Phantom - More changes - not for the better

lordgoat

I just posted this over on the phantom board but said i'd put it up here too.




Phantom - The END is in mid Sept.


So a little birdy tells me that Phantom are wiping out the entire weekend evening staff. Well the more obscure shows and replecing them with pre recorded shows from the boring morning and afternoon shows.

Great work phantom, I can safely say I will never listen to you once this happens.

Sunday morning coming down with Pearl - GONE.
James Byrne - GONE
Dee Reddy -GONE

Not sure about any others but I'd guess Tim O'D and Derek Byrne are also for the chop.

I'm guessing it's a cost saving measure. But to be honest the little slice of phantom that was worth listening to is no longer with us.

I'd urge you all to tune in the last few weeks and bid a fond farewell to some great music and some great people. I'll update this as i hear more.

miketv

That is a shame. Almost time now for a new pirate alternative rock station in a garden shed like the good old days.

Sids Not

TBH the only programme i turn off is that afternoon show Feedback...far too much yapping...stick it on when i'm watchin Corrie...:D.....i only listen to the radio for music...i can get yapping at home thanx....:rolleyes:

bbability

At this stage of the game why don't they just send a feed from XFM and be done with it..

Since Nova arrived it seems to have dwindled down to the same listeners figures as Sunshine. I'm not sure what the answer is. Perhaps a re launch would be a good start.

Sids Not

I'm not sure who Phantom is aimed at...its certainally not me (48 year old male ).....i like indie/punk/alternative music thats why I listen'
Not sure theres enough students and non hip hop/r&b listeners out there in the age group they aim for.....And if theres a station on in a shop/business, i'll bet its Nova, with their "safe" rock......
I've noticed them playing more classic rock stuff too since Nova aired...
As an x-Nova listener i only listen to Phantom now (xcept Feedback) but as with most stations on air theres far too much chat on the "music " stations....
I doubt if theres anybody who listens to their iPod or phones that would download endless chat......just my opinions.....

Jedwardian

For anyone interested, Phantom have a listener survey every month. It might be worthwhile giving your opinions here:
http://www.mypollsurveys.com/survey.php?option=com_mypoll&view=mypollsurvey&sid=204

It's such a shame to see what has become of the station. It's supposed to be an alternative station so why relegate the truly alternative shows to nighttime and evening slots? While I'm not a fan of a lot of the music on Pearl's show, at least it's something different and not filled with indie pop bands like nearly every other show on the station.

qwert2

I'm sure it's been highlighted before on here...... but their breakfast show is unbearable. I remember they had an ad years ago slagging the typical morning show to be found on other stations, telling listeners that we're different. They sold their soul. Shades of Radio Ireland. To paraphrase Alan Partridge.. 'This world!'

tommyboy2222

I'm sure it's been highlighted before on here...... but their breakfast show is unbearable. I remember they had an ad years ago slagging the typical morning show to be found on other stations, telling listeners that we're different. They sold their soul. Shades of Radio Ireland. To paraphrase Alan Partridge.. 'This world!'

I totally agree with this. I recently went back to listening to Phantom in the mornings and was shocked how similar it was to the awfulness of 98fm or 104. The only difference is the type of music they play. Thats when they decide to eventually play a song.

Don't they realise how irritating it is when presenters try to be "wacky" or "hilarious" ?

I've found an Aussie radio station that plays 90's indie/alternative non-stop so thats what I listening to at the moment.

Having said that Phantom Anthems is a great show. Shame about the morning one though.

Zamboni

That fecking quiz is bloody awful on the breakfast show.
Bandie about or something.

Richie from stadium rock is terrible. Does he still phone his mum?

I drew a line when they gave that Vogue person from that tv thing Fade St a slot.

It is a shame because it could be so good.

qwert2

Zamboni wrote: »

That fecking quiz is bloody awful on the breakfast show.
Bandie about or something.

Richie from stadium rock is terrible. Does he still phone his mum?

I drew a line when they gave that Vogue person from that tv thing Fade St a slot.

It is a shame because it could be so good.

I agree, although I don't mind Richie too much

miketv

tommyboy2222 wrote: »

I've found an Aussie radio station that plays 90's indie/alternative non-stop so thats what I listening to at the moment.

What is the station Tommy?

tommyboy2222

miketv wrote: »

What is the station Tommy?

If you have a smartphone download the TuneIn Radio (free) and the station is called Tunn90s.

Its a great app actually as it will suggest radio stations based on your listening history.

Let me know what you think.

You can listen online as well http://tunein.com/radio/Tunn90s-s149619/

RichieMc

As ever, all feedback appreciated

Zamboni

RichieMc wrote: »

As ever, all feedback appreciated

Hey if this is actually Richie, please get rid of bandieabout.
I think yourself and Michelle have probably the best show on the station to be honest but you gotta lose the reverse spelling bee though!
A quick quiz based on the actual band would result in actual fans winning tickets.

RichieMc

Hey Zamboni, cheers for the feedback.

Listeners enter competitions because they're fans of the act we have tickets for - usually. But, as with any show, we need to be as egalitarian as possible to give everyone a level playing field.

We're always working to improve the show and put the best 3 hours possible on air, and all feedback is indeed welcome. Even (as is often the case here) the negative stuff.

Cheers

Richie

Sids Not

Richie..i beg you to stop Michelle from saying Vooodarfone...it itches me teeth.............:)

starviewadams

According to todays Herald Michelle Doherty is leaving Phantom to pursue a movie career.

Cienciano

Zamboni wrote: »

That fecking quiz is bloody awful on the breakfast show.
Bandie about or something.

Richie from stadium rock is terrible. Does he still phone his mum?

I drew a line when they gave that Vogue person from that tv thing Fade St a slot.

It is a shame because it could be so good.

I used to listen to Phantom for years as a pirate, but stopped about a year after it got licenced. But please tell me you're taking the piss about Vogue. If I wanted to sink a radio station and get it to lose any credability, that's exactly who I'd get in.

RichieMc

Cienciano wrote: »

I used to listen to Phantom for years as a pirate, but stopped about a year after it got licenced. But please tell me you're taking the piss about Vogue. If I wanted to sink a radio station and get it to lose any credability, that's exactly who I'd get in.

You seem more knowledgeable about Vogue/Fade St than you do about Phantom. Pity.

Cienciano

RichieMc wrote: »

You seem more knowledgeable about Vogue/Fade St than you do about Phantom. Pity.

Fade street has more street cred than Phantom at this stage, so that's a complement.

RichieMc

Cienciano wrote: »

Fade street has more street cred than Phantom at this stage, so that's a complement.

Where to begin with that one? Enjoy your thread folks. Am always available on Twitter etc.

qwert2

I can't wait for the day when a Radio station launches a down beat breakfast show. This could be you Phantom. I don't mind the male presenter in the morning. But the girl from the north strikes me as someone who knew nothing about the 'cool' indie scene until they gave her a quick crash course on all the must know bands. ie. She's like a manufactured indie disc jockey/presenter. The irony

Deediddums

Nice! You mean irony in it's true sense then, as in "the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning". Because you obviously knew that Michelle hosted Night Shift on Channel 6 and When Under Ether on RTE2 before and after coming on board at Phantom? No crash course needed I'd imagine.

Sids Not

Deediddums wrote: »

Nice! You mean irony in it's true sense then, as in "the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning". Because you obviously knew that Michelle hosted Night Shift on Channel 6 and When Under Ether on RTE2 before and after coming on board at Phantom? No crash course needed I'd imagine.

She's no Edith Bowman or Jo Whiley.........thats for sure...

RichieMc

Sids Not wrote: »

She's no Edith Bowman or Jo Whiley.........thats for sure...

By which, I'm sure you mean, she didn't get ahead because of who she married

Declan A Walsh

Going back to the original post, is there any official announcement on the dramatic changes to the weekend schedule? If it is not official, how reliable is the OP's source of information?

I hope Phantom don't intend to become more automated over the weekends, because it certainly would seem a wee bit ominous if that were the case. Say what you like about Phantom as it currently stands (and let's face it: it couldn't continue in the same way as the pirate days with all the commercial realities and licence conditions etc etc). The point is that if Phantom goes under completely we will never have a hope again of any kind of alternative music-based licenced radio station (at least on this platform anyway)....Oh, and Nova will get complacent and not make any effort at all at being adventurous.

Sadly, I don't have the answers. I am not an expert - just a listener and an anorak.

Maybe the fact that a number of the original lineup of presenters, when it launched with the full licence back in 2006, are still with Phantom suggests that something is going right for some people... or maybe that's just delusional. Still there (for the moment anyway) are: Richie McCormack, John Caddell, Richie Ryan, Ray McGowan, Cathal Funge, Laura Lee Conboy, Shane Galvin, James Byrne, Pearl, Jack Hyland and Nadine O'Regan.

One can but hope!

wyrn

Have to agree with most that's been said above. I was a huge fan of Phantom but have started listening less and less since about a year or so after they were granted their licence.

Tuned into Alison Curtis at the weekend and had to turn off, as one texter to the show asked was it the FM104 Phone Show. She spent most of the time talking about the taxi strike and crisp flavours. Not the Phantom I want.

The music has changed over the years. Before it was music that you normally wouldn't hear on the radio. In fact we couldn't get it where we lived but over time we were able to tune in (and XFM London).

Miss Sinister Pete but I cannot stand listening to Richie talking to his mum about football. Arggggg.

EDIT: I see that Communicorp has a 30% in Phantom since 2010, didn't realise that. That explains alot. I have Phantom & Newstalk tuned in beside each others and there have been several instances where I changed from Newstalk to Phantom to hear some music, only to realise I'd been listening to Phantom.

Sids Not

RichieMc wrote: »

By which, I'm sure you mean, she didn't get ahead because of who she married

NO ..i mean she's crap imo......she's there because of what she looks like ,not her musical knowledge.....but i do like you..;)

silvine

Just want to say I actually really enjoy the breakfast show. I listen most mornings. There's a lot of negativity around these parts...

I used to work in radio, you guys are doing a sometimes thankless job.

Sids Not

silvine wrote: »

Just want to say I actually really enjoy the breakfast show. I listen most mornings. There's a lot of negativity around these parts...

I used to work in radio, you guys are doing a sometimes thankless job.

"If ya cant stand the heat.....".......:)

ghostdancer

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

Going back to the original post, is there any official announcement on the dramatic changes to the weekend schedule? If it is not official, how reliable is the OP's source of information?

nothing official, but i heard the same thing directly from a Phantom DJ today; that several of the shows will be finishing in a few weeks.

Sids Not

August 2012 it was announced that a number of weekend presenters would be leaving the station in a bid to boost ratings. They include Pearl, Dee Reddy, Shane Galvin, James Byrne and Derek Byrne. Co-host of Pure Morning, Michelle Doherty will also leave in mid-September to pursue an acting career.

NegativeCreep

Oh no I love that Sunday morning show with Pearl She's the perfect cure for a hangover

ghostdancer

Sids Not wrote: »

August 2012 it was announced that a number of weekend presenters would be leaving the station in a bid to boost ratings. They include Pearl, Dee Reddy, Shane Galvin, James Byrne and Derek Byrne. Co-host of Pure Morning, Michelle Doherty will also leave in mid-September to pursue an acting career.

i'm not sure getting rid of some of the few DJs that actually pick out the something other than the same playlisted rubbish will make more people tune in on a Saturday night or Sunday morning. it will certainly lose lots of listeners like me who tune in especially for those shows.

of course, if they just get replaced with repeats or "best of" compilations fo the weekday shows, we'll know it was just a money saving exercise...

between these DJs, some of the others who've left in the last year or 2, and a few others that are still there, there's the makings of a great radio station, musically at least...

ghostdancer

Sids Not wrote: »

NO ..i mean she's crap imo......she's there because of what she looks like ,not her musical knowledge.....but i do like you..;)

a radio presenter there for their looks?
whatever about people's issues about her presenting style or accent (how they survive in Ireland with people from 9 counties+ with similar accents i don't know...), she certainly has a decent background and knowledge in alternative music, so i doubt she's there for her looks when people can't see her...

Effects

People generally begrudge women for being good looking. Nothing new there.

Sids Not

ghostdancer wrote: »

a radio presenter there for their looks? , so i doubt she's there for her looks when people can't see her...

So she's off to pursue an acting career, where people CAN see her........:rolleyes:

Theres plenty of good female dj's out there who'll never get a chance because of the likes of MD......

spank_inferno

I won't miss Doherty when she leaves Pure Morning.

I would hope they bring back Charlotte Flood, she is much more entertaining.

Declan A Walsh

spank_inferno wrote: »

I won't miss Doherty when she leaves Pure Morning.

I would hope they bring back Charlotte Flood, she is much more entertaining.

Charlotte Flood hasn't gone away exactly. She is still producer of the morning show, as she was when she was co-presenter. Every so often she is brought into the conversation.

It just occurred to me that Phantom is going to be down three female presenters if the report is accurate: Michelle Doherty, Pearl and Dee Reddy. However, still there is Sinead Ni Churain, Orla Ormonde, Orlagh Donnelly, Clare Beck, Alison Curtis, Laura Lee Conboy and Nadine O'Regan. That's one thing about Phantom over the years since it won its current licence: it has had its fair share of female presenters. They included Edel Coffey, Emma Meehan, Sinead Ni Mhordha, Tara Loughney Grant, Fiona Scally and Amber.... and of course all those female newsreaders.

Infoanon

Flicking between Nova & Phantom this morning and apart from playing the same Nirvana track at the same time Phantom seemed to be playing more 'Nova' type tracks eg Bruce Springstein Dancing in the Dark than previous.

Phantom need to improve their audio - modulation is too low but also needs to play hard ball with the BAI re speech content and playlist restrictions.

Cutting live DJs is not going to solve the bigger issues.

koconnell

Jenny Huston leaves 2fm around the same time that Michelle Doherty leaves Phantom...

Hmmmmmmmm. Pure Morning with Richie and Jenny?! Stranger things have happened.

(Nothing behind this by the way, just putting it out there. More than likely just me thinking up things!)

ThisRegard

Infoanon wrote: »

Phantom seemed to be playing more 'Nova' type tracks eg Bruce Springstein Dancing in the Dark than previous.

You probably just happened to tune into the top 5 Bruce Springstein songs segment ?

end of the road

to be honest they should have just stayed a pirate.

Sids Not

end of the road wrote: »

to be honest they should have just stayed a pirate.

TBH...i'm finding myself listening to Caroline through an FM/pc transmitter i picked up ....far better mix of rock music.....phantom and nova are sounding very samey lately...:)

hichcock

I heard pearl announce her penultimate show this morning and now I'm reading James Byrne is to get the chop as well these are two of the best shows on phantom and in my opinion make it worth tuning in.

here is how i roll religiously

Tuesday - far side
wed - icon
Thurs - Cinerama sometimes spiral stairs
Fri - Tim then Shane
sat- Tim then James
sun- pearl ,power house,the lounge

as you can see i dint get out much :rolleyes:

all excellent shows due to their lack of play list

phantom is making a savage mistake by removing any of these shows there what keeps 105 on the dial on my radio

i used to listen to pure morning but I'm not up that early and the music can be a bit heavy at times for my old ears that hour of the day

Alison can be good but like a lot of shows on phantom its just play list which i don't think is aimed at my age demographic (38)

its good to see I'm not the oldest listener i see a 48 year old posting

slowly degrading is how i describe whats happening here i look back to theme time radio hour followed by x-1 on Sunday eve and think i will be doing the same in a few years regarding phantom.

paddylonglegs

I like phantom and the genuine interest their djs have in promoting new bands and live gigs. the majority of them could put any music annorak to shame. They make their best effort to play decent tunes even though they're under the playlist thumb from communicorp or whoever it is. I'm sure if you asked a few of the djs, they would tell you they can't stand some of the music they have to play (like the new muck released by the killers for example).

Its a shame to hear that the further alternative shows are being axed and will ad phantom to the absolute joke that Irish weekend radio is (apart from dave fanning on 2fm).

Bring back Muireann O'Connell BTW, cracking presenter when standing in for A Curtis and great banter with her producer. Get her in for the morning show replacement!

Declan A Walsh

paddylonglegs wrote: »

Bring back Muireann O'Connell BTW, cracking presenter when standing in for A Curtis and great banter with her producer. Get her in for the morning show replacement!

I heard Muireann O'Connell this evening on Today FM standing in for KC. She sounded quite comfortable. Of course Today FM is also owned by Communicorp, so anything is possible.

lordgoat

I see these have all been confirmed as of the last week.

Very upsetting to see some of these shows go, while I wouldn't listen every week the weekends I had nothing on, I'd tune in to James Byrne on Sat and Derek on the Sunday.

PaulieBoy

There is some current 'hot' rubbish song that Today FM are pushing right now. It's on heavy rotation! Tuned over to Phantom last night to dodge yet another helping of said song. You guessed! Within a few minutes they were playing the same rubbish pop song. Also noted them playing a Kate Bush pop song as well. The station is now operating in complete joke mode!

Max Headroom

Jumped in the van the other day...that wailing manwoman Marina and the machine or wetf theyre called was on...Hit another preset...same song, sh1t, must have pressed the same button...but alas no, the same song was on Today fm and Phantom at the same time.......:eek:......

hichcock

has anyone noticed that at the end of Alison's show they now do news stories aka ray Foley today FM and a couple of times recently Alison has joked that there was so much they didn't get to do in todays show another ray foleyisim
now ether she admires his style,or is being completely cynical
or as they are within the same building with ultimately the same cooperate boss nudging her in to a zany afternoon show format by following his lead

heres a idea why not keep today FM the junk mainstream station it is
allow news talk to tell the news without sensationalizing everything
and keep phantom alternative

oh and cut all the big earners across your wireless empire to keep the true music loving ,passionate DJs on the air

pearl came in on Christmas day to do her show live ,and brilliant it was
easter as well

James turns up live on Saturday night at 12 am - 2 most weeks live now thats dedication

sun eves Derick does 11-1 also dedication as is Shane on a Fri eve

only Tim and Cinerama left to tune in to all other shows ar homogenized and bland

Jesus comunicorp ***k off :eek: