Italian radio market trends 2026

In July 2026, Audiradio’s second‑quarter audience measurement showed a continued decline in overall daytime listenership for Italian radio, falling to 34.053 million. Despite the drop, RTL 102.5 kept its position as the most‑listened‑to station with about 6.3 million daily listeners, and its digital platform RTL 102.5 Play reported a 19 % year‑on‑year increase in video views. Other major stations also recorded audience decreases.

A week later, the FCP‑Assoradio observatory reported a 3.7 % fall in radio advertising investment in the first half of 2026, with June being the weakest month. While overall ad spend declined, sectors such as distribution, leisure, tourism, home management and toiletries continued to invest in radio across FM, DAB+, streaming and smart‑speaker platforms. RadioMediaset marked its tenth anniversary and maintained a leading market share, with its stations commanding over 20 % of the average quarter‑hour audience and approaching a 50 % daily reach.

Together, the data illustrate a dual trend: shrinking audience numbers across the sector, alongside a modest contraction in advertising spend, even as leading groups like RTL 102.5 and RadioMediaset reinforce their market positions and expand digital offerings.