The official Christmas FM thread

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

Thanks for all the lovely comments guys, some of the presenters have been on to me saying they were hugely moved and impressed that the station means so much to you all. We don't always see that from this side of a microphone.

ChewChew wrote: »

I listened in day and night. My tv didn't go on for the entire month. I just sat reading or browsing with it on in the back round. I miss it terribly!! Looking forward to it next year! Ronan, don't suppose you know what station Chris Maher is on on a regular basis?

Chris is a bit of a legend alright, he does production and presenting on Dublin City FM - The Soul Kitchen every Thursday from 10pm - 11pm on 103.2.

For everyone else - Chris Maher is our station manager so he's the one who makes sure the station runs smoothly and he puts in massive hours to make the station stay on air and organized.

Also he run's this other amazing project - The Dublin Soul Festival which is taking place May 24th - 27th 2012, for his charity called the Musical Youth Foundation which tries to get kids to express themselves through music in a safe and structured environment.

meemeep

Ronan I'd also like to thank Costume Shop for brilliant service (delivery in a couple of days) and perfect size - buying jumpers unseen can be a nightmare - but not in this case. Christmas jumper was perfect.

washiskin

Hi Ronan, it's pretty hard to hear fuzz on the old pre-set let me tell you.;)
how come the licencing period is so short?

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

It's a regulation thing, the gov only gives them out for a one month period at a time. Also it's better to leave on a high than drag Christmas music into Jan.

Posy

The old showbiz rule- 'always leave them wanting more!'

washiskin

Congratulations on an amazing amount of money raised, Ronan.
Just got the Tweet.

Posy

Wow, I just went onto twitter there when I seen your post! Brilliant work!

liamo22

From the Christmas FM facebook page this morning...

"Please check out our official 2011 wrap video, once again thanks for your support. Please share it with your friends, remind them of the Christmas spirit in February. We're starting to work on Christmas 2012 already : )"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpLSnn40huk

liamo22

I just cannot wait for Christmas FM to come back this year ?!! Any word on it yet, or is it still way too soon?

leahyl

liamo22 wrote: »

I just cannot wait for Christmas FM to come back this year ?!! Any word on it yet, or is it still way too soon?

Ah yeeeah I think it's a little early yet liamo22:pac: It won't be long coming around though! Can't wait either!

elvis jones

leahyl wrote: »

Ah yeeeah I think it's a little early yet liamo22:pac: It won't be long coming around though! Can't wait either!

I'll be talking to one of the guys today, i'll mention it !

leahyl

elvis jones wrote: »

I'll be talking to one of the guys today, i'll mention it !

Thanks Elvis! It's beginning to get exciting for me already (yes I am aware it's July:rolleyes::pac:)

Bit technical this but I hope they have a shoutcast stream again this year unlike last year.

I'm getting worried. Usually we'll have heard from Ronan at this stage. What charity are we donating to this year I wonder?

kerry4sam

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm getting worried. Usually we'll have heard from Ronan at this stage. What charity are we donating to this year I wonder?

I wouldn't worry just yet. Ronan must just be very busy else-where and will come along soon I am sure

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

Hi Guys,

Sorry haven't been ignoring you all, had a new business launching today - Clothing.ie. It's going to be the lead co-sponsor of Christmas FM with EBS who's graciously back on board as co-sponsor again.

KerrySam thanks for the email about the thread, seems the new system unsubscribed me or somehow i didnt get notifications.

I do know the charity but can't announce it quite yet, we've been advised to keep it quite with the hopes the press release getting some more attention that way. We're going to do absolutely everything in our power to make them as much money as we can because last year really raised the bar. It's a charity close to my heart, benefiting all your communities and i'm sure everyone here will approve of the choice.

I'm meeting the rest of the management team of Christmas FM later this week, so i'll bring back some gossip from that meeting.

Any suggestions for this year? Now is the time to let me know because all the major decisions happen now.

Posy

My Suggestions:

1. End it a teeny bit later than December 26th.
2. Better Christmas Day show.
3. Never ever play Christmas Shoes.

:pac: :pac:

Cannot wait for this year, I can't believe it's come around again so fast! Looking forward to the gossip, Ronan! You guys are all fantastic and I'm sure it will be for a worthy cause once more.

CombatCow

Posy wrote: »

My Suggestions:

1. End it a teeny bit later than December 26th.
2. Better Christmas Day show.
3. Never ever play Christmas Shoes.

:pac: :pac:

Cannot wait for this year, I can't believe it's come around again so fast! Looking forward to the gossip, Ronan! You guys are all fantastic and I'm sure it will be for a worthy cause once more.

Yeah im sure it must be neigh on impossible getting DJ's later on Christmas day to continue the show but later in the day the "Christmas across the lands" is pretty bad I find, not sure what other alternative there is. Id also agree with "End it a teeny bit later than December 26th." Also play more Christmas shoes, like once every hour should be enough

Cant wait for you guys to be back on again, been listening every year since it started

Posy

CombatCow wrote: »

Yeah im sure it must be neigh on impossible getting DJ's later on Christmas day to continue the show but later in the day the "Christmas across the lands" is pretty bad I find, not sure what other alternative there is.

Maybe the regular DJ's could all pre-record a 2 hour slot each or something?

CombatCow wrote: »

Also play more Christmas shoes, like once every hour should be enough

*shudder*

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

1. So the start and finish times are fairly fixed due to licensing issues. We get a one month temporary license and need to use one of those days for audio testing. If we need to go on later then we would have to apply for a change in license but more importantly would have to start much later in December.

2. I'll have a word with the guys about the Christmas Day show, I might pop in after lunch and do a show myself if you guys think its really important. Most of the presenters though, as you can imagine wouldn't be available to donate their time on Christmas day. Can't really record shows in advance as we'd need a second studio to do that, but ill see if we can organise something.

3. Ah the Christmas Shoes debate. Love it or hate it - that one song gets more text messages (asking to, and even a few asking not to play it). And as you know every text makes money for the charity partner. I think maybe a Facebook poll before we launch as to whether we should play it.

washiskin

Hi Ronan Delighted that Christmas FM will be back this year.

The only thing I would like to see is more variety on the music front - I know that there is a core list that attracts the greatest amount of texts and that you have to cater for the 20 minute listeners but a lot of your audience would have it on all day too. (PLEEEEEEASE - no more Jimmy Durante! )

The Christmas Day conundrum....you could shake it up with some carols - esp during the "dinner hours" ? Choral music type stuff. I think that Posy's idea of the pre-recorded shows is great too. Surely one of the mainstream Dublin stations wouldn't mind donating a few hours to facilitate you guys to get your recording done
In all fairness I don't think anyone here expects you or your colleagues to go live on Christmas Day - you provide us Christmas nutters with enough of your time as it is.

As for Christmas Shoes it seems to be your marmite song every year

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

I LOVE that term "marmite song" I'm so stealing that. Love the idea about dinning music too on Christmas Day and Sundays. We're you thinking every day though? Might be annoying for those driving home from work who'd rather be car-dancing to Chris Rea.

Regarding other stations helping us out, we are friends with all the guys in the other stations, but at the end of the day we compete for listenership during a busy sales time, so I dont think that would be an option. I'll pitch it to the program director that we should build a second smaller set up for voice tracking and do the pre-recorded idea. Honestly I dont mind popping in on Christmas Day cause i think of all days having a live DJ might get loads of text donations for the cause and some people are lonely on Christmas so maybe in a small way it might help them fell less isolated, just need to make sure the family wont disown me if I do.

hdowney

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan wrote: »

I LOVE that term "marmite song" I'm so stealing that. Love the idea about dinning music too on Christmas Day and Sundays. We're you thinking every day though? Might be annoying for those driving home from work who'd rather be car-dancing to Chris Rea.

Regarding other stations helping us out, we are friends with all the guys in the other stations, but at the end of the day we compete for listenership during a busy sales time, so I dont think that would be an option. I'll pitch it to the program director that we should build a second smaller set up for voice tracking and do the pre-recorded idea. Honestly I dont mind popping in on Christmas Day cause i think of all days having a live DJ might get loads of text donations for the cause and some people are lonely on Christmas so maybe in a small way it might help them fell less isolated, just need to make sure the family wont disown me if I do.

Ye can't be on air for longer than the month, but could ye pre-record yer slots before ye go on air (or would that not work, I don't know these things). I'd help ye out Christmas but I don't know the first thing about radio!!!!!

I am hoping and praying I can get ye down here this year on the radio. I could get ye on the mobile app and on the comp last year but it kept cutting out and re buffering. I'd love to have ye on the proper radio whilst decorating the tree and the loikes

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

We'll do our best.

washiskin

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan wrote: »

Love the idea about dinning music too on Christmas Day and Sundays. We're you thinking every day though? Might be annoying for those driving home from work who'd rather be car-dancing to Chris Rea.

Honestly I dont mind popping in on Christmas Day cause i think of all days having a live DJ might get loads of text donations for the cause and some people are lonely on Christmas so maybe in a small way it might help them fell less isolated, just need to make sure the family wont disown me if I do.

Oh no I meant Christmas Day for the carols For myself I love cooking and eating while listening to carols as opposed to Christmas songs as it's very evocative.

What a lovely thought for people on their own on Christmas Day - fair play to you Ronan

Posy

Definitely pitch the pre-recorded idea, you could even just tape it in someone's house with a cassette recorder. :pac:

That's so nice of you, Ronan, thinking of those who are lonely over the Christmas season, but after all the time and effort you guys all put in, nobody seriously expects you to come in for a live Christmas day show! :eek:

Alicat

Love the idea of the carols at the appropriate times, like Christmas Day and the Sunday dinner! As much as I love the cheery cheesy music, I wouldn't have it on in the house around times like dinner or relaxing in front of the fire at night.

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

Well we have a policy of not being overly religious but I'll pitch it to the lads about the carols. To help me out could you suggest some carols that would suit?

Alicat

Well it'll be tough to get carols without some sort of religious content, seeing as Christmas is technically a religious holiday. What would you describe as "overly religious"? I think it would be a shame to miss out on just a few hours of lovely traditional Christmas carols, just because they mention God, and angels etc a few times. I'm not a religious person at all, but I can still appreciate how wonderful some of the traditional carols are. A couple of hours a week surely wouldn't be overly religious?

Perhaps assigning 'Christmas Carol slots' would allow people to decide whether they would like to listen to them or not. They can choose to turn off the radio for an hour if they are so against listening to carols. I think you would get a lot of new listeners by doing it that way. I don't know about everyone else, but while I don't mind bopping along to cheesy Christmas songs all day in work and on the way home, as soon as I get home I turn off the radio because I definitely don't want to hear bloody Christmas Shoes for the umpteenth time while I'm trying to relax in front of the fire. While you might temporarily lose listeners who don't like carols (and to be honest, how many Christmas-loving people are that offended by carols that they would turn them off? A small percentage I think!), you are going to gain even more who love them.

leahyl

Alicat wrote: »

Well it'll be tough to get carols without some sort of religious content, seeing as Christmas is technically a religious holiday. What would you describe as "overly religious"? I think it would be a shame to miss out on just a few hours of lovely traditional Christmas carols, just because they mention God, and angels etc a few times. I'm not a religious person at all, but I can still appreciate how wonderful some of the traditional carols are. A couple of hours a week surely wouldn't be overly religious?

Perhaps assigning 'Christmas Carol slots' would allow people to decide whether they would like to listen to them or not. They can choose to turn off the radio for an hour if they are so against listening to carols. I think you would get a lot of new listeners by doing it that way. I don't know about everyone else, but while I don't mind bopping along to cheesy Christmas songs all day in work and on the way home, as soon as I get home I turn off the radio because I definitely don't want to hear bloody Christmas Shoes for the umpteenth time while I'm trying to relax in front of the fire. While you might temporarily lose listeners who don't like carols (and to be honest, how many Christmas-loving people are that offended by carols that they would turn them off? A small percentage I think!), you are going to gain even more who love them.

Completely agree Alicat - I absolutely love Christmas Carols. While I love the upbeat commercial songs (don't get me wrong about that!) I think the carols are just so beautiful and give me a warm christmassy feeling! I love to hear singers like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby singing the carols as well as the traditional choir I don't really think it would offend many people - it's not like most people actually think about the words to the carols, it's more the familiar tune that evokes christmas memories in people I think:)