What Q Radio Ltd. does

Q Radio Ltd. is a privately held local commercial radio broadcaster headquartered in Belfast, operating a network of seven regional FM stations that provide full geographic coverage of Northern Ireland: Q Belfast (96.7/102.5), Q Mid Antrim (107), Q Mid Ulster (106), Q Newry and Mourne (100.5), Q North Coast (97.2), Q North West (102.9), and Q Tyrone and Fermanagh (101.2). Programming is locally produced and presented 24 hours a day on weekdays and weekends, comprising contemporary hit music, news, sport, weather, traffic, entertainment, and interactive competitions such as Spin2Win. News bulletins are produced locally during daytime hours by a Belfast newsroom with content supplied via a core partnership with Macmillan Media (in partnership with Northern Media Group), while overnight and weekend news is supplied via Sky News Radio / IRN.

The core technology is conventional broadcasting infrastructure extended across multiple delivery platforms: FM transmission, DAB digital radio, native iOS and Android applications, browser-based web streaming through the Aiir platform, TuneIn integration, and Amazon Alexa voice activation. Supporting digital products include on-demand podcasts, a playlist search feature, an Events Calendar and 'Q Diary' community listings tool, branded content production, and the Thank Q Club listener loyalty programme.

Q Radio generates revenue primarily through commercial advertising sold to businesses targeting the Northern Ireland audience, supplemented by sponsored competition prizes and branded content opportunities. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly disclosed, with audience reach monetised through on-air spots and digital inventory. The station is operated in partnership with Northern Media Group as the parent affiliate, employs 49 staff across Belfast and Derry/Londonderry offices, and distributes content across both regional (FM/DAB) and global digital (apps, web, TuneIn, Alexa) channels.

Name

Q Radio Ltd.

Legal name

Q Radio Ltd.

Website

https://qradio.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Q Radio Ltd. is a privately held local commercial radio broadcaster operating seven FM/DAB stations across Northern Ireland, delivering music, news, sport, and competitions via FM, DAB, mobile apps, web streaming, TuneIn, and Alexa, with revenue generated primarily through regional advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Radio Networks (National/Regional) (MPABABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Non-Interactive Digital Radio (Lean-Back Streaming) (MPAIACAB)

Keywords

• Commercial radio broadcasting
• Regional radio stations
• Radio advertising sales
• Digital audio broadcasting
• Local news coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Advertising: Q Radio generates revenue primarily through advertising. The station offers advertising opportunities to businesses with various contact methods including studio line, WhatsApp, text messaging, and direct office contact. Competition prizes are sponsored by third parties, indicating advertising and sponsorship arrangements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Q Radio Ltd. is a Northern Ireland regional commercial radio broadcaster operating a network of seven local stations delivering contemporary hit music, local and national news, sports, weather, entertainment, competitions, and community event information. The broadcast service is available across multiple platforms including FM, DAB, mobile apps, online streaming, and Alexa, with advertising sales to local and regional businesses forming the core commercial offering.

Product overview

Q Radio Ltd. operates as a regional radio broadcasting company offering a unified platform of radio services across Northern Ireland. The core offering consists of seven local radio stations broadcasting contemporary hit music, news, entertainment, and interactive competitions. The network is accessible through FM radio, DAB digital radio, online streaming via TuneIn, Amazon Alexa voice activation, and a mobile application for iOS and Android. Additional services include news bulletins (produced locally and via Sky News Radio), podcasts for on-demand listening, the Spin2Win competition feature, the Thank Q Club loyalty programme, and an events calendar for community listings. The company also offers advertising opportunities for businesses targeting the Northern Ireland market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Q Belfast: Local station variant for Belfast area at 96.7/102.5 FM
• Q Mid Antrim
• Q Mid Ulster
• Q Newry and Mourne
• Q North Coast
• Q North West
• Q Tyrone and Fermanagh

Products and services

• Q Radio Regional Broadcasting Service A commercial radio broadcasting service operating seven regional stations across Northern Ireland, delivering contemporary hit music, local and national news, sports, weather, entertainment, competitions, and community event information to listeners across the province.
• Q Radio Mobile App A mobile application available on iOS and Android that allows listeners to stream Q Radio's live regional stations, access on-demand content, and stay connected to the network outside of FM/DAB reception.
• Q Radio Podcasts On-demand podcast and audio content produced by Q Radio, allowing listeners to access select programming and segments beyond the live broadcast schedule.
• Q Radio Advertising On-air advertising and sponsorship packages sold to local and regional businesses in Northern Ireland, providing access to Q Radio's engaged listener base across multiple regional stations and digital platforms.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Macmillan MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMacmillan Media, in partnership with Northern Media Group, supplies Q Radio news content. The Macmillan news team led by Jane Veitch and Michael Macmillan provides news bulletins broadcast seven days a week during daytime hours, complementing locally produced content.
• Northern Media GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQ Radio is operated in partnership with Northern Media Group. The footer states '© 2026 Northern Media Group and Aiir', indicating Northern Media Group is the parent company or major partner operating Q Radio alongside Belfast-based operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cool FM: Belfast-based contemporary hit music station owned by Bauer Media Audio UK. Head-to-head competitor for the same CHR-format listeners and the same Northern Ireland advertiser spend as Q Radio Belfast.
• Downtown Radio: Bauer Media-owned local radio station covering Northern Ireland with a broader music/talk format. Competes with Q Radio's regional stations for advertisers seeking NI-wide reach.
• BBC Radio Ulster: BBC's Northern Ireland regional station, broadcasting across the same geography as Q Radio with overlapping news, music and talk programming. Directly comparable in audience and ad-substitute role, though publicly funded rather than advertising-supported.

Broad incumbents

• Global Radio: Operator of Heart, Capital, Classic FM, Smooth, LBC and Radio X across the UK. Comparable commercial-radio network with national advertiser relationships and DAB/multi-platform distribution that Q Radio operates at regional scale.
• Bauer Media Audio UK: UK's largest commercial radio broadcaster, owner of Cool FM, Downtown Radio, Absolute Radio and the Hits Radio network. Closest commercial-radio competitor at scale, sharing the same audio advertising marketplace across the UK and Ireland.

Peers

• News Broadcasting (Wireless Group):

Regional players

• U105: Belfast-focused adult contemporary station licensed to the greater Belfast area. Competes with Q Radio Belfast for audience and local advertising budgets within the same metro, but does not extend to the rest of Northern Ireland.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/QRadioOfficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/qradioofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/q-radio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Q Radio Ltd.