The latest change to RTÉ 2fm's line-up has puzzled and surprised radio insiders and media buyers, with Marty Whelan being an unexpected alternative to the Rick and Ruth show.

Marty Whelan is very well-respected in the industry, but his inclusion on a schedule which aims to pull in the under-35s is puzzling, especially as the youth radio market is the most competitive in the country.

Ciaran Cunningham of agency Carat Ireland said: "It seems strange, given that the core audience is under 35." He said that 2fm presenters such as Mr Whelan, Gerry Ryan and Larry Gogan, while all excellent presenters, were older than their listeners.

Rick O'Shea and Ruth Scott replaced Ryan Tubridy on 2fm in March of this year after Tubridy moved to the older, news-driven Radio 1.

The latest JNLR figures revealed that the slot has lost audience and there was a feeling that the replacement show was haemorrhaging listeners.

There was also a fear that the disappointing reception for Rick and Ruth was having a negative impact on 2fm star Gerry Ryan, whose show lost 40,000 listeners in the latest figures.

Paul McCabe of MCM, part of agency McConnells, commented: "It's only six months since we received a triumphant press release from 2fm, heralding the new irreverent breakfast show to be presented by Rick and Ruth."

"It's not surprising that they planned to revamp the show, but their choice of presenter is."

Mr McCabe said that 2fm's age profile has been changing for some time.

"2fm's audience has been in gradual decline over the past few years and the profile has also mutated."

The station's daily audience is 692,000, 21pc of all adults and 58pc of the overall audience is aged between 15 and 34. This compares with 15 years ago when the station reached 34pc of adults, 66pc of which were in the 15 to 34 age bracket.

Mr Cunningham also said that there appears to be a shortage of talent at RTÉ, but he said that advertisers and audience expect to hear new, energetic bright voices on the youth station.

He said that the Rick and Ruth formula "didn't cut the mustard", but said the breakfast show was a slot where presenters would be expected to drive the listenership up through the rest of the day.

Regional radio station Beat 102-103 is 2fm's main competitor for a youth audience in the South East and the changes at RTÉ can only be good news for those chasing the 14 to 34 year old market.

Beat chief executive Kieran McGeary said: "Moving Marty Whelan to the breakfast show on 2fm signals the death knell for national youth radio in this country."

"All our staff are in the same age group as our target market," he said. "Ageing presenters don't belong on a youth radio station."

A raft of new regional youth licences are on the way from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, and applicants will no doubt feel there is plenty of room for an alternative to the national youth station.