Independent radio has continued to maintain its lead in the market over RTE, according to new audience figures.
Independent local radio stations and Today FM control 51 per cent of the market compared to 48 per cent for RTE stations Radio 1, 2FM and Lyric FM. The figure does not include Raidio na Gaeltachta.
The latest Joint National Listenership Research/MRBI figures published yesterday cover the year 2000 and show Radio 1 increased its listenership by 1 per cent but listenership to 2FM and Today FM remained the same.
RTE's director of radio, Ms Helen Shaw, described the performance of Lyric FM as disappointing. The classical music and arts station, which went on air in May 1999, lost 1 per cent of its listeners nationwide over the last year. However, it increased its listenership in Cork by the same amount.
Ms Shaw said, however, that figures for the last six months of 2000 would show the station's position was improving. She said RTE hadn't the resources to promote the station in the same way as independent stations such as Lite FM were promoted. Lite FM, which came on air seven months ago, has recorded a six-month listenership of 15 per cent compared to Lyric FM's 3 per cent.
Ms Shaw was very pleased with the performance of Radio 1: "Everybody would have said three years ago it would be such a battle to survive things like the end of the Gay Byrne morning radio show. So today there is a sense of quiet relief and quiet contentment and a sense that the hard work has paid off."
Morning Ireland gained 43,000 listeners over the past year, while there were gains of 18,000 listeners for Marian Finucane, 11,000 for Today with Pat Kenny and 58,000 for Liveline.
Five Seven Live now has 73,000 more listeners than the Last Word with Eamon Dunphy on Today FM, which attracts 146,000 listeners daily. However, the audience for the RTE evening current affairs programme has increased by 27,000 over the past 12 months, compared to a growth of 4,000 listeners for the Today FM programme over the same period.
On 2FM, Gerry Ryan also increased his listenership by 18,000.
The chief executive of Today FM, Mr Willie O'Reilly, said the radio market was growing and listenership to Today FM was continuing to grow in line with this trend. "This is a great vote of confidence in the programmes we produce and a tribute to the people who work on them."
The easy-listening Lite FM was the only station in Dublin to improve its position. Listenership to FM104 and 98FM fell by 3 per cent.
The most significant gains in the local radio sector were made by Shannonside/Northern Sound. At the other end of the scale LMFM lost 9 per cent of its share. Highland Radio in Donegal remains the most listened to local station in the State.