RTE Radio 1 can take some small comfort in the latest listenership figures which show the schedule introduced last autumn seems to be attracting listeners and has given the station a small increase for the past six months.
The interim national listenership figures, issued yesterday by the Joint National Listenership Research, show RTE Radio reaching 36-per cent of the national audience, compared with 34 per cent for the previous six-month period. Local radio, on the other hand, shows a small decline from 54 per cent to 52 per cent. RTE overall reached 62 per cent of the audience, compared with 61 per cent last time.
The figures are for October to March, when radio listening is at its peak during the winter. MRBI, the polling company which conducts the research, uses a smaller sample than for year-long figures. Radio Ireland is not included in these figures - it was on air for only two weeks of the period under review.
Both the Independent Radio and Television Commission and RTE claimed victory. RTE's Director of Radio Programmes, Mr Kevin Healy, said the results showed RTE radio was strong at a time of great competition. In Dublin, Mr Healy said, Radio 1 and 2FM were the first and second choice of stations.
The IRTC said nationwide 52 per cent of listeners tune into local radio every day. The chief executive of the IRTC, Mr Michael O'Keeffe, said the report showed independent local radio stations were "clearly the preferred option for the Irish listening public."
In terms of regional breakdown, the independents have 59 per cent of listeners in Munster, 53 per cent in Connacht/Ulster, 36 per cent in Leinster (excluding Dublin), and 44 per cent in Dublin.
In Dublin 98 FM has made a small gain, though it is still behind FM 104.
Although the samples are small it would appear that on the national figures, Radio 1 seems to have improved its performance among the 20-to-34 age groups and held it among 35-to 44-year-olds, This will be welcomed by RTE given the new competition from Radio Ireland, which is specifically targeting this age group.
It has also improved its audience among women generally and housewives specifically.