Lots happens in the radio industry each week so here’s a summary of the week we just enjoyed.
Here’s what happened
We recently covered Today FM’s big Busk for focus Ireland in Quick Bits, but they are doing something really cool that is worth looking at in more detail.
Today FM are looking for local business’s to bid for the opportunity to have the Ian Dempsey breakfast show broadcast live from their premises.
Bids start at €5,000, with all funds going towards Focus Ireland. Obviously brands pay for OB’s all the time but the fact that this is for charity ads to the whole event.
Will brands be willing to pay more knowing that it’s going to charity?, and that this will help brand image more than just a standard OB? We’ll need to wait and see. To me this is a fun unique way for radio to be used for good, raising vital funds for a worthy cause along the way.
Best wishes to all the bidders, I look forward to hearing the final bid amount.
Corks 96FM and C103 newsreader Pearse McCarthy has been charged with drug offences. He appeared before Bandon District Court this week on nine charges.
Pearse has been a newsreader on the station for many years, and has also filled in as presenter of the Arts House. Separately from the radio Pearse also hosts the 4Play podcast, where artists speak about the four songs most personal to them. He also works as a producer for TalkSport Ireland.
Pearse faces three charges of possession of drugs, three charges of having drugs for sale or supply, and one charge of having drugs worth more than €13,000 for sale or supply. All these alleged incidents are from 2017. He also faces 2 charges from 2021.
MR McCarthy has been released on €5,000 bail. He is subject to certain conditions, such as signing on at a Garda station three times a week, not applying for replacement travel documents, and being contactable by Gardai. He has already surrendered his passport.
If you want more information on this story you can check out the link below.
Finally this week we’re sticking with Cork. Red FM is now officially part of Bauer. The deal has now gone through, and we’re already seeing changes, Jesus Bauer, slow down a bit.
The changes started last week before the deal had even went through. The Red FM mobile app was updated with a new look. it now has a much more modern design.
The station has also been added to GoLoud, which really is the signal for the start of changes at RedFM. We haven’t seen new imaging or anything yet, with no mention of Goloud or Off The Ball in RedFM’s branding so far. It’s likely things won’t all change instantly, but we would expect to see things like Cash machine arrive in Cork over the next few weeks and months.
We’ll need to wait and see how all this plays out, but it’s going to be interesting to watch over the next while.
Do you think Bauer buying RedFM is good news? Let us know over on our Instagram story now.
Quick Bits
TODAY FM DJ Declan Pierce is making a full recovery after suffering a brain hemerage
Brian Dowling is joining Suzanne Kane on the 98FM Daytime show
Irish Music month gets underway on the 12th of March
Redacted Lives from The Journal won best podcast at last nights Spider Awards (I was at the event and it was a fantastic night, well done to all winners)
And that’s the summary for this week. Come back to radio land next week for more radio news📻 and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for extra stories.