Radio – Urban Media https://www.urbanmedia.ie Bring Your Message to New Urban Audiences with Our Market Leading Radio Brands and Brilliant Content Creators Tue, 18 Feb 2025 14:58:33 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.10 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/cropped-site-icon-32x32.png Radio – Urban Media https://www.urbanmedia.ie 32 32 110549666 Station Focus: Galway Bay FM https://www.urbanmedia.ie/station-focus-galway-bay-fm/ Mon, 17 Feb 2025 12:11:15 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=6309 Read more…]]>

During Storm Eowyn, Galway Bay FM proved the irreplaceable value of local radio, keeping the community informed through every power outage, road closure, and emergency update—even after losing their own broadcast mast ! Even in the face of diversity they continued to deliver entertainment and promotions as well as providing much needed funds for their charity partners.

When Storm Eowyn wreaked havoc across Galway, Galway Bay FM stood strong, delivering vital updates to keep the community informed. From power outages to downed trees, road closures, school and post office closures, storm damage, and water shortages, Galway Bay FM were dedicated to keeping listeners in the loop during this chaotic time.

Despite the storm cutting the radio mast at Sandy Road in half and briefly taking us off-air, the Galway Bay FM team rose to the challenge. A true team effort between the newsroom, reception staff, and on-air staff ensured the updates kept flowing. 

John Morley, host of “Galway Talks” current affairs show on Galway Bay FM, became a vital source of accurate and timely information on the savage effects of storm Eowyn for other media outlets such as the BBC. 

The commitment to a multiplatform approach was key. They shifted gears to keep listeners informed through our social media channels, website, and live streams, ensuring no one missed critical updates during the storm. Many people drove long distances to purchase battery radios so they could get the ever-changing information being broadcast by Galway Bay fm, describing it as the only place they could get these vital updates. 

This storm proved that, no matter the challenges, local radio remains at the heart of the community—ready to inform, support, and weather the storm together. Lets not forget their commitment to providing entertainment and exceptional promotions with our partner clients as well as providing much needed funds for our charity partners.

Below are some of the out of spot highlights over the last couple of months.

Galway Bay FM Christmas Charity Challenge

The Galway Bay FM Christmas Charity Challenge saw 4 Galway Bay FM presenters’ pair with local charities to take on a series of challenges as suggested by listeners… but all was not as it seemed as each of the challenges had a “fun” twist.

The GBFM Christmas Charity Challenge was a huge success. Christmas is a time of giving but with so many demands on people’s budgets it’s easy to get lost in the noise. This cross-platform campaign delivered key messaging across our website, social channels and on-air and helped raise awareness (and funds) for our four charity partners; NCBRI, Galway SPCA, Cafe Link and Galway Hope Space. 

You can watch more here on Galway Bay FM’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDw_1UqMswD/?igsh=bWY4c3RxbXRrYTRq

From the initial listener suggestions and charity shoutouts to the slick videos on social and the hilarious on-air debriefs after the challenges were completed and the twists were revealed, the presenters’ energy was infectious and delivered a fun, engaging promotion.

Circle K “Kits for Clubs” Deliveries

The Circle K “Kits for Clubs” campaign was an absolute GOAL, scoring big with local clubs across the city and county! Like a last-minute hat trick, receiving this amazing prize brought pure joy to the kids in the three winning clubs—Tuam Celtic FC, Colga FC, and West United FC. Described by their coaches as total game-changers, the kits were exactly what the teams needed to shine.

Though the entry from the clubs had a slow start, it picked up serious momentum, with over 3,500 votes pouring in by the closing date. Delivering the kits during training sessions was unforgettable—the buzz among the kids was electric! They were thrilled to gear up and take their game to the next level. Proud parents and supporters took to social media with posts showing off the new kits and sharing how they’ve made a difference for their teams.

In the end, this campaign wasn’t just about providing kids with new gear—it was about honoring the incredible volunteers who dedicate their time to give kids the chance to participate in sports, celebrating teamwork, and showcasing that local is powerful. 

Watch here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFxxKmcMFuk/?igsh=OW5za2RsYXQwNDAx

 

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In The News: Kathryn Thomas wakes up Dublin with new Q102 Morning Show!  https://www.urbanmedia.ie/in-the-news-kathryn-thomas-wakes-up-dublin-with-new-q102-morning-show/ Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:53:16 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=6317 Read more…]]>

The Morning Show with Kathryn Thomas on Dublin’s Q102, sponsored by Kildare Village, promises a feel-good start to the day with lively chats and fun features like Breakie’s Got Talent. Airing weekdays from 7am to 10am, the show sets the tone for Dublin mornings before handing over to The Ryan Tubridy Show at 10am, as part of Q102’s exciting rebrand.

The ultimate feel good way to start your day, listeners can look forward to a bright and energetic morning full of fun, surprises and plenty of laughs along the way. Kathryn Thomas will keep listeners up to date with all the latest news, covering stories that matter to Dubliners, along with weather and travel. All this is paired with feel good music that is guaranteed to brighten your morning, no matter what the weather! Fun features will be introduced like ‘Breakie’s Got Talent’, where children across Dublin can share their amazing talents on air and win big prizes weekly. There’s something for everyone to enjoy as Kathryn wakes Dublin up and brightens their day!

 

 

Broadcasting from Q102’s brand new visualised studios in Dublin, Kathryn will helm breakfast on Dublin’s Q102, handing over to The Ryan Tubridy Show in association with Hyundai from 10am to 1pm, followed by Feel Good Afternoons with Liam Coburn from 1pm to 6.20pm. 

 

Speaking about her new breakfast show, Kathryn said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Dublin’s Q102 and can’t wait to wake Dublin up every morning! We’ve been working hard over the last few weeks coming up with lots of ideas and building a show that I think Dubliners will truly love. As well as loads of brilliant tunes, there’s going to be plenty of fun, games and surprises to keep everyone entertained. Naturally it will evolve as I find my feet. It’s a big challenge but I’m relishing it. I’ve also been practicing the early morning starts and so far, I haven’t slept through my alarm clock once – so long may that last. The support from everyone at Dublin’s Q102 and the warm well-wishes from all over Dublin have been amazing. I’m so excited to get started!”

Maura Ashe, Managing Partner at UM “We at UM, in partnership with Kildare Village, are thrilled to sponsor the brand-new Q102 Breakfast Show with Kathryn Thomas. Kathryn’s style, energy, and connection with Dublin audiences make her the perfect fit for this partnership. We’re excited to engage with fashion-forward listeners each morning, bringing the world of luxury shopping to life in a fresh and engaging way.”
Damien Halpin, Account Director, urbanmedia  “Q102 and urbanmedia are very excited to partner with Kildare Village as they sponsor our brand new breakfast show “The Morning Show with Kathryn Thomas on Dublin’s Q102″. With Q102’s rebrand, Kathryns energy and enthusiasm for fashion, the array of homegrown and International boutiques at Kildare Village made them the obvious choice in our eyes to partner with Kathryn new show”

Kathryn Thomas is one of Ireland’s best known and well-loved broadcasters, hosting hugely popular TV shows for RTÉ such as ‘No Place Like Home’ ‘My Body Fix’, ‘Operation Transformation’ and ‘The Voice of Ireland’. Kathryn currently co-hosts ‘The Rose of Tralee’ and, of course, began her journey as a globe-trotter and adventure lover on the much loved TV series ‘No Frontiers’. She also has a wealth of radio presenting experience, having worked on RTÉ Radio 1 over the years. More recently, Kathryn combined her passion for travel and well-being to set up her own business Pure Results, where she runs fitness and wellness retreats in Ireland and abroad.

 

The new schedule for Dublin’s Q102 – Weekdays:

7am – 10am       The Morning Show with Kathryn Thomas sponsored by Kildare Village

10am – 1pm       The Ryan Tubridy Show in association with Hyundai 

1pm – 6.20pm       Feel Good Afternoons with Liam Coburn sponsored by Mooney’s Hyundai

6.20pm – 7pm       Dublin Today with Elizabeth Hearst

7pm – 12am   Feel Good Evenings 

About Kildare Village: 

Discover Kildare Village, home to more than 100 fashion and lifestyle brands offering spectacular savings all year round. Set in the beating heart of horse-racing country, the Village is located just an hour south of Dublin. A bastion of Irish talent, Kildare Village strikes a balance between regional charm and an artful spread of homegrown and international brands. 

 

Services include a Concierge, complimentary parking & complimentary Hands-free Shopping and Personal Shopping. With a range of restaurants and cafés in the Village, guests can unwind and enjoy the celebrated Irish hospitality. Learn more about Kildare Village, part of The Bicester Collection, at KildareVillage.com. To enjoy a tailored personal shopping experience, lasting approximately 90 minutes, simply email PersonalShopping@KildareVillage.com 

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What An Ad: Want to Hear a Radio Ad Purposefully Made to be Annoying?  https://www.urbanmedia.ie/what-an-ad-want-to-hear-a-radio-purposefully-made-to-be-annoying/ Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:32:00 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=6323 Read more…]]> Want to hear a radio ad purposefully made to be annoying? 

 

 

urbanmedia’s Content Editor, Kinga Piotrowska, explains why Greenpeace’s “Repeaters” radio ad was so impactful and how it effectively used the power of audio in raising awareness. 

 

We hear and see so many campaigns about climate change, that we can often drown them out without even realising. This is why I loved this campaign by Greenpeace. It’s different – and a bit annoying (in a good way)

 

We all know that once you hear an irritating song, it usually gets stuck in your head for days. Well,  this ad tried to play on the same kind of nerve. 

 

In September 2020, Greenpeace launched a striking radio campaign titled “Repeaters”, designed to raise awareness about plastic waste and its long-lasting environmental impact

 

With the pandemic fueling an increase in single-use plastic consumption, the campaign targeted an urgent issue: the sheer length of time it takes for common plastic items, like straws and plastic cups, to break down in nature. 

 

The “Repeaters” campaign stands out for its effective use of the audio medium.

 

By leveraging the strengths of sound, the ads communicated the devastating persistence of plastic waste in a way that visuals alone could not have achieved, and that’s why I think this radio campaign is both powerful and memorable

 

The key strength of audio is its ability to evoke emotions and engage listeners on a deeper level.

 

In this particular  campaign, the sound of a plastic straw or cup being used creates an immediate connection with the listener, bringing to life an everyday object that many people use without thinking about its environmental impact. 

 

The sounds of these items—whether it’s the slurp of a straw or the crinkle of a plastic cup—are familiar and relatable, yet the accompanying message about how long these items take to decompose in nature provides a sharp contrast. The mundane sounds with the grim reality of their environmental toll makes the message hit home much harder. 

 

One of the standout features of the “Repeaters” campaign is its simplicity. The radio spots do not overwhelm listeners with complex facts or environmental jargon. Instead, they focus on a single, clear message: plastic waste takes centuries to break down. 

 

This approach makes it easy for listeners to understand the scale of the issue, even if they have little prior knowledge of environmental concerns. The radio format allows for concise messaging that sticks with the audience long after the ad has finished playing. 

 

It’s also a clever reflection of the way repetition is used in the ads to reinforce the key message. This repetition makes the information more memorable and encourages listeners to reflect on their own consumption habits.

 

Through engaging sound design, clear communication, and clever use of repetition, the campaign successfully raises awareness about the long-lasting impact of plastic waste.

Have a listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsRXPd6efjA

By resonating with listeners on an emotional level, it compels them to reconsider their everyday actions and take responsibility for the environment.

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“Hey, I can’t find nothing on the radio, Ah, yo turn to that station” – “Radio Song”- REM https://www.urbanmedia.ie/hey-i-cant-find-nothing-on-the-radio/ Fri, 26 Aug 2022 16:14:29 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=5651 Read more…]]> After a COVID induced break I recently got to return to one of my favourite parts of the world, Fort Myers Beach, FL.

Once we’d picked up the rental car at RSW airport job number one was to find a radio station to suit the touring party – two mid forties parents and two music loving kids aged 9 and 5. Despite the temptation of SIRIUS XM which came with the car we stuck to FM and landed on South West Florida’s Y100.1, part of the iHeart stable promising a diet of 90’s to Now. A largely networked station, as you tend to see in this part of the USA, the presentation roster included Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, Wendy Wild and Toby Knapp. The station promos ensure a local feel with regular mentions of Fort Myers, Naples and Port Charlotte as well as reminding us they were playing the best music for South West Florida.

Let’s start with the music – there was a staple diet of Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and, after a recent Stranger Things inspired resurgence, Kate Bush. They all rotated on a very regular play clock. In between and slightly less regularly you had Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, SIA, Ava Max and Latto with a couple of classics thrown in from Fall Out Boy, Kelly Clarkson, One Republic and even Adele, who kinda ruined the buzz according to the 9-year-old. What it led to was plenty of sing-along moments, with a rousing rendition of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good for You” from the back of the car being a holiday highlight. The overall synopsis was we were dealing with a well tested station who knew how to deliver what their audience wanted to hear. They also knew how long they listened for so they were willing to give them the hits on a regular basis, with a double dose of Harry Styles or Justin Bieber in an hour being a regular occurrence.

Other interesting programming notes included a mass dislike of a sketch on breakfast going on too long. “Just play a song” came from the back to full agreement as a feature of reading “rap lyrics” in a white DJ voice lost its entertainment value as it meandered well past 5 minutes on the clock (it felt even longer). Over 3 weeks this was the one potential “turn the dial” moment. I should add there were some very clever sketches on breakfast particularly around prank calls which we often caught on repeat in the late afternoon. The only challenge on these was the occasional need to reach for the mute button around some spicy language.

You always look to your own area and what really stood out in the advertising breaks were a couple of key themes –

The clever use of jingles and distinct voices

By week two the kids could sing 3 jingles from start to finish – “Zoom Tan Nine Ninety Nine”, “Gotta Get to Galliano” and DuckDuckGo who cleverly adapted “Every Breath you Take” by the Police to remind us that Google or Facebook are watching every click we make. Another good example was Bounty bringing Kelis’s “Milkshake” into their kitchen towel advert and no doubt attracting a whole new audience.

A regular advertiser Morgan and Morgan – a law firm “for the people” were brave enough to create their own rap which was distinctly different from their standard brand ads. The tone and positioning (evening/ weekends around specific shows) showed they were clearly targeting a different audience segment, one that the middle aged white lawyer VO in their traditional brand ads was not going to reach.

And what about the young lady with the, almost caricature New York accent, who shared the delights of what Kia of Cape Coral had to offer or Big Al from Stevie Tomato’s Sports Page, both instantly recognisable, even to newcomers.

The power of repetition

In the quest for optimum planning it feels like we’ve forgotten the benefit of repetition on radio to deliver a call to action. The kids asked if they could go to Kia of Cape Coral on Sunday – Why? Because the aforementioned young lady had told them repeatedly that there was a back to school special event in which there were 350 fully loaded school backpacks to be given out on a first come first served basis. Know your audience, give them what they want and make sure they know about it – it’s simple, right? The repetitiveness and distinct voice also told us if we took home over 350 dollars a week we could have $25,000 in credit instantly to buy a new Sportage. It also told us we could buy a new car for just a dime down. If I’m in the market for a car I know all I need to know before I even get there, meaning a lot of the selling is already done. Get the backpack, buy the car and off home you go.

Alternatively, seen as you’ve only spent a dime, you could take the family to Stevie Tomato’s Sports Page. They’ve got specials on Pizza (except Deep Dish) Pasta (I wish I could say it like Big Al does) and what about those ‘fall off the bone ribs!!’ All this and a promise that you’ll “Come for the food and stay for the sports.” I could probably also reel off the locations but instead I’ll post the question “How many adverts in this market can you remember so many details from?”

Promotions don’t seem to differ too much around the world and the station promotion revolved around the trip to the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Vegas. A nice prize with a fully paid trip, flights from wherever you are in the US, accommodation, spending money to gamble away or take in a show and a great live gig to showcase the best of your favourite station. Simple, desirable, effective and easy to be consistent across the network.

With some concerns around the addressability of smart speakers over here, it was interesting to note iHeart’s digital listening strategy continues to push people towards these devices. Regular promo’s pointed people in the direction of the smart speaker skills they had in place and with over 91 million such devices in the USA it’s understandable why. For reference that number is roughly twice what it was in 2018. They also regularly cross promote iHeart podcasts across the network on high rotation. These included ones around Love with 2 ex-Love Islanders, the LGBTQ+ community and Bedrock USA about political extremism and small town life, something that felt more prevalent this time than during any previous visits Stateside.

Five days after returning, we were again all in the car and the kids unprompted sparked up a conversation about how much they miss the radio in America. That’s something that gives me great hope as we challenge ourselves to remain relevant to the younger generations in this market. Along with the pool and the waterparks and the crazy golf, the radio was a highlight of their holiday, something to miss.

The great news is kids that you can have radio right here, maybe we just need to work a little harder to make it as memorable for you.

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Context and Content https://www.urbanmedia.ie/context-and-content/ Thu, 04 Nov 2021 12:37:34 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=5535 It’s clear from the research that different types of audio play different roles in people’s lives and those roles can be quite clearly defined.

Radio’s role is around keeping people informed and entertained – a role it has played throughout the pandemic, something we discussed in the introduction to the event. The President of Ireland chose to use local radio to deliver his COVID message to the public at the start of the pandemic as he knew he’d reach a vast and engaged audience allowing his message to inform the public. Radio also provided entertainment and distraction as COVID fatigue became an issue, especially while people were in isolation. The high level of listeners who consider radio presenters their friends attests to this, as does the numerous stories station presenters told of listeners engaging with them and telling them the important role they were playing in getting them through this tough time.

When it comes to podcasts the role is more around education and finding out more about certain subjects and taking a deeper dive into areas of interest. FM104 presenter Emma Nolan described her own podcast as a deep meaningful chat around music, something she’s passionate about. She described it as that chat you have with a friend late at night, about music and how it makes you feel. It’s not a conversation that would work on a daily radio show but it is a valuable addition to the audio sphere.

Lastly streamed music tends to be more mood driven and therefore seems to have replaced the music listening that previously took place on MP3, CD, cassette or vinyl. Listeners use streamed music to improve their mood or to help them relax and unwind. It’s also used to motivate while exercising and music always performs strongly when it comes to nostalgia – hence the popularity of those 80’s streams like Q102 80’s.

 

 

 

Lastly, let’s look at what people are doing when they’re listening.

53% of people are most likely to listen to the radio while driving or commuting. 45% like to listen while cooking or cleaning and 36% use the radio to relax.

42% of people are most likely to be relaxing when listening to podcasts, with 37% enjoying a walk with a podcast while 33% listen while cooking or cleaning.

Cooking and cleaning are the most popular activities when listening to music with 50% of people surveyed saying they did this. 47% like to listen to music while relaxing while 45% like to listen on their commute.

 

 

Source: Sound Affects 2 (2021)

 

If you’d like further information on how your brand can join the party please say hello@urbanmedia.ie.

Bringing your message to new urban audiences.

 

urbanmedia is now on Instagram, follow us @urbanmediairl.

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Trust is Critical https://www.urbanmedia.ie/trust-is-critical/ Mon, 01 Nov 2021 15:52:11 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=5525 Another key theme to come out of Sound Affects 2 was that trust is critical when it comes to why audio is so popular.

It’s clear that audio builds close relationships with its listeners and that trust plays a key part in those relationships.

In the survey 60% of those interviewed said radio is a trusted source of COVID-19 information. During the presentation of the research the government COVID spend on radio was cited as a great example of the power of radio. During the period of March to August 2020 the government spent 49% of their marketing budget on radio campaigns to get the key messages out to the general public. This strategy led to Ireland being voted number one in the world when it came to effective covid communication during that period.

 

 

A key element of that trust appears to be the relationship with the presenter. A third of respondents said that they felt like radio presenters are their friends with nearly half of them saying that they would be sad if a radio presenter left a show they liked. 29% also felt like podcast presenters were their friends showing that trust also plays a big part in that genre. There’s genuine relationships built between listener and presenter with FM104 presenter Emma Nolan sharing her own story of how sad she was as a teenager when hearing about her favourite presenter leaving a show. This has helped her develop her own relationship with her own audience. 

 

 

Another interesting finding was that 68% of people say they have recommended a piece of audio they have heard to a family or friend. The most popular recommendation is a song but there were also recommendations for individual pieces of content, humorous pieces, news and current affairs pieces and podcasts. 

Commercial messages can benefit from being placed in a trusted environment with the messages from advertisers more likely to be accepted due to their surroundings. It’s another huge positive for audio with increased consumption and high levels of trust providing a myriad of marketing opportunities both digitally and on traditional FM frequencies.

 

Source: Sound Affects 2 (2021)

 

If you’d like further information on how your brand can join the party please say hello@urbanmedia.ie.

Bringing your message to new urban audiences.

 

urbanmedia is now on Instagram, follow us @urbanmediairl.

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The Power of Choice https://www.urbanmedia.ie/the-power-of-choice/ Fri, 22 Oct 2021 11:00:44 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=5519 With more and more great audio content being made every day and numerous platforms and publishers trying to engage through audio, it’s no wonder we’re in the middle of an audio revival.

More choice has led to more audio consumption across all platforms. With control firmly in the hands of the consumer we expect to see even further increases in listening as people find new ways and new opportunities to enjoy content.

When we look at devices and channels alone there are 36 combinations available to the consumer. When you bring in genre and all audio options you are looking at thousands upon thousands of options so there’s something for everyone. 

As an example just look at the in-car choice which has expanded massively due to technology like Car Play and connected cars – it’s certainly a far cry from 6 presets and your favourite CD. The survey found 69% of radio listeners listen in the car, 28% of podcast listeners listen to podcasts in the car while 59% of music listeners listen to music in the car. This choice is replicated in the home and the workplace where connected devices have led to a proliferation of choice.

 

 

The research also explored how different dayparts suit different content and consumer needs. For instance live radio tends to peak in the morning hours, playback radio from mid morning to lunchtime, free music streaming early lunchtime to mid afternoon and paid streaming peaks in the late afternoon. Personal vinyl/CD listening and podcasts seem to skew towards the evening hours when people are relaxing during their downtime.

 

 

These insights open up opportunities for advertisers to delve further in terms of targeting specific dayparts depending on consumers audio choices and ultimately linking creative to the consumers state of mind. A perfect example is Harvey Norman’s use of our “Back Garden Festival” stream which we created in the absence of festivals across the summer. It gave them the perfect platform to reach these festival goers who are passionate about music and who want good quality devices to listen on. It allowed them to position themselves as the destination for party audio during the summer in a relaxed chilled out environment.

 

Source: Sound Affects 2 (2021)

 

If you’d like further information on how your brand can join the party please say hello@urbanmedia.ie.

Bringing your message to new urban audiences.

 

urbanmedia is now on Instagram, follow us @urbanmediairl.

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Radio is Still King https://www.urbanmedia.ie/radio-is-still-king/ Thu, 14 Oct 2021 13:55:59 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=5507 For the next number of weeks our bulletin will take a deeper dive into some of the key findings from our Sound Affects 2 – Audio Revival research series.

This week we’ll focus on the first of the six themes that came out of the research – that radio is still king when it comes to audio choice. When comparing radio with podcasts and streamed music we found higher levels of both engagement and recall. 75% were able to recall something they heard on radio versus 63% for both podcasts and streamed music. 58% felt engaged with radio versus 55% for music and 51% for podcasts.

 

 

The car remains the most popular place to listen to the radio with 69% of listeners saying they listen there, followed by a physical radio (48%) and the growth segments such as smartphone (39%), laptop (32%) and smart speaker/ speakers (25%).

Listeners are switching on to be informed and entertained with 63% tuning in for news programming and 61% tuning in to hear music. Interestingly the survey found that more Irish adults tune into radio to listen to music than to a music streaming service.

 

 

There’s also a real trust and connection with the radio with a third of respondents saying they feel like radio presenters are friends while 49% said they would be sad if a presenter left a radio show they listen to. This connection was confirmed in our panel discussion when FM104 presenter Emma Nolan told the story of a listener getting in touch to say her new baby recognised Emma’s voice on the radio. This was after a pregnancy that was spent listening to Emma while in lockdown, something the listener described as her life being “just me, you and my pregnant belly”.

These emotional connections were also discussed by fellow panelist Mike Cass, Head of Content for Virgin Radio who spoke about the impact of not only big name presenters like Chris Evans and Graham Norton but of all presenters. He talked about how he works with presenters to ensure this connection by keeping the conversation relevant and treating it like a conversation with a friend. He described wanting the radio station to be the party that you know you should leave because you’ve an early start the next day but you just can’t drag yourself away because you’re engaged and enjoying yourself.

 

If you’d like further information on how your brand can join the party please say hello@urbanmedia.ie.

Bringing your message to new urban audiences.

 

urbanmedia is now on Instagram, follow us @urbanmediairl.

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Sound Affects 2: Audio Revival Research https://www.urbanmedia.ie/sound-affects-2-audio-revival-research/ Fri, 24 Sep 2021 13:48:01 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=5405 Next week urbanmedia and dentsu will present part 2 of their Sound Affects research series exploring the ever changing and rapidly growing world of audio in the Irish market. 

Sound Affects 2 – Audio Revival, follows on from our first study, and has again explored how people in Ireland are consuming audio content, but this time we have delved even deeper.

An intensive diary study, together with a robust quantitative study has uncovered many interesting themes, including how we have changed our listening behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic and how likely that is to impact our future audio consumption.

It’s clear from the study that audio has played an increasingly important role in people’s lives through the pandemic. It informs, educates and reassures while also providing entertainment. It has given comfort and companionship during times of lockdown and it became a vital part of our work from home day as our working patterns were turned upside down.

 

 

Technology has played a huge part in getting audio back into people’s homes, with smart speakers and digital devices taking the place of the traditional radio that once lived in the kitchen. Earphone intimacy continues to be a theme as people engage with the medium in a very personal way as they go about their daily routine, highlighted by the fact that 1 in 2 people surveyed said they’d be sad if a presenter on the radio show they liked left.

Radio remains the predominant choice with 94% of Irish adults saying they listen to the radio. However, we are seeing the benefit of content choice driving more consumption with strong numbers for streamed music listening (71%), podcast listening (70%) and catch up radio listening (64%). It’s clear the themes of Sound Affects 1 around listener control and the multifarious nature of audio continue to ring through. 

 

 

We see a clear role for different channels come to the fore in this research. Chief amongst radio’s key roles is to provide information and entertain, while with podcasts we see a desire for education on specific topics and links to hobbies and interests. Motivation for streamed music tends to be more mood based with a role in relaxing and improving mood.

Audio is in the midst of an exciting revival and this provides many opportunities for marketers. This research will help inform and understand what those opportunities might be, by helping understand the Irish audio consumer and how they behave.

 

If you’d like to attend our virtual event next week, September 30th at 11-12.30, you can do so by RSVPing at hello@urbanmedia.ie

 

If you’d like to be part of the action contact your urbanmedia representative or drop us a line on hello@urbanmedia.ie.

Bringing your message to new urban audiences.

 

urbanmedia is now on Instagram, follow us @urbanmediairl.

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Radio & The Audio Market 2021 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/radio-the-audio-market-2021/ Thu, 09 Sep 2021 10:19:29 +0000 https://www.urbanmedia.ie/?p=5383 The latest research for JNLR shows radio listening remains in a really healthy position in 2021.

80% of the adult population tune in every day for a total of 13.1 million hours per day, reflecting the sustainability of this long established medium. Even amongst the 15-24 year old cohort, almost 70% listen to radio on a regular basis. 

Irish audiences are also highly connected, ownership of smartphones are at 86%, and smart speakers at 30%. The growth in smart speakers has been rapid, almost trebling since 2018  and likely to grow further in the coming years. Ownership is higher amongst a younger demographic and enables easy access to audio material. We can see this with the growth of digital audio listening on our own platforms where we have seen an increase in total listening hours of over 40% for the 10 week period to the end of July.

 

 

At home continues to be the most popular place to listen with three in every four saying they listened to audio at home yesterday, while one third listened in the car. It will be interesting to see how this dynamic changes as we begin to return to a more traditional commuter platform from this month.

 

 

In terms of device usage 72% used a radio or music player to listen to their audio material while the next device of choice is the smartphone used by 28% of the population with 15% using a PC/laptop or smart speaker.

 

Live radio currently has a share of 78.8% of the audio market reflecting the depth of engagement listeners have with radio. While many tune into on-demand audio, they spend much less time doing so. There is more activity among the younger 15-24 year old audience in this space, however live radio still achieves the majority share of time spent listening  (53.2%). Music streaming (Spotify or similar) has a share of 25.2% among this group followed by YouTube for Music (14.2%).

 

 

Later this month we will be presenting our own audio research as Sound Affects 2 – Audio Revival follows on from Sound Affects 1, exploring how people in Ireland are consuming audio content. 

In conjunction with Dentsu we’ve completed an intensive diary study, together with a robust quantitative study have uncovered six interesting themes, including how we have changed our listening behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you’d like more detail of our event on September 30th or you’d like to attend you can find details at urbanmedia.ie/sound-affects-2/

 

Source: Ipsos MRBI Game Changers/ AdSwizz 

If you’d like to be part of the action contact your urbanmedia representative or drop us a line on hello@urbanmedia.ie.

Bringing your message to new urban audiences.

 

urbanmedia is now on Instagram, follow us @urbanmediairl.

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