DJs safe at 2fm but 80s music gets the boot [Article]

Greyham

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/djs-safe-at-2fm-but-80s-music-gets-the-boot-29381810.html

PETER FLANAGAN – 29 JUNE 2013

THE stars at RTE's 2fm are safe, but 80s tunes have been banned by the station's new boss.


"Since I took over I have been concentrating on getting the music right for our core 15 to 34 audience," he said.

"We'll be playing the new stuff and then the really contemporary hits. After that there will be music from the 1990s and Noughties but nothing before 1990 for now." Mr Healy said the rule would be broken the odd time, but mostly he wanted it strictly enforced.

"When the rules get broken, it becomes very evident and you get great radio, but if you have no rules then nobody knows when anything has been broken so it gets lost," he said.

Mr Healy said he had not even thought about making changes to 2fm's DJs.

"Hector O hEochagain, Ryan Tubridy, Colm Hayes, Larry Gogan and Rick O'Shea are strong broadcasters. A shake-up isn't in my head," he said.

Irish Independent

DarkJager

Greyham wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/djs-safe-at-2fm-but-80s-music-gets-the-boot-29381810.html

2fm still have an audience??

wnolan1992

"our core 15 to 34 audience,"
[...]
"Hector O hEochagain, Ryan Tubridy, Colm Hayes, Larry Gogan and Rick O'Shea are strong broadcasters. A shake-up isn't in my head,"

And all hope of a revival of 2FM died.

smcgiff

Why is the state paying for a loss making, low audience, popular music radio station?

Skid X

our core 15 to 34 audience

Or Seamus and Mary, as they are otherwise known.

You can't have people like Ryan Tubridy, Colm Hayes and Larry Gogan at the core of your schedule and claim you are a youth orientated station.

washiskin

Ah FFS, talk about a wasted opportunity! I thought that chasing the youth market was off the agenda ?? Either back it up with DJs who know their stuff or PU&FO!

Rick O'Shea is the only one who fits into the upper end of that demographic where as Larry Gogan serves as an escape from Ronan Collins over on One.

He was out of vogue in the 80s yet he's still there 30 years later??

LizT

No 80s music? What will Larry Gogan do for the Golden Hour?

Rick O'Shea is the only one I listen to regularly, Colm Hayes is trying too much to be Joe Duffy crossed with Gerry Ryan and it just irritates me.

mikom

*Sticks on vice city

wnolan1992

mikom wrote: »

*Sticks on vice city

Lazlow's a more competent talk show host than the two 2FM have...

LizT

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Lazlow's a more competent talk show host than the two 2FM have...

Don't forget Maurice Chavez, pressing issues.

Losty Dublin

LizT wrote: »

No 80s music? What will Larry Gogan do for the Golden Hour?

Play 70's music, I guess.

endacl

I've a yoke in my pocket that holds thousands of albums. I can listen to anything I want, at any time, and without a dj talking over the outro. I can listen out walking, plug it into the car, and pop it in a dock at home.

Why do 2fm think people (especially de yoof) tune in in the hope of hearing a song they like? The world has moved on. Specialist shows aside, radio is practically irrelevant music-wise. If the target audience want to hear a song, they'll click a mouse.

mike65

endacl wrote: »

I've a yoke in my pocket that holds thousands of albums. I can listen to anything I want, at any time, and without a dj talking over the outro. I can listen out walking, plug it into the car, and pop it in a dock at home.

Why do 2fm think people (especially de yoof) tune in in the hope of hearing a song they like? The world has moved on. Specialist shows aside, radio is practically irrelevant music-wise. If the target audience want to hear a song, they'll click a mouse.

I think you've nailed it and with that in mind 2FM should if anything become a golden oldies station. Nothing after 1990. Keep us old fools (an expanding part of the population) who like an actual tune amused.

byte

Isn't there an oldies show on 2fm on Sunday mornings? Maybe that'll get axed.

downonthefarm

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Lazlow's a more competent talk show host than the two 2FM have...

fernando martinez too

armchair fusilier

Hang on, didn't anyone tell Healy that 2fm gave up on 15 to 34 year olds back in 2009 and changed it's target audience to the 25-44 age group? What a mess of a station.

Infoanon

byte wrote: »

Isn't there an oldies show on 2fm on Sunday mornings? Maybe that'll get axed.

One of the most popular shows on 2FM.....

If 15-34 is now the core market then it should only be music since the noughties.........how this fits in with all the sports programs transferring to 2FM is open to question

downonthefarm

do they have a droning d4 function on all the mics?

heybaby

Well there you have it folks apparently Dan Healy thinks 2fm is a youth music station? Oh and the genius reckons its on air talent is strong!! Hector is over 40 years of age as is rick and so is Ryan. Hayes is over 50 as is Fanning, and so is john Clarke, and the jewel in the 2fm 'youth music' crown, Larry Gogan who is well over 70.
2 FM nationally after 7pm has about 15,000 listeners,it is a station without an identity, with very little talent and with no audience. I suggested healy had a golden opportunity to become 2fm's saviour, if the article is true, he's signed 2fm's death certificate.
Previously in another thread people recounted the story of the massive cull in BBC radio 1 in the early 80's which changed the fortunes of the state broadcaster, a similar cull was needed in rte this time round.
This article is terrific news for fm104, iradio and spin who have been free to Hoover younger listeners. 2fm will soon be passed out by 4fm in Dublin no doubt.

lertsnim

smcgiff wrote: »

Why is the state paying for a loss making, low audience, popular music radio station?

It's not. 2FM doesn't receive licence fee funds.

Skid X

lertsnim wrote: »

It's not. 2FM doesn't receive licence fee funds.

That may or may not have been true at one point, but it is not true now.

From the 2011 results

RTÉ One was the only profitable station for the broadcaster, reporting a profit of €2.7 million. RTÉ Two, however, lost €17.59 million, while radio station 2FM recorded a deficit of almost €5.4 million.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/media-and-marketing/rt%C3%A9-losses-widen-despite-cuts-1.728930

mike65

The minute Ryan keeled over 2FM cost more to run than it made in advertising. He was the one keeping them solvent as decline set in all around.

chalkitdown1

Aren't people in their late-twenties to mid-thirties the exact audience for 80's music?

I'm 29 and I love 80's music since it's what I grew up listening to.

This decision makes no sense.

Ol' Donie

So even if a song is particularly good, it won't get played if it was recorded during a particular decade?

Sounds like a winning approach to have on a music station.

marno21

I presume he's trying to turn the station into a 15-34 year old targeted station one step at a time.

At a guess, there are contracts etc that prevent him walking into his new job and turfing half the staff out the door. Rome wasn't built in a day, let him have a shot at changing things around, in all fairness any changes he makes will be an improvement considering how much of a mess the station is in at the moment

heybaby

marno21 wrote: »

I presume he's trying to turn the station into a 15-34 year old targeted station one step at a time.

At a guess, there are contracts etc that prevent him walking into his new job and turfing half the staff out the door. Rome wasn't built in a day, let him have a shot at changing things around, in all fairness any changes he makes will be an improvement considering how much of a mess the station is in at the moment

Sounds like a measured approach but 2fm is way beyond needing a measured approach, it needs life saving intervention asap. Any contracts could easily be bought out, 2fm are already in massive debt, an extra million or two to buy out existing isn't going to make much of a difference at this stage. Its much more important for Dan healy to bring in sweeping changes in schedule, on air personnel and music policy asap during the summer ideally.

Skid X

"Hector O hEochagain, Ryan Tubridy, Colm Hayes, Larry Gogan and Rick O'Shea are strong broadcasters. A shake-up isn't in my head," he said.

Good news for every daytime presenter except Will Leahy?

marno21

Skid X wrote: »

Good news for every daytime presenter except Will Leahy?

To be honest, Will Leahy is the only one of the 2FM daytime presenters worth keeping. Maybe he's trying to get us to read between the lines

Bard

byte wrote: »

Isn't there an oldies show on 2fm on Sunday mornings? Maybe that'll get axed.

Why would it? It's a hugely popular show, and Healy did use the words "unless they are on specific shows", so I'd presume it - and the golden hour - would be special cases in this regard.

byte

Bard wrote: »

Why would it? It's a hugely popular show, and Healy did use the words "unless they are on specific shows", so I'd presume it - and the golden hour - would be special cases in this regard.

Ah, I had overlooked that bit you quoted!

My mistake, carry on, etc.

MJ23

marno21 wrote: »

To be honest, Will Leahy is the only one of the 2FM daytime presenters worth keeping. Maybe he's trying to get us to read between the lines

No way, he's the worst. He never stops going on about Friday's.
"Only 3 days til Friday, Friday is nearly here, it's Friday"

GSF

MJ23 wrote: »

No way, he's the worst. He never stops going on about Friday's.
"Only 3 days til Friday, Friday is nearly here, it's Friday"

if you live for Friday, you are probably in the wrong [2] jobs!

siblers

Will Leahy is absolutley awful. One of the worst DJs on national radio

wnolan1992

As much as I personally like Will Leahy's show, if they're going for a 15-34 audience, he has no place there tbh. His show is, by his own admission, aimed squarely at the 25-45 group.

But that's really not saying much, because IMO the ONLY presenter on their daytime schedule that even has a remote claim to being aimed at thei "core" audience is Hector.

bbability

I was shocked at the 80s music ban. If he had dropped some of the presenters and grabbed a few from the Indies it would have turned my head but alas 2fm will not be on my presets.

It looks like he's another yes man.

washiskin

wnolan1992 wrote: »

But that's really not saying much, because IMO the ONLY presenter on their daytime schedule that even has a remote claim to being aimed at thei "core" audience is Hector.

I think you should include Rick O'Shea there....judging by his Twitter audience anyway. I reckon he should carry that show himself without Cormac Battle though who's becoming too "Mairead Farrell" altogether......

todolist

smcgiff wrote: »

Why is the state paying for a loss making, low audience, popular music radio station?

The State pays for nothing.It's the money taking from people working in factory and dreary office jobs who pay for the ludicrous,dead,2fm station.

Trebor176

There's an interview with Dan Healy in today's Irish Mirror

http://www.irishmirror.ie/showbiz/celebrity-news/its-time-move-gerry-ryan-2030623

So it looks like he's not a fan of Ray D'Arcy, Ian Dempsey, Today FM or Nicky Byrne (who is?), yet thinks Ryan Tubridy is "brilliant."

Skid X

Trebor176 wrote: »

There's an interview with Dan Healy in today's Irish Mirror

http://www.irishmirror.ie/showbiz/celebrity-news/its-time-move-gerry-ryan-2030623

So it looks like he's not a fan of Ray D'Arcy, Ian Dempsey, Today FM or Nicky Byrne (who is?), yet thinks Ryan Tubridy is "brilliant."

This was the only thing he said which I agree with

“Why don’t we, when we get an opportunity to showcase people, why don’t we showcase Jenny Green. There will be no more Nicky Byrne.”

Apart from that he is in denial. You would wonder does he ever listen to the station? Does he really think the Ryan Tubridy, Colm Hayes and Larry Gogan shows appeal to under 35s? - perhaps he should look at the JNLRs again. He should judge them on their shows' content, not their reputation.

And his dig at Ian Dempsey was ridiculous. Every breakfast show takes time to bed in. It didn't take Dempsey long to find his feet at Today FM and see off a succession of rivals in his old 2FM slot.

Everybody is safe on 2fm

Madness.

armchair fusilier

Trebor176 wrote: »

There's an interview with Dan Healy in today's Irish Mirror

http://www.irishmirror.ie/showbiz/celebrity-news/its-time-move-gerry-ryan-2030623

We have Hector, who is a major national band and unique for this country.

Brand Hector:rolleyes:. When Colm and Jim Jim were axed from the breakfeast The head of RTE Radio said it was down to poor JNLR figures. Hector has less listeners now than Colm and Jim Jim had when they got the boot. He was never going to have the universal appeal needed for that show. New focus groups picking the tracks he plays isn't going to change that.

Hayes is just so competitive. He’s a great broadcaster.

Competitive? How many of Gerry Ryan's listeners has he lost again? It's too easy to blame everything on the death of Gerry. Tubridy and Hayes were the wrong people to replace him and they still are.

John McMahon always came across as a bit of a spoofer in interviews, this new guy is taking it to a whole new level.

mike65

If you can take this fella at his word then the ship shall continue to sink, if not then some names are in for a shock later.

Running Balance

That just seemed like a really childish interview.. You don't say stuff like that in public about the opposition esp when they are cleaning the floor with you!!!

heybaby

Well if proof were needed that RTE will do the diametric opposite of what they should do, then Dan Healy's first prognostication is just that.

Never have I heard such a diatribe of delusional nonsense in my life. My concern when Healy's name was first mentioned was that he had little pedigree, sorry make that ZERO pedigree as a music programmer, he had a stint in Newstalk , irdaio as ceo and 98fm over a decade ago. There is a massive difference between being a ceo and a programmer. 2FM dont need another overpaid executive / sales man, they need a dyed in the wool radio man.

With this 'article', Healy announces his arrival in Montrose like a gorilla beating his chest triumphantly over its slaughtered prey, the irony is that 2FM is in fact the bloodied carcass in this image, somebody tell Healy. His delusion is staggering.

The very fact that Healy is targeting Today fm at all highlights his ignorance. Yes both stations are national stations, but thats where the similarities end. Today fm is a mix of tunes and 5.5 hours of talk between 7am and 7pm, they do it well but they know their remit and dont pretend to be anything they arent.

2FM on the other hand is an abject irrevelant mess. Healys annoucement that the only change will be to ditch 80's music for the moment, is like pulling the wings off a dead fly, utterly pointless. As ive said before 2FM needs total and complete overhaul. Throw out the whole operation and start again. 2FM has the best of all worlds, public money and advertising revenue in spades and is pi$$ing it away every single day.

2FM has to be purely about the music and only the music.

2Fm should be the go to station for new music. They should be doing what bbc radio 1 does and be breaking new artists and new music.

Why dont RTE use their brain and reopen the recently closed studio in London and operate a satellite studio where they could host the big music names and do something similar to Fearne Cotton's live lounge? If the big names wont come to Dublin then use technology to bring the listeners to them ? Its not like RTE cant afford the expense, sure they've been lining larry Gogans bank account for 50 years as he phones in his shows. Incidently Tony Blackburn who is 70 years old and still younger than Larry, was deemed surplus to requirements to bbc radio 1 in 1983, thats 30 years ago.... 3 decades rte seem to think Larry is still relevant. While im on the subject, Mike Reid aged 66, parted company with BBC radio 1 in 1991, thats 22 years ago, Dave Fanning ... John Clarke are of a similar age.


I would keep Jenny Greene yes, and possibly rick oshea and scrap absolutely everone else on the station.

New talent across the station is needed in specialist music genres across the station.

To survive has to ditch all the talk Dan including your own blustering !!!

chef without a plane

Wow, this post sums up beautifully my reactions to this disappointing article. Brilliant

Tomk1

Agree with "heybaby"s post, the other day driving, I was flicking stations and thought that 2FM must be listening to todayfm whatever came on seemed too similar, reminded me of years ago when 2FM & Century Radio played nearly song for song.
I think newstalk&R1 had sport shows on so I just switched of the radio.

I like the Colm Hayes show at 11am but being 40+ I must be too old to listen anymore as it's now aimed at hipsters going to school.

Aside: I think Colm Hayes is the nearest radio persona to JR, and should take over JR's old spot. That other fellow ->R1

Albert X

Damien Farrellys Saturday evening show has changed from 80s 90s Now to 90s 00s Now.

countygorey

80s better than 00s.

wnolan1992

countygorey wrote: »

80s better than everything.

FYP.

byte

Albert X wrote: »

Damien Farrellys Saturday evening show has changed from 80s 90s Now to 90s 00s Now.

That's a shame. Probably one of few programmes that covered their whole target audience in one go?

Eeden

I personally like Rick O'Shea, but sometimes I think he's stymied by the playlist. I reckon he'd play much cooler stuff if he wasn't on in the afternoon. He'd be good at talk radio too, as he seems very intelligent - but 2fm talk radio has always been a bit on the tabloid side, so I reckon it mightn't suit him.

Infoanon

Article in Saturdays Irish Times re what needs to be done at 2FM