Waterland's WLR FM has gained 5,000 listeners over the past year and now has a daily reach of 45,000, according to the latest JNLR figures.
The station's weekly reach has grown to 66,000, its best result for three years, and its market share in the south-east region has held steady at 33.3%, demonstrating strong audience loyalty.
Every weekday programme on the WLR FM schedule saw an increase in listenership, highlighted by outstanding performances for Ollie Carroll and Dymphna Nugent on The Big Breakfast Blaa, John Keane on the Spin-Home, and John O’Shea on WLR Gold.
WLR made special mention of Damien Tiernan and Jennifer Long for their "exceptional results" for Déise Today and to Gemma Delaney for achieving WLR’s best lunchtime ratings in a decade.
The station's specialist speech programming at 6pm also experienced a surge in listenership, adding 1,000 new daily listeners, and the weekend shows of Sean Organ, Timmy Ryan, Maria McCann, and Andy McCloskey all made significant gains.
“These incredible results reaffirm the strength and relevance of radio in today’s media landscape. WLR FM remains a trusted and essential part of our community, delivering quality content, engaging discussions, and the best in music and entertainment," said Michael Byrne, CEO of WLR FM.
"This success is a credit to our dedicated team, both on and off the air, and most importantly, to our loyal listeners. Radio listening is at an all-time high, and we’re thrilled to be leading the way.”
WLR FM’s success in 2024 was driven by key events such as two major elections, exciting outside broadcasts, extensive sports coverage, multiple documentary series, and winning the prestigious IMRO Station of the Year Award.
The station’s renowned Christmas Appeal also played a pivotal role in strengthening community connection raising over €100,000 for St Vincent De Paul.
Nationally, the latest JNLR/Ipsos survey reveals that Irish radio is enjoying its highest audience ever at 3.4m.
“It is fantastic to see record audience numbers listening to Irish radio. Today’s figures are a great reminder that Irish radio is such a central part of people’s lives, with brilliant content being consumed by millions of listeners every single day," said Ciaran Cunningham, CEO of Radiocentre Ireland.
"Radio is where we hear our favourite songs first, laugh with our favourite presenters, and stay connected with what are the important stories of the day. It’s an exciting time for brands to harness the power of radio and speak to millions of listeners across broadcast and online platforms”.
Photo: The WLR FM team. (Pic: Supplied)
