New research carried out by Ipsos B&A for Radiocentre Ireland shows that audio content, whether it is in the form of live or on-demand radio, music streaming or podcasting, is listened to by 97% of Irish adults or 4.2m people every week.
Details of “The Irish Audio Report” were presented at a webinar this week hosted by Radiocentre Ireland and presented by Karen Hall, Ipsos B&A, which carries out the research for the JNLR.
According to the research live radio continues to dominate, accounting for 76% of all audio listening. This is followed by music streaming with a 11.7% share while YouTube Music has a 5.9% share. Podcasts, meanwhile, have a 3.4% share of audio listening.
The research also shows that most listening to audio content happens in the home with seven-in-ten (71%) listening to audio at home on an average day. More than two-in-five people (43%) listen in the car on an average day and this has increased steadily since 2021 (+9% points), no doubt reflecting the post-Covid environment.
According to the research, in which 3,000 people participated in as part of the JNLR, live radio accounts for 46% of the total listening amongst the young 15- to 24-year-old age cohort. This is followed by music streaming services with a 31% share of listening. For this younger group, they also spend 12% of their listening time with YouTube Music and 3% of their time listening to podcasts, according to the research.
Audiences tend to listen to on-demand audio for shorter periods of time, the research noted. The opposite is true for radio – more people listen to radio and stay tuned in for longer, it found.
In terms of how audio listeners access content, the research shows that audiences are highly connected with 92% owning while 44% own smart speakers.
For people who use a music streaming service, 66% of them subscribe to a paid ad-free service while for YouTube Music listeners, 22% of them pay for the ad free service option, the research highlights.
Ciarán Cunningham, CEO Radiocentre Ireland said; “The Ipsos B&A Irish Audio Report 2024 allows people to really understand the dynamics of the Irish audio market. It is a single source of data that provides comprehensive analysis of the total audio market, revealing share of time spent listening to all forms of audio , be it live radio, streaming, YouTube Music and podcasts. It is an essential piece of research for all who want to understand how audio works in Ireland.”
To download a copy of the The Irish Audio Report click HERE
