Independent Radio received a vote of confidence today with the publication of the listenership figures for 2000 which show a continued growth in the numbers tuning into independent stations each day.
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The
JNLR weekday listenership figures for 2000
revealed independent radio stations recorded a country-wide listenership of 55 per cent - an increase of one per cent on the previous year.
This compared to RTÉ Radio 1 which recorded a market share of 31 per cent, an increase of 1 per cent.
The national listenership for Today FM and 2FM remained constant at 14 per cent and 28 per cent respectively. Lyric FM saw a fall of one per cent in its national listenership to three per cent.
In a breakdown of local radio's figures, Highland Radio retained a dominant position in a reach and market share of 69 per cent and 65 per cent respectively.
Other stations with a significant increase in their market share during 2000 included Radio Kerry (62 per cent, +3); Radio Kilkenny (63 per cent, +1); Limerick Live 95FM (58 per cent, +4); Clare FM (58 per cent, +6); Shannonside/Northern Sound (48 per cent, +4); and Galway Bay FM (47 per cent, +4).
In Dublin the main station's listenership remained static or suffered a small decline, the JLNR figures revealed.
FM104 and 98FM each recorded a fall of three per during 2000 (24 per cent and 23 per cent respectively), while the listenership for RTÉ Radio 1 (35 per cent), 2FM (20 per cent) and Today FM (11 per cent) remained the same as last year.
Lite FM performed particularly well according to the JLNR report as it recorded a six-month listenership of 15 per cent.
In Cork, Cork 96FM/Country Sound remain the market leader with a market share of 59 per cent, down two per cent on last year.
RTÉ Radio 1's weekday listenership in Cork fell by two per cent last year to 26 per cent, while 2FM recorded a drop of three per cent to 26 per cent.
Today FM remained the same with 19 per cent of the listenership in 2000 and Lyric FM's market share increased by one percentage to four per cent.