RTÉ has suffered a substantial decline in its radio listenership figures as competition in the radio market, particularly in Dublin, intensifies, writes Emmet Oliver
The number of people listening to an RTÉ radio station (known as "listened yesterday") fell 5 per cent to 50 per cent in the period between October 2002 and March 2003.
The fall was one of the largest recorded in recent years for the State-owned broadcaster. The Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) figures were compiled by MRBI.
The figures, which surprised many staff in the station, occurred during a period when news and current affairs programmes focused heavily on events in Iraq. Despite this, RTÉ Radio One's "listened yesterday" figure was down 4 per cent nationally. The figures refer to adults 15 and upward.
Listened yesterday (sometimes known as "reach") refers to people listening to a station for even a brief period during the day.
It is not the same as market share which is not measured in these figures.
It is the first time in many years that RTÉ has fallen to the symbolic point of 50 per cent in terms of "listened yesterday" figures.
The director of RTÉ Radio, Mr Adrian Moynes, said three new stations - Country 106.8 FM, Spin FM and NewsTalk 106 - had all come on air during 2002 and there was consequently more choice, particularly in Dublin.
He said it was no surprise that listeners would sample some of the new stations and this would have a knock-on effect on RTÉ's figures.
However, he said the station remained happy with its programming and there were no plans to introduce major changes.
"RTÉ has always welcomed competition and continues to do so in the knowledge that increased choice means that listeners will sample more services. The Irish people are entitled to a choice in radio stations, at local, regional and national level."
He added: "During the past year, three new stations have opened and in such a volatile market RTÉ has done remarkably well to hold its listeners.
"Public service broadcasting must be assessed by measures of both quantity and quality; the JNLR figures give a very valuable measure of quantity, which constantly fluctuates, but let us not forget the quality."
In terms of individual stations nationally, RTÉ Radio One was down 4 per cent, 2 FM was down 1 per cent and Lyric FM was down 1 per cent.
In the younger age groups, the "listened yesterday" figures were particularly weak for RTÉ Radio One, with only 10 per cent of people between 15 and 34 listening to the station.
However, Mr Moynes said despite the competition and the advent of new entrants, 2 FM had increased by 2 per cent in Dublin from 16 per cent to 18 per cent.
The Dublin market is extremely competitive at present, with new entrants such as NewsTalk and Spin FM trying to attract new listeners.
While RTÉ stations were under pressure in the last six months, the two music-driven stations - 98 FM, owned by Mr Denis O'Brien, and FM 104, owned by Capital Radio Productions - made gains.