.8). Sister station Downtown Country, which will celebrate 10 years on air in April, receives an early birthday present of increased reach of 135,000 (was 105,000), hours at 1,301,000 (were 897,000) and share of 4.1 (was 3.1).
U105 was the choice of 204,000 weekly listeners (were 220,000) in its FM broadcast area, with 2,279,000 hours (were 1,866,000) and a 12.1 share (was 10.9), while in the station’s DAB-only zone there were 23,000 listeners (were 31,000) with 112,000 hours (were 211,000) and a 0.9 share (was 1.8).
Turning lastly to the hybrid stations, Greatest Hits Radio NI reached 69,000 listeners (compared with 82,000 a year ago) and Hits Radio NI 25,000 listeners.
Each station is quoted within its own Total Survey Area.
*RAJAR is compiled by Ipsos-MORI
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