Lots happens in the radio industry each week so here’s a summary of the week we just enjoyed.
Here’s What Happened
More networking is on its way, with Wireless group set to simulcast another show across some of their stations.
FM104s Freaks on Friday, hosted by DJ Al Gibbs, will now be known as ‘Freaks with Al Gibbs’, and is going to be airing on Saturday as well as its long running Friday show.
The Saturday show looks to be remaining an FM104 exclusive for now, but between 8pm and 9pm on Fridays the show will be joined by listeners in Cork and limerick, with 96FM and Live 95 joining the party.
We also heard this week that Angela Scanlon is joining Virgin Radio UK, but there’s no word on that show being carried by the Irish network just yet.
The consolidation of Irish radio and media in general continues at a rapid rate, and there’s no way of knowing what the future holds.
Ryan Tubridy launched his new podcast this week in association with Eason.
The Bookshelf is available on all the main podcast apps as well as on YouTube, with the first episode featuring author and former Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams.
The show has a simple yet nice set, and is uploaded to the YouTube channel of NK Productions. That’s the YouTube channel of Ryan’s agents NK Management.
The YouTube channel hosts other podcasts too including path to power with Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates, and Understanding Money with Eoin McGee. I have a suspicion these podcasts are all recorded in the same studio, but I guess we can’t be sure.
It’s the perfect sponsorship for Eason really, as it fits their brand in every way. RTE had secured a podcast from Tubridy as part of the €170,000 deal that would have seen him return to radio 1, but that deal unfortunately fell apart.
The podcast launched at number one in the Irish podcast chart, outperforming  Journal Media’s hugely popular podcast the Stardust, which released an episode this week following the Stardust inquest.
It looks to be a good start for the Bookshelf, showing that Tubridy continues to perform really well outside of RTE.
Listen to the first episode of The Bookshelf here
Finally this week, we got the sad news of two RTE veterans passing Away.
Alf McCarthy passed away age 73 following a short illness. He was best known as presenter of RTE Radio 1 show Late Date, and RTE Cork show Corkabout.
Former Late Late show executive producer Larry Masterson also passed away this week, again aged 73.
Larry left a career as a social worker to join RTE, and worked on shows such as The Live Mike. He was well liked and respected in the industry and will be missed.
It’s a sad story. Hopefully both men rest in peace.
Quick Bits
WLR Gave away a trip to California
Irish presenter Nuala McGovern is joining the presenting team of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour
Angela Scanlon is taking over weekends on Virgin Radio
SAMANTHA LIBRERI is the new Eastern correspondent at RTE News
And that’s the summary for this week. Come back to radio land next week for more radio news📻 and be sure to check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn for more fun from the world of radio.