Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station that launched as Radio Ireland on 17 March 1997 and rebranded to its current name on 1 January 1998 following initial low listenership.[1][2]
Owned by Bauer Media Audio Ireland, a subsidiary of the German-based Bauer Media Group since its acquisition of previous owner Communicorp in 2019, the station broadcasts nationally with a format centered on contemporary music, news bulletins, and talk segments aimed at adults aged 25-44.[2][3]
As Ireland's first independent national commercial broadcaster, Today FM has established itself as the leading commercial station, achieving a weekly audience of 928,000 and a market share of 8.4% in mid-2025 Joint National Listenership Research figures, reflecting steady growth amid a daily national radio reach of 3.5 million listeners.[4][5]The station's programming includes flagship shows such as The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, which has aired since 1998 and draws 213,000 daily listeners, alongside evening talk programs and specialized segments like all-Irish music hours introduced in 2021 to promote domestic artists.[4][6]
Today FM has garnered recognition for its contributions to Irish radio, including the National Station of the Year award at the 2025 IMRO Radio Awards, underscoring its influence in a competitive market dominated by public broadcaster RTÉ.[7]
Notable internal disputes, such as the 2016 departure of host Anton Savage over disagreements regarding music quotas and playlist alterations intended to increase Irish content, highlight tensions between commercial imperatives and regulatory pressures for local programming.[8]
History
Founding and Launch
Radio Ireland, the precursor to Today FM, was founded by the Communicorp Group under Denis O'Brien and launched on 17 March 1997—St. Patrick's Day—as Ireland's first independent national commercial radio station, positioned as a market alternative to the state broadcaster RTÉ.[9]The station secured its broadcasting license through the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) in a competitive national tender process, navigating Ireland's historically regulated media environment where public service radio had dominated since the 1920s, with limited commercial entry until legislative reforms in the 1980s and 1990s.[9] Initial operations emphasized a mixed format of talk programming—including news, current affairs, and specialized segments like farming shows—alongside varied music content, aiming to capture a broad audience akin to RTÉ Radio 1 listeners through an independent, commercially driven approach.[10]Launch efforts involved hiring 150 staff to build infrastructure and programming, but the station quickly encountered difficulties in audience acquisition amid entrenched listener habits toward RTÉ and the challenges of establishing brand recognition in a nascent commercial sector.[9] Low listenership prompted significant cutbacks, reducing staff to 50 within three months, and underscored the hurdles of differentiating in a landscape still adapting to privatization.[9] These early struggles reflected the causal realities of market entry against a subsidized incumbent, leading to operational pivots while preserving the founding intent of commercial independence.[9]
Early Development and Expansion
Following its launch as Radio Ireland on March 17, 1997, with a format emphasizing talk programming that failed to resonate with audiences, the station underwent a rapid rebranding to Today FM roughly nine months later, adopting a contemporary hit radio approach focused on music and lighter speech content to target 18- to 35-year-olds.[1][9] This pivot addressed initial low listenership by prioritizing upbeat playlists and personality-driven segments, enabling the station to expand its appeal beyond Dublin and achieve broader national penetration through existing FM transmitters allocated for commercial independent radio.[9]A key driver of early expansion was the recruitment of established RTÉ presenter Ian Dempsey in mid-1998 to anchor the weekday breakfast show (6:00-9:00 a.m.), which quickly became a cornerstone program by blending music, celebrity interviews, and comedic sketches that generated viral buzz and drew commuters away from public broadcaster RTÉ 2FM.[11][12][13] Drive-time slots (4:00-7:00 p.m.) similarly benefited from hosts emphasizing interactive calls and topical humor, refining the schedule to capture peak listening hours and fostering loyalty among urban professionals, which collectively elevated Today FM to a top commercial contender by the early 2000s.[12]The station's growth aligned with Ireland's Celtic Tiger economic surge from the mid-1990s to 2007, during which heightened consumer confidence and business activity swelled the advertising market, allowing Today FM to invest in programming polish and signal enhancements for consistent national coverage without major new frequency acquisitions. This era's revenue influx—driven by sectors like construction and tech—underpinned format tweaks, such as integrating satirical elements like the Gift Grub parodies debuting in 1999, which amplified cultural impact and commercial viability amid rising competition from pirate and regional stations.[9]
Ownership Transitions
In 2002, Scottish Radio Holdings acquired Radio Ireland Limited, the parent company of Today FM, integrating it with FM104 to leverage operational synergies such as shared resources and cross-promotion, which supported profitability gains in the mid-2000s.[14] In 2005, Emap plc purchased Scottish Radio Holdings, including Today FM, as part of its expansion into international radio markets, shifting oversight to a UK-based media conglomerate focused on revenue optimization and management efficiencies.[15] Under Emap, Today FM reported a 22% increase in operating profits to €4.4 million for the year ended September 2005, alongside a management fee of €943,594 paid to the parent company, reflecting a strategy emphasizing financial performance amid growing advertising revenues.[16]By early 2008, Communicorp Group, controlled by Irish businessman Denis O'Brien—who had founded the original Radio Ireland Group behind Today FM's 1997 launch—reacquired the station from Emap, completing the deal in January amid regulatory approval for Today FM and related assets.[17] The transaction, valued at €124 million for Today FM specifically, returned control to an Irish entity but occurred just as the global financial crisis intensified, constraining strategic flexibility through heightened debt servicing and market downturns.[18]Post-acquisition, Today FM navigated economic contraction with cost-control measures, as evidenced by annual profits more than halving to under €4 million in the year to March 2008—despite a 17% rise in like-for-like revenues—due to elevated operating expenses and reduced advertising spend amid Ireland's recession.[19] This period marked a pivot toward internal efficiencies rather than aggressive expansion, with Communicorp's ownership restoring national alignment but exposing the station to localized fiscal pressures that tempered autonomy in programming and investment decisions.
Recent Developments
In response to evolving media consumption patterns, Today FM expanded its digital offerings, launching dedicated podcasts for flagship programs such as The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, Dave Moore, and The Last Word with Matt Cooper, enabling on-demand access via its mobile app and platforms like Apple Podcasts.[20][21] This integration supported streaming capabilities, allowing listeners to access live broadcasts and archived content remotely, aligning with post-COVID shifts toward hybrid work and increased digital audio engagement.[22]Listener figures demonstrated resilience amid broader industry trends, with Today FM reporting a weekly audience of 928,000 in the period ending March 2025, marking a slight increase from prior surveys and solidifying its position as Ireland's leading commercial station.[4] Earlier in the year, February 2025 data showed 953,000 weekly listeners, reflecting sustained appeal particularly among younger demographics despite fluctuations in traditional radio habits.[23]Programming adaptations emphasized current affairs and social issues, with expanded talk segments on The Last Word with Matt Cooper covering topics like Budget 2025 measures, housing commencements declining to 6,235 starts in the first half of 2025, and educational reforms such as Leaving Cert grade deflation introduced post-2020 inflation.[24][25][26] These developments included heightened focus on economic and cultural debates, such as fiscal policies totaling €8.3 billion in new spending and taxation adjustments.[24]
Programming and Format
Core Format and Scheduling
Today FM operates a hybrid music-talk radio format targeted primarily at listeners aged 20-44, blending contemporary pop and rock music with segments on news, entertainment, current affairs, and listener interaction.[27][28] This structure includes dedicated music playback interspersed with talk elements such as interviews, debates, and humor, supported by regular news and sports updates.[28]Weekday scheduling centers on key dayparts: a breakfast slot from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. incorporating news bulletins, music, and interactive elements; midday programming from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. emphasizing entertainment, interviews, and music-focused segments; drive-time hours from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a mix of music and light talk; and an evening current affairs block from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. featuring debates and topical discussions.[29][28] Overnight and early morning periods (midnight to 6:00 a.m.) shift toward automated or lighter music curation, while late evenings (7:00 p.m. to midnight) maintain a blend of talk and music.[29]News bulletins and sports reports are integrated into morning and daytime slots, with listener call-ins facilitating two-way engagement during breakfast and midday.[28]Weekend programming follows a similar grid but with adjusted emphases, including extended music blocks in late evenings (e.g., themed 1980s/1990s content from 10:00 p.m.) and sustained live-hosted talk-music hybrids in midday and drive times.[29] All slots rely on live DJs for curation and presentation, ensuring dynamic transitions between music tracks—drawn from recent hits and nostalgic selections—and talk content.[28] This scheduling prioritizes accessibility for commuters and daytime audiences, with interactive features like call-ins enhancing real-time participation.[28]
Music and Content Policies
Today FM's music curation emphasizes contemporary hit tracks from global and Irish charts, selected to sustain high listener engagement and advertiser appeal in a competitive commercial radio landscape. Playlists predominantly feature top-40 and adult contemporary genres, deliberately steering clear of niche or experimental styles that risk alienating mass audiences, as is standard for profitability-driven stations.[30] While Ireland lacks a statutory quota for domestic music airplay—unlike countries such as France or Canada—Today FM voluntarily promotes Irish artists through targeted submission programs, though former owner Communicorp successfully lobbied against proposed 40% mandates in 2017, citing potential constraints on programming flexibility and EU competition law concerns.[31][32][33]Non-musical content, including talk segments and promotions, operates under regulatory oversight by Coimisiún na Meán (formerly the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland), which enforces codes prioritizing factual accuracy, community standards, and impartiality without mandating political neutrality in entertainment formats.[34] These guidelines permit discourse on empirically grounded public matters, such as verifiable policy impacts, while prohibiting unsubstantiated opinion as fact or content likely to incite harm, as upheld in BAI rulings on Today FM broadcasts emphasizing contextual fairness.[35] Compliance serves commercial viability by mitigating complaint risks and fines, with the station's apolitical lean in music-driven slots fostering broad accessibility over ideological framing.In playlist formulation, Today FM has increasingly integrated digital streaming analytics—such as Spotify and Apple Music performance data—alongside conventional metrics like chart positions, adapting to listener shifts toward on-demand consumption while prioritizing tracks with cross-platform traction to enhance overall reach.[36] This data-informed approach, common in post-2020 radio evolution under owners like Bauer Media, favors songs demonstrating sustained streams over transient airplay spikes, thereby aligning curation with revenue-generating audience behaviors.[37]
Signature Programs
Today FM's breakfast program, broadcast weekdays from 6:00 to 9:00, combines music selections, news summaries, sports updates, guest appearances, and interactive listener segments to deliver an energetic morning experience aimed at commuters. This format emphasizes rapid-paced content delivery, including giveaways and audience participation, distinguishing it as a staple for daily routines in Ireland.[38][39]Afternoon drive-time slots, typically from 4:30 to 7:00, feature discussion-oriented formats that encourage caller contributions on current events, lifestyle issues, and topical debates, driving high engagement and listenership figures such as 182,000 weekly audiences recorded in November 2023. These programs prioritize real-time listener input to sustain dynamic conversations, aligning with peak commuting hours and contributing to Today FM's competitive edge in commercial radio.[40][41]Seasonal special segments integrate charity initiatives into the schedule, exemplified by The Big Busk, an annual event on March 7 in partnership with Focus Ireland, where nationwide busking performances solicit public donations to combat homelessness. Launched in recent years, it generated over €270,000 in 2025 proceeds, with cumulative fundraising surpassing €1.3 million by that date, embedding community-driven philanthropy within Today FM's programming calendar.[42][43]
Key Personnel
Current Presenters and Hosts
Ian Dempsey has hosted The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. since the station's early years, contributing to Today FM's strong performance in morning listenership, with recent data showing gains among the 20-44 demographic.[4]Dave Moore anchors the mid-morning program from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., focusing on a mix of music, chat, and listener interaction, which has seen upward trends in audience figures per the latest Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) metrics.[44][4]Afternoon slots include Ray Foley's show from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., emphasizing entertainment and humor, followed by The Last Word with Matt Cooper from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., which delivers news analysis and debate, bolstering the station's prime-time reach.[29][4]Evening and weekend programming features Paula MacSweeney in early evenings and Alison Curtis handling weekend duties, with Curtis competing effectively in ratings against rivals as of September 2025.[29][45]
This lineup supports Today FM's appeal to nearly 1 million weekly listeners in the target age group, driven by a blend of comedic and analytical styles without reliance on transient trends.[28][4]
Former Presenters and Notable Departures
Dermot Whelan co-hosted the popular morning program Dermot & Dave on Today FM from 2014 until his departure on August 11, 2023, following a total of 21 years in radio partnership with Dave Moore, including prior stints at 98FM.[46][47] His exit, announced abruptly on air, shifted Moore to a solo format and allowed Whelan to prioritize his mindfulness brand, Mind Full, amid reports that station staff learned of the decision shortly before public disclosure.[48][49]Ed Smith, a veteran broadcaster who joined the station early in its history, presented rock-oriented and specialist music segments for 25 years before announcing his exit in October 2024, describing the tenure as "life-changing" and crediting it with shaping his career.[50][51]Mairead Ronan hosted a midday slot from circa 2019 until November 2021, when she stepped away to focus on family commitments after balancing broadcasting with parenthood.[52] Similarly, Kelly-Anne Byrne departed after nearly six years in late-night and weekend programming in January 2020, citing a personal decision to pursue new opportunities.[53]These transitions reflect periodic changes in lineup, often coinciding with programming evolutions from the station's music-focused rebrand in 1998 onward, though specific causal links remain unestablished in public records.[9]
Management and Leadership
Chris Doyle serves as the chief executive officer of Bauer Media Audio Ireland, the parent company overseeing Today FM, having been appointed to the permanent role on May 13, 2024, following an interim period after Simon Myciunka's relocation to the UK.[54][55] In this capacity, Doyle directs executive oversight across eight Irish stations, including strategic pivots toward digital integration and audience expansion to counter declining traditional listenership trends.[56] His leadership has emphasized reinventing radio operations through enhanced content strategies and cross-platform synergies, evidenced by Bauer Media Audio Ireland achieving the status of Ireland's largest radio group by November 2024, with Today FM contributing a market share of 8.9% and a weekly reach of 973,000 listeners, up 14,000 from prior metrics.[57]Under Doyle's direction, key station-level appointments have supported programming and budget reallocations aimed at growth, such as the September 2025 naming of Nathan Murphy as Managing Editor for Today FM, tasked with spearheading audience development initiatives amid competitive pressures.[58] These efforts include targeted investments in digital and podcast extensions, aligning with broader revenue stabilization post-acquisition, where Bauer overtook RTÉ as the top Irish radio operator by weekly audience reach of 2.16 million in February 2024.[59]Leadership has also managed regulatory navigation and advertiser dynamics, including lobbying for regulatory amendments to address disproportionate burdens on radio in September 2024 and responding to legislative risks like the October 2024 gambling bill, which threatened competition-based ad revenues.[60][61] Additionally, Doyle's team handled branding disputes, such as complying with a June 2025 court injunction altering station names to mitigate legal challenges from competitors.[62] These actions underscore a focus on operational resilience and sustained advertiser appeal through verifiable audience metrics.
Ownership and Corporate Evolution
Initial Ownership under Communicorp
Communicorp Group, founded by Irish entrepreneur Denis O'Brien in 1989 to exploit Ireland's post-1988 broadcasting deregulation that opened the market to private operators, acquired Today FM from Emap plc in July 2007 as part of a €200 million deal that also included FM104 and Highland Radio.[15][63] This transaction consolidated Communicorp's control over key commercial assets, enabling strategies to capture advertising revenue and listener share from state-funded RTÉ, which had long dominated national airwaves through public licensing and funding advantages.[64]By 2007, Today FM—originally launched as the talk-oriented Radio Ireland on 17 March 1997 before rebranding to a music-focused format on 1 January 1998 amid initial ratings of just 1%—had achieved national coverage via FM transmitters across Ireland.[9] Under Communicorp, the station emphasized competitive scheduling with high-energy breakfast and drive-time shows to drive ad market dominance, contributing to the group's estimated 60% share of national commercial radio advertising time when combined with Newstalk.[65] Early post-acquisition listener data reflected steady growth in key demographics, with the station leveraging deregulation-era liberalization to position itself as RTÉ's primary private rival, though specific Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) figures from 2008 onward showed incremental gains amid broader radio fragmentation.Communicorp maintained that Today FM operated with editorial autonomy, with day-to-day decisions insulated from O'Brien's personal involvement, a stance reiterated in responses to external scrutiny over media ownership concentration.[66] This structure aligned with the group's broader European radio holdings, but O'Brien's documented interventions in other outlets fueled skepticism regarding the extent of hands-off control, particularly as Communicorp pursued aggressive expansion to counter RTÉ's subsidized reach.[67]
Acquisition by Bauer Media
In February 2021, Bauer Media Audio, a division of the German-based Bauer Media Group, agreed to acquire Communicorp Group from Irish businessman Denis O'Brien for a reported value exceeding €100 million, subject to regulatory approval.[68][69] The transaction encompassed Communicorp's portfolio of stations, prominently featuring Today FM and Newstalk as national commercial outlets, alongside regional broadcasters such as Dublin's 98FM, Spin 1038, and Spin South West, collectively reaching approximately 1.75 million weekly listeners in Ireland.[70][69]The deal received clearance from Irish regulators, culminating in the acquisition's completion on 1 June 2021, thereby transferring operational control of Today FM to Bauer Media Audio Ireland.[71][72] This integration facilitated operational synergies between Today FM and Newstalk, including potential resource sharing in sales, marketing, and content production, while maintaining distinct brand identities and programming schedules for each station.[73]In the immediate aftermath, Bauer committed to preserving Today FM's core format of contemporary hit radio blended with talk segments, avoiding abrupt changes to its Irish-focused content amid the transition from Communicorp's ownership.[72] The global parent's emphasis on audio expansion influenced initial post-acquisition efforts toward enhancing digital distribution and listener engagement platforms, such as podcasts and streaming, without shifting the station's emphasis on domestic talent and audiences.[73]
Implications for Operations
The acquisition of Today FM's parent company Communicorp by Bauer Media Group in June 2021 facilitated operational enhancements through access to greater financial resources and international expertise, enabling cost efficiencies that analysts projected would more than double profitability via streamlined management.[74] This shift supported investments in digital infrastructure and audience expansion strategies, as evidenced by subsequent acquisitions like iRadio, which integrated into Bauer's portfolio and contributed to surpassing RTÉ as Ireland's most-listened-to radio group with a weekly reach exceeding 2 million listeners by early 2024.[59]Despite these gains, operational challenges persisted in Ireland's concentrated media landscape, where public broadcaster RTÉ holds a structurally advantaged position through state funding, limiting commercial stations' scope for diversification beyond advertising revenue, which totaled €79.4 million industry-wide in 2025 amid modest 2% growth.[75] Bauer's dominance in the commercial segment—achieving 28.8% national primetime market share by August 2025—has stabilized Today FM's position as the leading commercial station, with consistent 7-8% individual market share post-acquisition per JNLR data, yet exposed it to risks from digital platforms eroding traditional ad budgets.[5][76]Ownership under Bauer reinforced a commercial imperative, prioritizing revenue-driven content and syndication over public-service mandates, as seen in the group's emphasis on youth-targeted expansions like Beat 102-103, which leveraged enhanced digital tools for cross-platform growth without altering Today FM's core talk-and-music format.[77] This continuity ensured operational resilience, with Today FM maintaining 41.52% market share among 20-44-year-olds within the Bauer portfolio, though broader market consolidation heightened competitive pressures from streaming alternatives.[78][79]
Controversies and Criticisms
Presenter Scandals and Misconduct
In November 2017, comedian and presenter Al Porter resigned from his daily lunchtime show on Today FM with immediate effect following allegations of sexual misconduct leveled by multiple peers in the entertainment industry.[80] The claims, reported by The Irish Times, included instances of groping fellow performers and sending unsolicited sexual messages to a musician who had appeared on his program.[81] Porter, then aged 24, issued a statement expressing regret for any distress caused but denied specific accusations of assault, stating he was "taken aback by the scale and vitriol" of the reports.[82] Today FM confirmed the resignation and swiftly arranged temporary programming adjustments, with no public indication of internal disciplinary processes beyond accepting his departure.[83]Subsequent developments included a formal complaint of sexual assault filed against Porter in late 2016, which led to charges but was ultimately withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions in November 2019 after review.[84] Four male accusers, including performers, maintained that Porter had not apologized directly to them and described incidents of unwanted physical contact at social events.[85] The station faced no legal repercussions from the matter, and Porter's exit prompted a replacement host, though the slot saw a measurable decline in audience reach.Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) data indicated a drop of approximately 20,000 listeners in Today FM's lunchtime/afternoon demographic (ages 25-44) in the period following Porter's resignation, with thousands reportedly switching off the show amid the controversy.[86][87] This temporary dip highlighted short-term programming vulnerabilities but did not derail the station's overall market position, as subsequent figures showed recovery through alternative scheduling.
Management and Internal Disputes
In July 2019, Today FM management abruptly cancelled the lunchtime show hosted by Muireann O'Connell, who had joined the station for that slot earlier in the year after previously contributing as a part-time presenter, replacing her with Mairead Ronan as part of a broader lineup shakeup.[88] CEO Keith McCormack confirmed the departures of O'Connell and co-host Aisling Duffy, framing it as a strategic decision without specifying performance metrics.[88] O'Connell publicly described the axing as "embarrassing" and an emotional low point, stating she was "floored" by the sudden termination after building an audience.[89][90]In August 2023, veteran presenter Dermot Whelan announced his exit from Today FM's Dermot & Dave show after 21 years in radio, including nine at the station, citing a desire to focus on his mindfulness brand Mind Full, with his final broadcast set for August 11.[46][48] The decision caught internal staff off guard, as they were informed via notifications only days before the public reveal on August 8, despite Whelan's long tenure alongside co-host Dave Moore.[49] Management supported the transition by retooling the slot into a solo vehicle for Moore, but the abruptness highlighted tensions in talent retention amid evolving formats.[46]A prior example occurred in December 2016, when Anton Savage's Sunday morning show was cancelled following unspecified disagreements with executives on content and direction, leading to his immediate removal from air without a planned on-air farewell.[91] Savage attributed the fallout to irreconcilable differences, expressing frustration over denied closure with listeners, while the station emphasized contractual termination.[8] These cases illustrate recurring friction between management and on-air talent, often tied to listenership demands and programming pivots, as reflected in the presenters' own accounts of opaque decision-making processes.[91][88]
Broader Media Influence Concerns
During the ownership of Today FM by Denis O'Brien's Communicorp Group from 2007 to 2021, critics questioned the station's editorial independence due to O'Brien's broader media holdings, including stakes in Independent News & Media, amid high concentration in Ireland's media sector identified as a "high risk" for pluralism in a 2016 EU study.[92][93] Instances such as bans on Irish Times journalists from O'Brien-owned stations, including Today FM affiliates, fueled perceptions of owner influence, though O'Brien denied direct interference in content decisions during legal disputes like those stemming from the Moriarty Tribunal.[94][95] A 2016 report by international lawyers urged government intervention to address risks to freedom of expression from such ownership patterns, noting Ireland's narrow mediacontrol posed threats despite regulatory approvals for acquisitions like the 2007 €200 million purchase of Today FM from Emap.[96]Following Communicorp's €100 million sale to Bauer Media Audio in February 2021, concerns shifted toward amplified commercial priorities under the German conglomerate's integration, potentially prioritizing advertiser-driven content over viewpoint diversity in Ireland's already consolidated radio market.[68] Bauer lifted prior journalist bans shortly after acquisition, signaling operational changes, but media analyses highlighted risks of homogenized output favoring revenue models akin to Bauer's Europeanportfolio, where stations like Today FM emphasize broad contemporary programming.[97][98]Today FM's audience reach, with a 9.7% market share and nearly one million weekly listeners in early 2024, positions it to rival RTÉ's dominance in commercial segments, prompting calls for antitrust review amid Ireland's media ownership concentration, as evidenced by prior CompetitionAuthority scrutiny of cross-ownership in mergers like Communicorp's expansions.[99][59][65] Reports from 2021-2023 on media plurality developments underscore ongoing vulnerabilities, with Bauer's control of multiple stations exacerbating empirical risks of reduced contestability in opinion-forming outlets, despite no formal prohibition under Ireland's 2014 media merger regime.[100][101]
Awards and Achievements
IMRO Radio Awards
Today FM has garnered significant recognition at the IMRO Radio Awards, Ireland's leading honors for radio excellence, with multiple Gold awards in categories spanning programming, presentation, and station performance. These accolades highlight the station's strengths in music, entertainment, and innovative content formats.[102]In 2022, Today FM received the Full Service Station of the Year award, recognizing its comprehensive programming across news, talk, and music.[103] Bauer Media Audio Ireland, the station's owner at the time, collected 11 Gold Awards overall, including for Music & Entertainment Presenter of the Year awarded to Dermot Whelan.[104][105]The 2025 IMRO Radio Awards saw Today FM claim National Station of the Year, affirming its position among top national broadcasters.[106] The station also secured Gold in categories such as Music & Entertainment Presenter of the Year for Louise Cantillon and Entertainment Inserts for "Gift Grub on The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show," underscoring its prowess in presenter-driven entertainment and satirical programming.[106][107] Additional wins included Specialist Music Show of the Year for "Today FM Soundtracks," reflecting innovation in niche music content.[108]
Other Recognitions and Milestones
In 2024, Today FM achieved a weekly listenership of 992,000 according to Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) data, marking a record high and narrowing the gap with public broadcaster RTÉ Radio 1 while approaching the one million listener milestone amid a national radio audience of 3.4 million daily listeners.[109][99] By November 2024, the station reported 973,000 weekly listeners, reflecting sustained growth of 14,000 from prior periods.[110]The station's Big Busk campaign, partnering with Focus Ireland to address homelessness, raised €274,635 in its 2025 edition held on March 7, encouraging nationwide busking events and donations.[42] This annual initiative has cumulatively generated over €1 million in funds for Focus Ireland's housing and support services since inception.[111]Launched on March 17, 1997, Today FM has maintained continuous national broadcasting for over 28 years, establishing itself as Ireland's premier commercial station for the 20-44 demographic despite shifts toward digital media consumption.[112][28]
Audience Reception and Impact
Listenership and Market Position
Today FM achieved a weekly listenership of 928,000 in the period from July 2024 to June 2025, according to the Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) survey released on August 7, 2025.[4][5] This figure marked an increase of 14,000 listeners from the prior book, with daily reach at 499,000 adults aged 15 and over.[4][5] The station holds the position of Ireland's top commercial broadcaster by weekly audience, ahead of RTÉ Radio 1's overall 1.4 million but focused on commercial metrics excluding public service dominance.[78][113]In the 20-44 demographic, Today FM leads nationally among stations, surpassing RTÉ 2FM in reach for this key adult group.[114] Its target audience aligns with this segment, driving higher engagement through music and light talk formats compared to public broadcasters.[115]Listenership has trended upward post-COVID, with weekly figures growing from 914,000 in the April 2024–March 2025 period to 928,000 by mid-2025.[116][4] Shows like The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, with 213,000 listeners, exemplify sustained peaks in morning slots.[117]Relative to competitors, Today FM outperforms Newstalk's 871,000 weekly reach and 8.2% market share, leveraging entertainment-oriented content for broader commercial appeal over Newstalk's news-talk emphasis.[5][78] This positioning sustains its edge in driving time and younger listener retention.[4]
Cultural and Industry Influence
Today FM's rebranding from Radio Ireland to its current format on January 1, 1998, marked a pivotal shift in Irish commercial radio, introducing a hybrid model of contemporary music, humor-infused entertainment, and interactive talk segments that prioritized listener engagement over rigid news formats. This approach, refined after an initial talk-heavy launch yielded low ratings, established benchmarks for irreverence—exemplified by presenters like Ian Dempsey—and real-time interactivity via phone-ins, influencing subsequent commercial stations to incorporate similar elements to compete with public broadcaster RTÉ's dominance.[9][1]During Ireland's Celtic Tiger economic expansion from the mid-1990s to 2007, Today FM's discussion-oriented programming democratized access to economic commentary by amplifying listener perspectives on property speculation, wage growth, and fiscal exuberance through open forums, contrasting with more curated public media outputs and fostering broader societal reflection on boom-time excesses. Such formats persisted into the post-2008 downturn, enabling causal linkages between airwave debates and public sentiment shifts, as evidenced by sustained coverage of housing affordability crises that echoed Tiger-era patterns.[118][119]The station bolsters Irish music ecosystems via targeted airplay, notably through the weekly All Irish program, which dedicates airtime to emerging and established domestic acts with live sessions and interviews, aligning with industry pushes for local content quotas and correlating with chart gains for featured artists in an era of streaming fragmentation. This promotional role extends to event broadcasting, enhancing artist trajectories by leveraging radio's reach for visibility amid adoption trends favoring homegrown programming.[120]
Critiques of Bias and Content Quality
Critics have pointed to instances of perceived bias in Today FM's political and social coverage, such as during the 2015 marriageequality referendum, where programming framed the debate as a binary choice between "equality" and "discrimination," sidelining complexities like religious freedoms and adoptionrights.[121] This approach drew accusations of tilting toward a pro-referendum slant, consistent with broader patterns in Irishmedia where commercial outlets emphasized emotional appeals over balanced analysis.[122]Talk segments have faced accusations of sensationalism, with listener feedback highlighting shallow, click-driven discussions that prioritize banter and irreverence over substantive depth; for example, forums note presenters "talking bollox" on repetitive topics amid ad-heavy formats.[123] Media observers have documented a coarsening of tone around 2018, exemplified by irreverent content like hosts reviewing explicit videos, which some argue erodes journalistic rigor in favor of entertainment.[124] Quantitative listener analyses, including JNLR surveys, show correlations between such styles and fluctuating engagement, though causation remains debated.Claims of commercial conservatism persist, with critics alleging avoidance of probing corporate ties due to advertiser pressures and ownership structures—Today FM, under Bauer Media since 2020 (previously Communicorp), exhibits coverage gaps on business scandals involving major sponsors, mirroring trends in concentrated Irish media markets where pluralism is limited.[125] This is evidenced by lighter scrutiny of sectors like telecoms during Denis O'Brien's tenure, prioritizing market share over investigative depth.[126]Host turnover has underscored content quality inconsistencies, with high-profile exits like the 2023 split of the Dermot & Dave show leading to a 15,000-listener dip for Dave Moore's subsequent solo midday slot (to 141,000 by November 2024), per JNLR data, amid broader station losses of 16,000 weekly reach in the same period.[127][128] Earlier shakeups, such as the 2019 dismissal of Muireann O'Connell, similarly disrupted audience stability, reflecting execution challenges in maintaining consistent programming appeal.[88]Defenses counter that many complaints, including those on bias and sensationalism, have been dismissed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, affirming compliance with standards and suggesting perceptions stem from subjective expectations rather than systemic flaws.[129] JNLR figures also show recoveries, such as Today FM's weekly audience rising to 928,000 by August 2025, indicating resilience despite critiques.[4]