Any Radio predictions for 2021 ?

Don Duck

Something that's definitely happening is Marty Whelan will be forced to retire from Lyric FM on his 65th birthday in June, So I reckon Rick O'Shea to replace him.

LuasSimon

Marty Whelan be a big loss, very soothing show.
Pity Ray Darcy isnt 65

Declan A Walsh

My predictions:

- I got it wrong about two years ago but: the number of dance pirates will decline.

- There will be more of those "Fun Radio" weekends in Dublin, i.e. a joint broadcast on various frequencies and platforms of like-minded or connected oldies pirate stations.

- 8Radio.com will return to FM with a temporary license as it did on previous years.

- More Irish-based online only operations will pop up.

- Here's a long shot: Ian Dempsey will be moved to a different timeslot on Today FM.

- 2FM will change their weekday breakfast lineup.

- Mark Cagney will be used more often than currently on Newstalk.

Lord Nelson

I'll make my usual prediction.
More of the same old sh*te and yet another pointless relaunch of 2FM or whatever it's called this week.

Don Duck

Lord Nelson wrote: »

I'll make my usual prediction.
More of the same old sh*te and yet another pointless relaunch of 2FM or whatever it's called this week.

2fm has had the same name for about 33 years.

ford fiesta

Don Duck wrote: »

2fm has had the same name for about 33 years.

..and?

Declan A Walsh

Lord Nelson wrote: »

I'll make my usual prediction.
More of the same old sh*te and yet another pointless relaunch of 2FM or whatever it's called this week.

Don Duck wrote: »

2fm has had the same name for about 33 years.

ford fiesta wrote: »

..and?

I think the point Don is making there is that 2FM have not been in the habit of changing their name in response to Lord Nelson's comment "whatever it's called this week". 2FM has been so called since March 1988 at least. Before that, it was RTE Radio 2. EDIT: Okay, one qualification - it was officially known as RTE 2FM for most of the '00s, but that's quite subtle.

Max Headroom

Kevin Branigan will finally realize that Haze is bringing the station to its knees and pay him off....Kennedy will follow due to tv commitments, "Living on the dole with Lucy "....and people might start to respect the station....

If only......:P

Itssoeasy

My only prediction for 2021 in terms of Radio is I’ll continue to listen to less and less Irish radio. It’s not the presenters for the most part, although there are a few I wouldn’t listen to if they were putting out the best radio ever in Irish radio history with ray darcy being one of them, it’s the format which I can’t stand. I listen to the bbc offering(and radio x and capital) which while not perfect is far far better then Irish radio. I know that’s probably unfair given the two markets aren’t comparable but isn’t the same blandness or by numbers in uk radio as Irish radio.

Don Duck

It's very boring how little happens in Irish Radio compared to the UK. Almost nothing changes in terms of ownership for example.

marno21

Surely some further consolidation in the local radio market. Many stations must be struggling financially now with advertising taking a massive hit in 2020 and into 2021. Comparing Ireland and the UK, it's amazing the number of local stations we have but surely it's only a matter of time before we go down the road of Heart type setups with limited local output and more networking. Of course, it's different in Ireland given we don't have local services from the BBC to cover local current affairs.

96FM are to network evenings with Live95 in 2021: https://www.newscareers.co.uk/vacancies/837/radio-presenter--cork-s-96fm.html?Source=twitterreferral

If Cork/Limerick are networking in the evenings surely the smaller stations will have to do the same.

StevenToast

Ryan Tubridy will be sacked

Darc19

Kilcullen Capital to buy Newstalk.

Don Duck

Darc19 wrote: »

Kilcullen Capital to buy Newstalk.

I'd say Denis would love to get rid off it, it must be losing millions every year.

Ger Roe

Don Duck wrote: »

I'd say Denis would love to get rid off it, it must be losing millions every year.

It always lost money... I remember when he was presenting at the BCI hearing for the national talk licence, O'Brien said that he thought it was important for Newstalk to continue, so he would keep on providing the cash to keep it going. The move to national wasn't going to guarantee it could stand on it's own commercial footing, but he hoped that it might at least reduce the loss.

He won't give it up, it's a critical slice of the media pie that compliments his publishing interests and as such is a valuable asset in the grander scheme of all his media holdings (the sum of the parts is greater). Even if it doesn't make money for him, in someone else's hands, it could became a competitive threat to his dominance of the sector.

He would rather hang on to a loss making outlet that he controls, than let it fall in to someone else's hands.

Government buildings

Itssoeasy wrote: »

My only prediction for 2021 in terms of Radio is I’ll continue to listen to less and less Irish radio. It’s not the presenters for the most part, although there are a few I wouldn’t listen to if they were putting out the best radio ever in Irish radio history with ray darcy being one of them, it’s the format which I can’t stand. I listen to the bbc offering(and radio x and capital) which while not perfect is far far better then Irish radio. I know that’s probably unfair given the two markets aren’t comparable but isn’t the same blandness or by numbers in uk radio as Irish radio.

I agree with you. What stations do you listen to on BBC?

Darc19

Ger Roe wrote: »

He won't give it up, it's a critical slice of the media pie that compliments his publishing interests and as such is a valuable asset in the grander scheme of all his media holdings (the sum of the parts is greater). Even if it doesn't make money for him, in someone else's hands, it could became a competitive threat to his dominance of the sector.

He would rather hang on to a loss making outlet that he controls, than let it fall in to someone else's hands.

Does he have any publishing interests left?

Indo and star are sold.

Owns just 98fm, spin and today fm (in addition to newstalk) and those three are music based, so lower Co.

Has a couple of online apps too.

Business Post buying it would have plenty of synergy. Add 'off the ball' and business post gets a branded sports offering too and it would become a compelling premium news outlet.

Itssoeasy

Government buildings wrote: »

I agree with you. What stations do you listen to on BBC?

BBC radio 2, five live, bbc radio 4 and the world service and bbc radio wales would be the stations I’d move between.

My prediction:

In mid January, on the rte radio 1 Sunday Brendan O'connor show, A pair of 6th year students are interviewed as winners of the Young Scientist exhibition for their "outstanding ground breaking and out of this world" entry.

robo

StevenToast wrote: »

Ryan Tubridy will be sacked

That's not gonna happen in 2021 - in fairness to Tubs, he's improved in TV and radio & the only way he'll leave RTE is if he does something crazy that goes against COVID rules or he leaves for the UK which he dipped his toe in. I can't see either happening. I know he's not everyone's taste but I've listened to him most mornings & I don't find him as insufferable as before

flazio

That mooted shut down of RTÉs DAB services finally happens.

Traumadoc

Ciara Kelly to be moved back to "Mid-morning matters".

ButtersSuki

Noel Kelly to take over from Dee Forbes in RTÉ. He’s doing it in an unofficial capacity anyway so might as well make it legit.

More adverts than ever for TV licence on Radio 1

Red Fred

Pat Kenny announces he is reducing his hours and is moving to Saturday and Sunday slots on Newstalk.

Ray D"Arcy resigns live on air after a dispute in the RTE canteen over the price of porridge.

During 2021 5 new books by RTE radio presenters are advertised and "reviewed".

Max Headroom

Every year I ask Santa for a license for 8radio, even several temporary ones would suffice ...hopefully this is the year....
Just a station with decent presenters, don't have to be DJ's, playing an alternative to the tripe on every station out there..something that I can tune into when working or driving seeing as there are none on our airwaves...and I mean none...

Declan A Walsh

Max Headroom wrote: »

Every year I ask Santa for a license for 8radio, even several temporary ones would suffice ...hopefully this is the year....
Just a station with decent presenters, don't have to be DJ's, playing an alternative to the tripe on every station out there..something that I can tune into when working or driving seeing as there are none on our airwaves...and I mean none...

One of my predictions for 2021 in my earlier post is that they will have a temporary license run, as they did on previous years but not this year!

Incidentally, I heard 8Radio.com regular Anne-Marie Walsh presenting on Christmas FM this morning. In mid-November, I heard another 8Radio.com regular Dan McDermott presenting online on Christmas FM. Normally, these two would be behind the scenes on Christmas FM - Dan is its Station Manager.
So I predict that these two will present, at least once, for Christmas FM again in 2021, whether online or on its temporary license run!

L1011

Don Duck wrote: »

It's very boring how little happens in Irish Radio compared to the UK. Almost nothing changes in terms of ownership for example.

Why would you care what happens in terms of ownership changes?

The main changes in the UK are just consolidation and for further networking anyway.

99nsr125

StevenToast wrote: »

Ryan Tubridy will be sacked

Please god let it happen

99nsr125

99nsr125 wrote: »

Please god let it happen

"Late the hate flow through you" ~ Emporer Palpatine.


Meanwhile, back in the real world ,

Late 2021:

The 7 o'clock arts show gives the latest Indiana Jones Movie, a review from 3 panelists. Each one gives 5 out of 5.

Infoanon

Not so much a prediction but confirmation that Dave Kelly has been appointed as Group Programme Consultant at Bay (Nova and Classic Hits ).

KReid

marno21 wrote: »

Surely some further consolidation in the local radio market. Many stations must be struggling financially now with advertising taking a massive hit in 2020 and into 2021. Comparing Ireland and the UK, it's amazing the number of local stations we have but surely it's only a matter of time before we go down the road of Heart type setups with limited local output and more networking. Of course, it's different in Ireland given we don't have local services from the BBC to cover local current affairs.

96FM are to network evenings with Live95 in 2021: https://www.newscareers.co.uk/vacancies/837/radio-presenter--cork-s-96fm.html?Source=twitterreferral

If Cork/Limerick are networking in the evenings surely the smaller stations will have to do the same.

Local stations have very loyal basis though. The one's outside Dublin, like Radio Kerry and Clare FM have decent backers, usually get some grants across the year and actually connect with the locals more.


In the world we're in now, having new pop music on 24/7 seems pointless, we can all get that on Spotify. What's more appealing now is local content for the smaller stations and the larger stations should be focusing on more Talk content. Today FM should be able to positon themselves, I know the shows are hit and miss with people, but Dermot and Dave for example are built around talk content, no one cares what music they play. Now to counter that, the specialist music shows like Tom Dunne and Ed Smith are good because you hear new/old interesting stuff you dont get elsewhere. I've noticed my habits changing as i've got older, and been back in Ireland permanently.

alzer100

Would it be safe to predict/presume that licensed Irish music radio will be just as bland and boring as it was in 2020?

and the year before that and the year before that...

radioguru02

A further decline in pirate stations on the FM band
An increase in listenership and clients for the FreeDAB platform

turbocab

radioguru02 wrote: »

A further decline in pirate stations on the FM band
An increase in listenership and clients for the FreeDAB platform

i dont think so .free Dab when on in dublin had very patchy signal ,its achellies heal is all signal or then no signal .the threshold very high to receive signal so unless your DAB transmitter is on a mountain with decent power its coverage is very limited.

Declan A Walsh

radioguru02 wrote: »

A further decline in pirate stations on the FM band
An increase in listenership and clients for the FreeDAB platform

turbocab wrote: »

i dont think so .free Dab when on in dublin had very patchy signal ,its achellies heal is all signal or then no signal .the threshold very high to receive signal so unless your DAB transmitter is on a mountain with decent power its coverage is very limited.

As regards pirate activity around Dublin, the trend this year so far is that most of the pirates are concentrated around the weekend. mainly on FM but also Energy (Power) AM on Medium Wave. AFAIK there are two pirates on during the weekdays as well: Hot FM on 91.0 and ICE Radio on 93.2.

I did predict on this thread, though, that dance pirates could well be in decline. FreeDAB will probably be a bit hit and miss, from what I can gather - not an expert. I believe the mainly weekend oldies pirates will continue apace for quite some time.

There are quite a few ex-pirates broadcasting online - some of them recent enough, for example Club FM. I think that's where the dance stations will be found. I reckon there could be a further increase in other online operations by more established players, like a few that sprung up in 2020: Gold Radio, planeertradio.ie and Music One Ireland.