Lyric FM, the Limerick-based classical music radio station, has reached a national daily audience of 103,000 as it celebrates its first anniversary on Monday.
The most recent Joint National Listenership Research figures show that about 4 per cent of the national audience tunes in, based on an average weekday listening reach. This compares favourably with Radio Ireland, Today FM's precursor, after its first year.
Lyric FM is stronger in Dublin, where 6 per cent or 52,000 of radio listeners tune in, followed by the rest of Leinster at 3 per cent, Munster at 2 per cent, and Connacht/Ulster at 2 per cent.
The figures, compiled from a survey of 3,304 people for the October-March period, show little change from the first set of figures compiled for the first eight months of the station's operation. The station has a strong appeal for the over-35s, with 5 per cent tuning in, and the high-income earner ABC1 bracket, with 8 per cent tuning in.
But advertisers are traditionally wary of new media launches, according to Mr Michael Bowles, managing director of Media Bureau, a media specialist company, although attractive discounts are offered if deals are done with Radio 1 and 2FM.
"I think the general consensus in the advertising industry is that it should be quite a successful station. Whether or not it is covering its costs is too early to say. I do not think the advertising support has been all that good, but that is to be expected," he said.
Locating in Limerick city centre at the heart of the new building in the Cornmarket area and away from RTE's Donnybrook headquarters gave the station a fresh start, the morning presenter, Tom Crann, said. He moved from Minnesota, in the US, to take up the job. "At the start, it had a real sense of individuality. Being in Limerick was part of that."
In addition to the links with the city's University Concert Hall and World Music Centre, he said the station has recorded the reactions of pupils of the local Salesian Secondary School to classical music selections. "I think the reactions of kids cut through the rhetoric and false reverence that people often have" for classical music.
He admits the challenge is to be a national station. Even if listeners do not know the output is broadcast from Limerick, it is important they do not assume it comes from Dublin. "Being a national station, you would not want to limit your scope to the city you are based in."
The station's launch has brought together a mix of Limerick natives, such as the former Prime Time presenter, Eamonn Lawlor, and former 2FM presenters, Lorcan Murray and Michael McNamara, who have returned to work with another 25 new migrants to the city.
Crann's distinctive American voice has to compete mainly against Radio 1's Morning Ireland, but he has found that some listeners appreciate having a choice which does not include news or politics or pop.
The station's stress-reducing qualities have been well documented, but lest the gridlocked commuter forgets where he is, he gets traffic bulletins and a news service from the station's own staff. Karl Hanlon, head of news, and formerly a journalist with the city's Evening Echo, says there is more of a focus on international news, environmental issues and "certainly anything to do with the arts". Lyric has attracted presenters who would refuse to carry out the same service in Dublin. "I am just not going to live in Dublin under any circumstances so, for me, this is an absolute godsend," said P.J. Curtis, who presents Reels to Raga, about traditional music from around the world.
But he feels the station could look towards the tradition of music in the region and promote it. "The place is alive with great young traditional music and young groups and this is what we are now looking at. We have the facilities to record here. We could do some nice live sessions."