Newstalk escalated its bid for audience share as Pat Kenny launched a new weekend show head-to-head with RTÉ’s Brendan O’Connor, a move its managing editor called a “radio war. ” Updated Monday at 11: 07 a. m. ET, the push matters now because the newstalk schedule overhaul brings marquee names into direct competition.
Eric Moylan’s ‘radio war’ pledge at Newstalk
“We’re in a radio war currently, and that’s incredibly exciting, ” Newstalk managing editor Eric Moylan said, adding, “It’s energising — it’s something we want to win. ” He argued the battle benefits listeners and rivals alike by sharpening programming, and stressed Newstalk’s commercial imperative: the station does not receive State funding and must deliver on audience and revenue.
Moylan noted that RTÉ’s new salary rules — capping presenter pay at the €250, 000 (EUR) salary of director general Kevin Bakhurst — have “obviously” altered the competitive landscape. That backdrop helped set the stage for Newstalk’s biggest reshuffle in 24 years, including Claire Byrne’s move to weekday mornings after her RTÉ contract ended, and Kieran Cuddihy’s switch in the other direction.
Listener interaction remains a pillar of the station’s approach, Moylan said, highlighting text messages and voice notes that place audiences “at the centre of the conversation” across shows. The newstalk lineup is designed to lean into that two-way format while deploying high-profile talent in key slots.
Pat Kenny’s weekend slot vs Brendan O’Connor’s RTÉ show
Pat Kenny’s current affairs program airs 10: 00 a. m. to 12: 00 p. m. local time (5: 00 a. m. to 7: 00 a. m. ET) on Saturdays and Sundays, overlapping for one hour with The Brendan O’Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1, which runs 11: 00 a. m. to 1: 00 p. m. local time (6: 00 a. m. to 8: 00 a. m. ET). Moylan called the overlap “great competition” and “no bad thing, ” predicting “really compelling radio” given Kenny’s knack for landing big-name guests.
He praised Kenny as “one of the greatest — if not the greatest — broadcasters this country has ever produced, ” citing the presenter’s forensic style with politicians and experts and his rapport with listeners. Kenny’s return to the weekend marks the final piece of Newstalk’s schedule shake-up following his long weekday run.
On the opposing mic, Brendan O’Connor commands one of Irish radio’s biggest weekend audiences. The latest JNLR figures show 429, 000 listeners on Saturdays and 418, 000 on Sundays for his RTÉ Radio 1 program, up from an average of 290, 000 when he inherited the slot in 2020. Only Morning Ireland (467, 000) and Today with David McCullagh (440, 000) draw more.
WPP Media head of press and radio Darren Bracken said O’Connor’s appeal is rooted in connection and candor. “He does reveal a lot about himself when you listen into the show. He kind of draws you in, he makes you connect with him, and I think Irish people as a whole appreciate that. ” Bracken also argued the show’s drop-in-friendly format suits weekend listening.
Kenny’s track record suggests momentum on commercial radio. Over 12 years, he lifted his weekday 9: 00 a. m. to 12: 00 p. m. audience from approximately 134, 000 to a high of 235, 000 in early 2025. On Saturdays, Anton Savage previously posted 164, 000 before leaving the slot to take over Newstalk Breakfast. Bracken expects Kenny to “significantly” increase the weekend audience, saying, “Anything other than that is not success. He should beat that, ” with growth of about 20% in time toward 200, 000 and potentially 180, 000 by year-end.
JNLR figures reshape mid-mornings at RTÉ and Newstalk
The latest JNLR report underscores the stakes beyond weekends. David McCullagh, effectively Claire Byrne’s successor in RTÉ’s mid-morning schedule, draws an average 440, 000 from 9: 00 a. m. to 11: 00 a. m., compared with 349, 000 tuning in for Byrne in the comparable survey a year earlier. Now, Byrne’s Newstalk program runs 9: 00 a. m. to 12: 00 p. m., putting her in direct competition for two hours. It is too early to gauge her new show’s performance; Kenny left that slot with an average audience of 206, 000.
Moylan framed the contest as fundamentally listener-first. “It’s good for the listener, fundamentally, ” he said of the weekend overlap, while reiterating Newstalk’s aim to win market share on commercial terms. For competitors, he added, heightened rivalry can also spark interest and draw more people to the dial.
Next broadcast: Pat Kenny’s weekend show is scheduled for Saturday at 10: 00 a. m. local time (5: 00 a. m. ET), with a second edition Sunday at the same hours.
