Dublin's Q102

ford fiesta · 03-02-2014 1:43am #1

What is it with this station that they play the same tired songs since they changed from Lite FM around 10 years ago? Some of these songs come to mind - White flag, Out of Reach, I Try, Angels...Is the station aimed only at women?

At least 4FM has some variety that keeps changing

soc160 · 03-02-2014 11:15pm

Q102 has a much larger market share than 4fm so it is obviously a format that appeals to a large demographic and works, why change?

Bard · 04-02-2014 11:30am

soc160 wrote: »

Q102 has a much larger market share than 4fm so it is obviously a format that appeals to a large demographic and works, why change?

According to the most recent JNLR figures, Q102 dropped 28% of their market share in the past year, going from 9.3% to 6.7% moving them from a position of 3rd place behind RTÉ Radio 1 & FM104 to 5th place in the Dublin market, with Newstalk and SPIN 1038 now also ahead of them.

Classic Hits 4FM meanwhile doubled their market share from 1.3% to 2.6% in the capital.

While the figures still show Q102 well ahead of 4FM, they're moving in the wrong direction while 4FM are making gains. These trends alone show why Q102 should make a change.

Liam92 · 04-02-2014 4:34pm

I had to endure Q102 almost daily in my previous workplace and there's only so much Adele, UB40, and Robbie Williams a man can take!

They have a limited music library and 4fm deserve credit for having a more substantial library than Q102.

Q102 wait a long time to play new music. Hit songs are played several months after they break through for some reason? Like they were saying Pompeii by Bastille was brand new in June and July, when it was released in like February. Even with older music, they rarely play anything other than the music they play every single day, which is a huge shame.

bbability · 04-02-2014 10:20pm

In defence of Q102, it's holding its own and playing what it's license requires it to. As for the other station mentioned, it's got no money and has totally gone against what it should be broadcasting.

Declan A Walsh · 04-02-2014 11:28pm

bbability wrote: »

In defence of Q102, it's holding its own and playing what it's license requires it to. As for the other station mentioned, it's got no money and has totally gone against what it should be broadcasting.

Q102 was licensed to play easy-listening music (originally called Lite FM). One of the first things on the agenda was to try and change the nature of the license. It eventually succeeded in getting approval from the BCI for a name change, but NOT a change in its content.

In the meantime, it has stretched its remit as far as it can go. It even plays danceable music on Saturday nights. There is no mention in the jingles about it being an easy-listening station and, during the day, you wouldn't know instinctively that it is by its music-mix. Anybody who discovered Q102 since the name change may be a bit surprised to find out what it's licensed for. Sometimes the station resembles 98FM or FM104... or maybe a version for slightly older listeners.

The thing about 4FM (that "other station") is that it has a "multi-city license". Other than a vague remit to cater for older radio listeners (45+), there is nothing specific about what music it can or cannot play. In fact, it is quite a clever type of license to hold. However, in Dublin, 4FM suffers competition for a similar age group from Q102, Sunshine 106.8 and, most recently, Radio Nova. It is doing somewhat better in the other areas that the license covers, because there is not the same level of competing radio stations.

4FM would of course have a bigger library of music because of the nature of the license as described above - whatever its older listeners are interested in (including current music sometimes). It is much better than Q102 at producing the hidden gems. The problem with Q102 is not just the limited size of its music library, but the contents of that library.

Trebor176 · 04-02-2014 11:57pm

Ford Fiesta, thank you for raising this topic. You have saved me the hassle of having to do so :P And, I have to fully agree with yourself and Liam92. The music is one reason why I made "the switch" away from the station because I could not put up with the repetition, and so many songs that I do not like. And, this is from a station that has supposedly got the biggest music collection in the city? My a**e!

I started in an office at the beginning of the year, and one of my colleagues listens to Q, so I have been dismayed at the amount of times I have had to endure the same bloody UB40 songs, Bob Marley (nothing against him as an artist, but it's the same two/three songs played), some God awful One Direction song that is played at least twice most days, White Flag (as mentioned), Bohemian Rhapsody (a classic, but Queen had many songs, ffs), Gotye (God help us). . .I could go on.

My colleague did change over to Sunshine 106 for a couple of days last week. While it too is repetitive, the music is so much better to listen to, even though there are a heap of cover versions. I found myself humming along to so songs there. Then, much to my chagrin, Q102 made a reappearance, and there hasn't been so much as a tiny hum from me.

I will happily listen to the repetition on Nova or Sunshine any day over Q102, which just seems a bit depressing. It went through a great phase during its infancy, but it just went downhill from me. And, when Lite FM started first, it was a breath of fresh air. The same with 4fm, but at least their music is more varied, even if at times it seems like a Q102 clone.

I am aware that the station is catering for a certain age demographic, but for the love of God, if there is any representative of Q102 reading, please vary your music a lot more and make it a bit more uplifting!

Declan A Walsh · 05-02-2014 12:05am

Lite FM used to have specialist programs in the evenings - for example: Lite Country on Thursdays, Sounds of the Seventies on Saturdays and, last but not least, the excellent Lite Jazz on Tuesdays. The latter was presented by Neil O'Shea and featured such idioms as jazz-rock and jazz-funk.

This is the peculiar thing: When it was advertising itself as an easy-listening station, it had a more imaginative and varied schedule than Q102 does now!

Trebor176 · 05-02-2014 12:25am

I remember the format all those years ago, and it was a great mix of music, particularly the specialist shows, as mentioned below. I cannot fathom the change from party music to The Love Zone on a Saturday night when a lot of people would be getting in the mood to go out. You can't exactly dance to love songs, can you? Not unless it's a romantic evening :P

soc160 · 05-02-2014 12:40am

Bard wrote: »

According to the most recent JNLR figures, Q102 dropped 28% of their market share in the past year, going from 9.3% to 6.7% moving them from a position of 3rd place behind RTÉ Radio 1 & FM104 to 5th place in the Dublin market, with Newstalk and SPIN 1038 now also ahead of them.

Classic Hits 4FM meanwhile doubled their market share from 1.3% to 2.6% in the capital.

While the figures still show Q102 well ahead of 4FM, they're moving in the wrong direction while 4FM are making gains. These trends alone show why Q102 should make a change.

Well 4fm is coming from a very low base and is newish, Q102 has been around longer, maybe people are switching for variety now. I can't see 4fm overtaking them in the next few years. I think they peaked about 3 years ago and were 3rd in Dublin? Be difficult to get back to that again though.

You have to repeat stuff, especially if you are a classic hits station, 4fm have their no repeat policy so I suppose that set's them apart from Q102, 4fm's new listeners are most likely people who switched from Q102 for variety.

The point at hand is why they repeat though and you would point to the figures, if they do continue to drop the station will probably try to mix it up.

ford fiesta · 25-06-2014 12:47am

Listening to bland Q102 tonight 'the love zone' - the songs are being played at a slower pitch than normal, the music is dragging on...is this intentional by the station?

TheLonelyOne · 25-06-2014 4:50am

ford fiesta wrote: »

What is it with this station that they play the same tired songs since they changed from Lite FM around 10 years ago? Some of these songs come to mind - White flag, Out of Reach, I Try, Angels...Is the station aimed only at women?

At least 4FM has some variety that keeps changing

Oh please.... 4fm are so bad that they were even repeating that CSI competition. The station, both listenership wise and financially, is starting to crumble and I fear it won't have as long a life as predicted or hoped for.

And don't even get me started on having Boylan on twice a day. It screams poverty.

Mediajunkie · 25-06-2014 9:37am

What's the story with Q102 playing David Guetta and the like these days? It is such a disconnect from their target audience. I used to listen but can't stand Dave Harrington during the day.

Have to say 4FM have great variety these days - they do a "haven't heard in a while" things and there are some gems on that. Definitely listening to 4fm more - credit to their music director

JeffDar · 25-06-2014 3:08pm

I only recently posted on another thread about 98FM and Q102...Q102 is well ahead of 98 in terms of listenership and has been for a good while now. I think the music on Q is actually great now and I find I can actually tune in longer and don't hear the old Lite FM favourites half as much. I'm 41 and LOVE David Guetta and consider myself in the 98/Q target audience! 4FM is a mess. Cheesey long links and their new male VO isn't doing it for me. I may be in the minority here but I quite like Niall Boylan! I'm pretty sure you're in the minority with regard to Dave Harington on Q102, I think afternoons there have the highest listenership on the station...although I'm not sure if it's his slot or Aidan Cooney's. 'Gems' and 'variety' is all very well. Play the hits lads. That's what your average listener wants...we're hardly 'average' listeners on here! I still think 98 are the ones to watch. If they got their music right, they'd be halfway there!

Radio Freak · 26-06-2014 1:02am

JeffDar wrote: »

I only recently posted on another thread about 98FM and Q102...Q102 is well ahead of 98 in terms of listenership and has been for a good while now. I think the music on Q is actually great now and I find I can actually tune in longer and don't hear the old Lite FM favourites half as much. I'm 41 and LOVE David Guetta and consider myself in the 98/Q target audience! 4FM is a mess. Cheesey long links and their new male VO isn't doing it for me. I may be in the minority here but I quite like Niall Boylan! I'm pretty sure you're in the minority with regard to Dave Harington on Q102, I think afternoons there have the highest listenership on the station...although I'm not sure if it's his slot or Aidan Cooney's. 'Gems' and 'variety' is all very well. Play the hits lads. That's what your average listener wants...we're hardly 'average' listeners on here! I still think 98 are the ones to watch. If they got their music right, they'd be halfway there!

I'm glad you find the music so good on Q102, it's not to my taste at all. I don't like their cheesy old tunes from the 60 's 70's or their sedating tunes on the " love zone". It's a real turn off and I'm in their demographic market. Nowadays I find myself listening to Newstalk and Sean Moncrief in the afternoons which is far more pleasing radio than the music played on Q102. For music it's Dermot and Dave on 98fm for their wit and humour and to a lesser extent their music.

Dublin's Q102

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