Today FM have recorded an increase in listeners despite new working from home habits.
The radio station’s boost in popularity was recorded in the latest JNLR figures, which were released today, with a weekly listenership of 877,000 from October 2019 to September 2020.
Dermot Whelan and Dave Moore’s mid-morning show Dermot & Dave received a record audience high of 183,000, a whopping increase of 19,000 listeners since last October.
The figures mean the show, which broadcasts weekdays from 9am to 12pm, is the most listened to show in that time slot on commercial radio.
The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, which airs weekday mornings from 7 to 9am, jumped to 179,000 listeners – an increase of 2,000 since last October’s report.
“I’m delighted so many people are choosing radio as their constant companion these past few months,” the popular presenter said of the figures.
“Live radio means we’re always there with you and you can take us with you wherever you go, which hasn’t been too far lately!
“The Breakfast show listeners have been great company for me too during all of this and I’m very grateful for that.”
Much-loved presenter Mairead Ronan reeled in over 100,000 listeners to her lunchtime show, after recently celebrating one year since she returned to the station.
Fergal D’Arcy saw an impressive increase of 22,000 more listeners to his afternoon show, with 125,000 people tuning in across the nation.
Matt Cooper’s The Last Word, which offered extensive COVID-19 coverage to his drivetime audience, had 152,000 people listening in – an increase of 4,000.
Pic: Brian McEvoy
Commenting on the station’s huge audience growth, Today FM’s Content Director Phil Manzor said: “If we are to take any positives from the last 9 months of this pandemic it’s that it reignited Irish people’s love of radio.
“At a time when so much was uncertain, people looked for company in their day. Yes, they wanted to be kept informed, but they also wanted to escape from COVID from time to time. That’s where Today FM came into its own.
“Our job was to find the balance between the serious and not so serious, give our audience a reason to laugh, provide a platform to share their stories.
“I’m delighted to see our audience continuing to grow and that’s testament to a line-up of presenters and shows who love what they do and always put the listener first.”
