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Irish Independent

Radio ad revenue up 2pc this year

This was 2pc up on the same period last year, and driven by a strong performance by digital audio, which was up 4.1pc to €3.6m. This does not include income from global audio platforms such as Acast and Spotify. The calculations were done by Radiocentre Ireland based on information supplied by RTE and all 34 independent radio stations. The €79.4m earned between January and June included €61.3m in 'spot revenue', from radio commercials. This was up 3pc year on year. Branded content revenue – including sponsorships and partnerships – totalled €14.5m, and was down almost 3pc. The second quarter – April to June – was particularly strong, with revenues up 3.4pc. Industry sources say, however, that July and August are proving more challenging, and likely to show a decline from 2024 when the equivalent months featured the Olympics in France and the European Championships in Germany. 'The main drivers of sector revenue in the first half of 2025 were retail, utilities, motor and finance,' said Ciarán Cunningham, the chief executive of Radiocentre Ireland. 'There was also strong growth in the IT, gardening and agriculture, and pharmaceutical sectors.' He said that while full figures for total advertising are not available yet, the initial indications are that the radio sector is outperforming the broader media market. 'Despite challenging economic conditions, it is great to see continued growth in radio revenue, with advertisers large and small recognising its power and leveraging its incredible strengths: highly cost-effective, unmatched reach, trust-building capacity, and creative effectiveness,' Mr Cunningham added. 'Radio content continues to attract very strong audiences, with people tuning in whenever they want and wherever they are, through a range of devices including smart speakers, mobile phones, and FM at home or in the car.' Media analysts generally are reporting that the month of June was one of recovery, following a steep decline in consumer sentiment in April and May, which was fuelled by the uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump's announcement of swingeing tariffs on imports to America. 'Concerns over the cost-of-living have eased slightly, returning to levels seen prior to April 2025 when worries about Trump's tariffs first emerged,' according to a report on consumer sentiment in June by Core. 'However, half of the population still expresses concern over the cost-of-living in Ireland.'