Local and regional radio showed another fall in listenership while national stations continued to reverse years of decline, according the latest Joint National Listnership Research figures.
Locals and regionals fell one per cent to 52 per cent for the quarter ending September 31 st. This is a fall of four per cent compared to 56 per cent for the full year ending 2006.
National radio stations showed a small improvement, up one per cent compared to the last quarter and an increase of five per cent to 56 per cent compared to the full year ending 2006.
Newstalk, which showed a one per cent increase in listenership this quarter to six per cent, was measured as a local station last year. This accounts for almost all of the swing away from local and regional station to national stations.
Listnership, or reach, measures the number of listeners to any station leading to a total figure in excess of 100 per cent because listeners tune in to more that one station. Market share measures 100 per cent listeners tuning in at a specific time.
The RTÉ stable of stations and Today FM showed little appreciable change. In the crucial 7am - 7pm slots, market share for Radio One was 21.2 per cent (+0.3); 2FM was 12.7 (-0.3); Lyric FM was unchanged at 1.7 per cent; while Today FM was up 0.1 to 12.5 per cent.
Local stations were down 0.8 per cent to 48 per cent.
Among the losers in this quarter's survey was Highland Radio in Co Donegal, which lost four per cent listenership to 60 per cent but remains the most popular station in the State in its catchment area.
Limerick's Live 95FM was one at 58 per cent and Radio Kerry was 3.9 to 47.5 per cent.
Dublin station FM104 remains the most popular in the capital and its breakfast show, the Strawberry Alarm Clockmaintained its poll position despite the high profile loss of its presenters, Colm Hayes and Jim-Jim to 2 FM.
FM104 managing director, Tim Fenn said with 93,000 listeners the show was "the most listened to breakfast show in Dublin".
RTE noted Colm and Jim-Jim's Breakfast Showwas up 11,000. There were also increase for Liveline, Today with Pat Kennyand a big jump for Derek Mooney's show on Radio One's afternoon schedule.
"All indications are that the strategic changes made in the weekday, afternoon schedules have taken root. Mooney has captured the largest actual increase for any national programme, adding 18,000 listeners and Drivetimeis Ireland's favourite show in this hotly contested slot", head of Radio One Ana Leddy said.
The Independent Broadcasters of Ireland said people were listening to local radio for longer periods of time and remained well ahead of RTÉ.