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Radio continues to dominate Ireland’s audio landscape, according to the latest Joint National Listenership Research report by Ipsos, covering October 2024 to September 2025. The report shows 3.481 million people tune in daily — an increase of 59,000 listeners compared with the same period last year.
With 79% of adults listening every day and 74% of total audio time spent on live radio, the medium remains Ireland’s central pillar of audio consumption.
Daily listening habits remain strong
The report, published by RadioCentre Ireland, confirms the enduring popularity of radio. While daily reach has slipped slightly over the past decade — from 84% ten years ago to 79% today — the change reflects diversification in audio habits rather than a decline in engagement.
Irish adults now spend just over four hours a day listening to live radio. Among 15- to 34-year-olds, daily listening averages around three hours. Local and regional stations continue to play a crucial role, drawing more than 2.3 million adults each day.
Radio’s cross-demographic strength also stands out: 79% of adults, 75% of 20- to 44-year-olds and 62% of 15- to 24-year-olds listen daily. That youngest group still represents 428,000 regular listeners. Weekly figures are even higher — 90% of adults and 85% of 15- to 34-year-olds listen to radio at least once a week, a reach few other media can match.
Across the country, listenership remains strong: 74% of Dublin residents listen daily, 78% in the rest of Leinster, and 84% in both Munster and Connacht-Ulster — evidence of radio’s deep local roots and trusted position in Irish life.
Connected listening grows
Listening platforms are shifting, with 12% of total radio consumption now via connected devices. Smart speakers account for 8%, and mobile phones 3%. Among 15- to 34-year-olds, digital usage is even higher: 18% of their total radio listening comes from connected devices, split between 8% via smart speakers and 7% on mobile.
The “Irish Audio Report,” published this month, further highlights radio’s dominance within Ireland’s broader audio ecosystem. It finds 96% of adults listen to audio content each week, with live radio commanding 74% of total listening time — well ahead of music streaming (13.5%), YouTube Music (6%) and podcasts (3.5%). When excluding paid or ad-free platforms, radio’s share of commercial audio listening rises to 87%.
You can read the JNLR report covering the period from October 2024 to September 2025 for Ireland here.
This article originally appeared in our French sister publication, La Lettre Pro
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