The latest JNLR figures have been released, and RTÉ Radio 1’s Liveline has recorded a huge boost in listeners.
The show, hosted by Joe Duffy, hit headlines at the end of April when a huge debate about Normal People captured the nation on social media.
The Irish drama’s raunchy sex scenes caused uproar on the phone-in chat show, after it aired on RTÉ One.
Outraged callers said watching young people having sex felt wrong, and one shocked viewer compared the show to a “porno”.
Mary tuned in to Normal People last night and she thinks it was like “something you would expect to see in a porno movie”. #liveline@joeliveline pic.twitter.com/mMoJwtMEvw
— Liveline (@rteliveline) April 30, 2020
Joe Duffy later thanked Normal People’s author Sally Rooney for making him a “household name”, and admitted he was delighted by the reaction on social media.
Liveline’s boost in popularity was recorded in the latest JNLR figures, which were released today, as he jumped from 363,000 to 404,000 listeners this year.
Shows across RTÉ Radio 1 recorded a huge increase in listenership from October 2019 to September 2020.
Morning Ireland has gained 62,000 listeners, jumping from 429,000 to 491,000.
Meanwhile, Ryan Tubridy has gone up to 381,000 listeners, compared to last year’s figure of 334,000.
The popular Today slot, which went through a lot of change this year, went from 315,000 listeners to 369,000.
Sean O’Rourke stepped down from hosting the show back in May after announcing his retirement, and was temporarily replaced by seasoned broadcaster Sarah McInerney.
Months later, Claire Byrne was announced as Sean’s permanent replacement in August, and she’s been fronting the Today programme ever since.
Ray D’Arcy also saw an increase in listeners this year, jumping from 219,000 to 242,000, and RTÉ Radio 1’s Drivetime programme went from 211,000 to 265,000.
Sarah McInerney and Cormac Ó hEadhra were announced as the new hosts of Drivetime at the end of August, after Mary Wilson moved to Morning Ireland.
As for the weekends, Brendan O’Connor’s slot, previously fronted by the late Marian Finucane, has jumped from 343,000 listeners to 382,000.
Brendan took over Marian’s 11am – 1pm slot earlier this year, after she sadly passed away in January.
Miriam O’Callaghan also has a lot to celebrate today, as her Sunday slot on RTÉ Radio 1 has gone from 236,000 listeners to 318,000.
