Radio Reaches Across Generations, Connecting with Almost 900,000 Young Adults Every Weekday.

New JNLR figures show radio reaches almost 3.5 million adults every weekday, including 65% of 15–34-year-olds

In a world of endless media choices, radio connects with millions of people across every generation, every day.  The latest JNLR/Ipsos figures from September 2025 to October 2026 show that almost 3.5 million adults listen to radio on an average weekday, representing 78% of Ireland's adult population. Across the week, radio reaches an impressive 89% of adults.

One of the most compelling findings is the breadth of radio's audience. From younger listeners enjoying music, news and entertainment to main shoppers making every day purchasing decisions, radio connects with people across all age groups and demographics.

Radio's reach extends across generations

Almost 900,000 adults aged 15–34 listen to radio every weekday, representing 65% of this age group. Among 15–24-year-olds, a generation with more audio and entertainment options than ever before, radio reaches 412,000 listeners each weekday, or 59% of this age group.

Over 2.6 million main shoppers tune in every weekday, representing 80% of this group, while 76% of ABC1 adults listen each weekday.

Among adults aged 35 and over, radio reaches 83% every weekday, equivalent to 2.6 million listeners.

These figures demonstrate radio's ability to deliver both enormous scale and broad demographic coverage, making it one of the most powerful ways for advertisers to connect with consumers across Ireland.

A national medium with a powerful local connection

Radio's strength also lies in its ability to connect with communities. Over 2.2 million adults listen to local or regional radio every weekday, highlighting the importance of local voices, news, entertainment and information in people's lives.

This combination of national scale and local relevance gives radio a distinctive position in the Irish media landscape, connecting audiences with the people, places and stories that matter to them.

Traditional strength, evolving listening habits

While radio's reach remains exceptionally strong, the way people listen continues to evolve. Connected devices now account for 12% of all radio listening, rising to 19% among 15–34-year-olds. Smart speakers alone account for 8% of total radio listening.

Whether through a traditional radio, a smartphone or a smart speaker, radio continues to adapt to changing consumer behaviour while maintaining its place in people's everyday lives.

Ciarán Cunningham, CEO of Radiocentre Ireland, said:

"One of radio's greatest strengths is its ability to reach across generations. We often hear about how difficult it has become to reach younger audiences, yet almost 900,000 people aged 15–34 are listening to radio every weekday.

With 78% of all adults listening every weekday, including 83% of adults aged 35 and over, 80% of main shoppers and 76% of ABC1 adults, radio delivers exceptional reach across all age groups and demographics. Very few media can match that combination of scale and breadth of audience.

For advertisers, this reach is particularly important because attracting new customers is fundamental to brand growth. And we now have compelling evidence that audio not only delivers enormous audiences but also makes advertising more effective.

At our recent Sounding Out conference, Professor Mark Ritson presented international research showing that advertising campaigns incorporating audio were 22% more effective overall than campaigns without audio.

These findings reinforce why audio deserves greater investment from advertisers. At a time when audiences have more media choices than ever before, radio connects with people of all ages. That combination of enormous reach and advertising effectiveness makes radio an exceptionally powerful medium for brands looking to grow."

Key results from the latest JNLR/Ipsos survey include:

• 89% of all adults listen to radio every week.
• 78% of adults listen to radio on an average weekday, representing almost 3.5 million people.
• 65% of 15–34-year-olds listen each weekday, representing 891,000 listeners.
• 59% of 15–24-year-olds listen each weekday, representing 412,000 young listeners.
• 80% of main shoppers and 76% of ABC1 adults listen to radio each weekday.
• 84% of adults aged 35+ listen each weekday, representing 2.6 million people.
• Over 2.2 million adults listen to local or regional radio every weekday.
• 12% of all radio listening is through connected devices, rising to 18% among 15–34-year-olds.
• 8% of all radio listening is through a smart speaker, rising to 9.8% among 15–34s.