Exit makes sense as duo will enjoy creative and commercial freedom

The 2 Johnnies are leaving radioland and heading back to the podcast world.

On one level, it’s a surprise – Johnnies ‘B’ O’Brien and ‘Smack’ McMahon had the biggest audience on 2FM (151,000) with their afternoon show.

On another level, it makes sense. Podcasts give them far more creative and commercial freedom than the more regulated, financially shrinking world of legacy radio broadcasting.

There are no registers of interest. There are no rules being watched by anyone looking to catch them out. There’s a lot less for Coimisiún na Meán to go poking around in.

On the business side, in particular, there’s potentially a lot more upside in leaving the world of regulated radio.

Recent industry research, especially from Red C/IAB, suggests the gap between radio and podcast listenership has narrowed a lot.

However, legacy radio advertising cash still dwarfs podcast sponsorship in Ireland by as much as 10 to one.

This could narrow imminently, and the big winners will probably be the most-listened-to podcasts.

In this context, The 2 Johnnies have a formidable, loyal audience in the podcast world that has led to stage shows and a whole panoply of new commercial opportunity.

It also led to an RTÉ gig, but the content and themes were bawdier than a more straitened, mainstream RTÉ structure would naturally allow.

This is the norm. A look at Ireland’s top 10 most-listened-to podcasts shows a line-up that’s very different from what RTÉ, Bauer Media or anyone else in the legacy broadcasting world might feel they could put out and not fall foul of umpteen rules, from commercial interests to “taste and decency”.

Internationally, it’s the same: there’s no way any mainstream European broadcaster could stream The Joe Rogan Experience.

The 2 Johnnies aren’t alone. Doireann Garrihy is also leaving 2FM, having presented a breakfast show. Like The 2 Johnnies, she’s a popular podcaster who’s regularly in the top 10.

She has arguably more commercial power for endorsements and partnerships than almost any other Irish podcaster, something that might be stifled by a future presenting an RTÉ radio show.

Ironically, the same straitjackets may not prevent The 2 Johnnies or Garrihy from being asked to present on RTÉ TV, as Garrihy has done for Dancing With The Stars.

While big local podcasts like The2 Johnnies aren’t to the taste of everyone, their authenticity is undeniable. That makes them a compelling listen for a sizeable number of people.

For a podcast with the reach and following that The 2 Johnnies has, it may be smart to move on.