WLR has once again confirmed its position as Waterford’s biggest radio station, according to the latest Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) figures covering April 2025 to March 2026.

The station now reaches 72,000 weekly listeners across Waterford City and County, an increase of 6,000 year-on-year, underlining continued audience growth in a highly competitive media market.

Radio listening remains exceptionally strong both locally and nationally, with audiences spending more than four hours listening each day. The home and in-car environment continue to account for the majority of listening, reinforcing radio’s place as a trusted daily companion for audiences. Nationally, 96% of adults listen to audio every week. Live radio accounts for 74% of total audio time, followed by music streaming (13.5%), YouTube Music (6%), and podcasts (3.5%).

WLR has also recorded significant growth in digital consumption, with increased listening via its mobile app, smart speakers and desktop platforms. Recent upgrades to the station’s app and website, wlrfm.com have further enhanced accessibility, helping to extend WLR’s reach to an even broader and more diverse audience online.

WLR programmes continue to perform strongly across peak listening times, with consistent audience engagement for flagship shows including The Big Breakfast Blaa with Ollie & Dymphna, Déise Today with Damien Tiernan, The Live Wire Lunch with Gemma Delaney, and The Spin Home with John Keane.

Specialist speech programming across business, farming, Irish language, sport and the arts, alongside dedicated music shows, also delivered strong results throughout the seven-day broadcast schedule.

WLR’s role as a trusted local information source was further highlighted during recent major events, including coverage and audience interaction during the fire at Tycor Business Centre. The station’s on-air and online response reinforced its importance as a key communication channel during emergencies and major incidents in Waterford.

The station’s continued investment in digital platforms is also delivering strong results, with growing engagement from younger and more connected audiences accessing WLR content across mobile, smart speaker and online platforms. Live sports broadcasts in recent weeks have been particularly effective in attracting new digital listeners.

Michael Byrne, CEO of WLR, said the station is proud of its continued growth and the dedication of its team:

“Congratulations to our on-air team for delivering these outstanding results. We have a highly committed group of broadcasters, journalists and producers who are passionate every day about serving Waterford audiences.

We also thank our advertisers and sponsors for their continued support and look forward to welcoming new partners in the year ahead.

WLR is proud to be The Sound of Waterford. With strong broadcast performance, growing digital reach, and recent upgrades to our app, website and smart speaker platform, we are well positioned for a very positive year ahead.”

WLR is part of dmg media.

For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.