Market Overview

On the following pages you will find a description of the radio landscape in some 15 European countries offering a brief look into how different markets are developing and what opportunities radio offers across Europe.

In addition to these general market profiles, a restricted access area for egta members offers a more detailed overview of national advertising markets, major market players, legislative background, pricing policies etc. Though not exhaustive the extensive overview of figures is unique in Europe and represents the data used by radio professionals in the respective country.


Ireland

Radio proving resilient in economic crisis

As media investments continue to bear the brunt of the current economic crisis radio is proving to be resilient. Radio continues to be cost effective and is maintaining its position on media schedules.

Despite advances in technology and the sale of MP3’s Radio continues to be a much loved medium and Irish listeners continue to top the charts, listening to just over four hours of radio daily.

Following some consolidation in the market the major players are now Communicorp with four stations, UTV with three stations (and selling across a number of local stations) and also RTÉ Radio the state broadcaster with four stations (three commercial and one dedicated Irish language station). There are six national stations serving the country, four of which are RTÉ stations (one non commercial) and two of which are the commercial radio stations Today FM and Newstalk (Quasi National) both from Communicorp. Ireland now also has a suite of ‘Regional Stations’ such as Beat, iRadio and 4fm. The industry also has a new regulator since October 1st 2009, The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). Audience shares for RTÉ’s Radio 1 and 2FM are about 23 percent and 10 percent respectively, while Lyric FM accounts for 1.6 percent. Communicorp’s Today FM reaches an audience share of 9.9 percent. *Source JNLR/Ipsos mrbi 2009/4

DAB and New Media

Since the end of 09 RTÉ Radio have increased the availability of DAB Radio nationally making its four nationwide FM services and an additional seven exclusive digital radio services available to over half of the population in nine counties via the digital platform. By Christmas 09 radio fans in counties Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Offaly and Westmeath can enjoy an enhanced radio listening experience using new digital radio sets. The announcement comes as RTÉ celebrates the first anniversary of its launch of digital radio on 1 December 2008.

2009 was the year of the iPhone with that came the challenge for Radio Stations to make their output available through this new medium. Since the end of 2009 and into early 2010 RTÉ Radio have launched station specific iPhone Apps with listen live functions for RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ 2fm and also a combined App for RTÉ lyric fm and RTÉ Radio sales with dual programming and commercial functions, RTÉ Radio have also launched programme/output specific Apps for The Doc on One and RTÉ Radio News. As such new media develop; radio output will not change however how people access this output will evolve. RTÉ Radio along with the commercial stations in the market must continue to meet this challenge head on.

Radio proving resilient in economic crisis As media investments continue to bear the brunt of the current economic crisis radio is proving to be resilient. Radio continues to be cost effective and is maintaining its position on media schedules. Despite advances in technology and the sale of MP3’s Radio continues to be a much loved medium and Irish listeners continue to top the charts, listening to just over four hours of radio daily.

Following some consolidation in the market the major players are now Communicorp with four stations, UTV with three stations (and selling across a number of local stations) and also RTÉ Radio the state broadcaster with four stations (three commercial and one dedicated Irish language station). There are six national stations serving the country, four of which are RTÉ stations (one non commercial) and two of which are the commercial radio stations Today FM and Newstalk (Quasi National) both from Communicorp. Ireland now also has a suite of ‘Regional Stations’ such as Beat, iRadio and 4fm. The industry also has a new regulator since October 1st 2009, The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). Audience shares for RTÉ’s Radio 1 and 2FM are about 23 percent and 10 percent respectively, while Lyric FM accounts for 1.6 percent. Communicorp’s Today FM reaches an audience share of 9.9 percent. *Source JNLR/Ipsos mrbi 2009/4

Restriced accessMembers Only Section (Restricted Access)
This section contains more specific information on the market; including overviews of the market players, adspend, media mix, household equipment, pricing policies, seasonality indexes, legislation concerning advertising placement, as well as audience measurement technical factors.