Revenues from digital audio, generated by Irish radio broadcasters, continued to grow again last year, rising by 11.5% to €8.2m, according to new figures compiled by Radiocentre Ireland.
The boost helped drive overall advertising and sponsorship revenues for commercial broadcasters by a modest 1% to €165.6m.
According to the Radiocentre Ireland figures, spot advertising revenue (radio commercials) totalled €126.4m, representing a marginal decline of 0.6%. Branded content revenue — including sponsorships, partnerships and content solutions — rose by 4.5% to €31.0m highlighting growing demand for integrated and creative audio solutions, according to Radiocentre Ireland.
The €8.2m in digital audio advertising and sponsorship generated by the country’s commercial radio sector, however, does not include revenues generated by global audience platforms like Spotify, Acast or Soundcloud. Some sources suggest that the entire digital audio market in Ireland could be worth closer to €20m.
Radiocentre Ireland’s figures show that revenues generated from media agencies increased by 1.7% to €116.6m, while direct advertiser revenue amounted to €49.0m, down slightly by 1.0%.
The largest product categories for Irish radio advertising in 2025 were retail, household services, Government and finance, with the strongest year-on-year growth coming from food and pharmaceuticals
“It is great to see continued growth in radio revenue, with advertisers large and small recognising radio’s power and leveraging its incredible strengths — highly cost-effective reach, unmatched scale, trust-building capacity and creative effectiveness,” said Ciarán Cunningham, CEO of Radiocentre Ireland.
“Radio content continues to attract very strong audiences, with people tuning in whenever and wherever they choose, across smart speakers, mobile phones, in the car and on FM at home,” he added.
“At a time when brand safety and consumer trust are under increasing pressure across parts of the digital ecosystem, radio stands out as a regulated, accountable and trusted medium. This matters more than ever for both audiences and advertisers. Irish radio provides a safe, high-quality environment where brands can connect with people with confidence — reinforcing the unique value of trusted media in today’s fast-moving and often unregulated digital landscape.”
