Freedom FM

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118037821#Comment_118037821

Before Christmas FM turns up on 105.2 FM in Dublin - it would be the end of November by the way as it's a 30-day license - 8Radio.com will be doing a run on that frequency starting next Friday (10 weekends).

This year we had Easy Radio on a temporary license (on 88.1 for Dublin only) - a pirate as recent as last year - and we then had a multi-location run for Freedom FM, a former pirate too.

Lord Nelson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118037846#Comment_118037846

There is no fee/charge levied by the BAI to apply for or operate under a temporary licence. For stations that have operated during the year there is a levy of €750 usually charged in May irrespective of broadcast dates.

BuzzG

I know opinion is divided on DAB and not wishing to derail this conversation but I'm certain if there was a legal framework in place to apply for a commerical DAB mux license an operator could do quite well from stations like Freedom FM, 8Radio.com, Easy Radio by consolidating the costs for transmission and offering the choice that these stations are so good at providing even if they just wanted to dip their toe in the market and try the same multi city model that's used for FM.

Lord Nelson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118044265#Comment_118044265

The difficulty being that you need a content licence to operate on DAB. The BAI only issue 5 year such licences which aren’t much use if you can only get a DAB trial licence for one to three years. On top of this, the content licence costs €5,000 per year. The real problem is that the 1988 Act is no longer fit for purpose (if it ever was?). Rather than dicking around with it, it should be replaced with a plan for the digital age. Some chance of that…..

BuzzG

@Lord Nelson - You certainly know your stuff, that's madness for sure and I think you are right. Better to start from scratch with a new framework suitable for the present time not something from 1988!

The existing local stations here are lobbying hard to get funding from the TV licence fee (or whatever might replace it in the future) . Things are very diffent in the UK where local stations lobbied successfully to basically become nothing more than 24/7 jukeboxes. Boards members may pine for radio deregulation in Ireland now but let's not forget, that 10 years ago boards members were pining for 2fm to become a youth station and then when it happened they started pining for 2fm to become an oldies station.

end of the road

2fm's listener figures had been tanking like hell, so not surprisingly, people suggested that it should actually fully target the audience it was set up to target, in the hope that listener figures would at least stableise, or ideally grow.

then, based on the evidence of that experiment, which showed that audience weren't interested, they suggested that the station should then fully target the opposite audience who are still tuning in to radio.

has nothing to do with deregulation anyway, which the main points of that are likely to happen down the line.

California Dreamer

So freedom fm was great!

Glaceon

A little birdie told me that they're back again from 24th September.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546647#Comment_119546647

If that is true, its Dublin frequency won't be 105.2 this time, as it is currently occupied by Easy Radio on their second temporary license run until late November. I wonder what frequency will be allocated for Dublin: 88.1 or 94.3 perhaps? As it happens, last year Easy Radio were allocated 88.1.

The current line up of Easy Radio includes Freedom FM's Ralph McGarry. It also includes Brian Butterly who was with Freedom's spin-off pirate Sugar FM. I am guessing that he might have been with Freedom FM previously. Regardless, I would not be surprised if he turns up on the forthcoming license run for Freedom. Both Ralph and Brian had been involved with the temporary license runs of The 90s Network. I expect quite a bit of crossover there with Freedom's next run, as indeed there was last time.

marcbrophy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546647#Comment_119546647

Great news 😊

Antenna

Freedom FM will be covering a greater geographic area of the country on FM than last temporary licence:

Dublin and commuter belt: 105.2, + Saggart 88.1 , Bray 99.5 MHz

Cork 106.7

North Cork, + areas of South Limerick: 87.7

Limerick 105.5

Galway 87.9

South East 103.8 (Wexford, east Waterford, etc)

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552225#Comment_119552225

How will it be on 105.2 in Dublin? Easy Radio is currently using that frequency for a 30-day temporary license spread over weekends that is not due to expire until November 27th?

marcbrophy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552322#Comment_119552322

They won't be on air during Freedom's run!

There's a gap in the schedule.

http://easyradio.ie/?page_id=205

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119558661#Comment_119558661

Ah! I didn't spot that. Thanks.

marcbrophy

Took this from their site, I'm assuming it's okay to post here :)

Frequencies from Sept 24th.

Coming through on 105.5 in Limerick now, same clear signal as last years trial!

kazoo106

I think the 88.1 and 105.2 bubbles size are a bit mixed up !

Losty Dublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119654268#Comment_119654268

They aren't mixed up, although they aren't meant to be awfully accurate. 105.2 covers Dublin county only while the 88.1 covers the Kildare/Meath commuter region. 88.1 is allowed additional gain by COMREG as it's location isn't as high as 105.2.

Either way, they both get out well.

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119655433#Comment_119655433

Last year I got a weak 105.2 at the toll on the M6 near Loughrea. I could hardly believe it.

Ger Roe

The 105.2 was powering out on the last run, the best coverage I have seen from a temp on that freq.

kazoo106

88.1 from Saggart hasn't a patch on 105.2 Northwards - never had for any temp - perhaps its better in those parts of Meath that the Galway motorway passes through - perhaps not.

TheBMG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119657188#Comment_119657188

I’m guessing 88.1 (and the other transmissions from Saggart) are useful for the Kildare commuter belt. Three Rock signals can get ropey very quickly on the way down to Naas.

Declan A Walsh

Around the southside, you can get it on both 99.5 and 105.2. If you do get it on 99.5, though, it's not long before it moves to 105.2!

Paul_Kavanagh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119661086#Comment_119661086

99.5 is Bray Co. Wicklow and 105.2 is Three rock Dublin , what part of the south side are you on ? the nature of RDS is it will follow the stronger signal.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119661612#Comment_119661612

Well aware of the RDS signal and that Dublin is on 105.2. I happened to have the 99.5 frequency stored - I guessed it was for Bray, just like Christmas FM. Dublin 16 is my stomping ground, so I am not too far away from 99.5, especially if I go further south.

Conway635

Listened a bit at the weekend, most enjoyable.

Where I live (roughly where counties Meath/Cavan/Westmeath and Longford converge) it is storming in on 105.2.

Steve

Glaceon

I made it out to the studio on launch day, here’s this year’s one. Not quite as fancy as last year but still impressive.

Losty Dublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119668632#Comment_119668632

Where does one hang their anorak?

Losty Dublin

I see that Freedom are planning on an outdoor broadcast in Dublin in the coming days. Such Rascals, they are taking the piss here!

I wish they would give regional OB's a Stab, that would be really Sweet and a Treaty for the listeners.....

Infoanon

They have done OBS as an online radio station , in part to promote their future , (as it was then) , FM broadcasts.

Audio a little bit bassy in the last few days with the stereo expander/enhancer dialled back.

KildareP

105.2 certainly pushing the loudness - right up there with FM104 and 98FM's tit-for-tat.

Going to guess it's an Omnia 11?

RINO87

Freedom has been blasting in here on 88.1 on the Nth Tipp/Laois border. We are slightly elevated but the signal is fantastic.

zoobizoo

They played Was Not Was " Shake your Head" which features Ozzy Osborne and Kkm Bassinger this morning. Haven't heard that on the radio in 25 years.

Same for Stakka Bo's "here we go again" a couple of hours later.

Max Power 2010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119704699#Comment_119704699

I think there using the Omnia 9 PTN, would make sense as you can send your MPX over IP to multiple sites, not a bad processor at all and can be very loud as per most Omnia kit.

Declan A Walsh

I happened to put Freedom on tonight and I was pleasantly surprised to hear Simon Maher of 8radio.com fame, and Phantom FM before that, hosting a rock show. Apparently, he is standing in for Elaine Kane. Still listening as I type this! I would not be a great fan of Freedom's general chart music, but this is a bit different, as well as the bonus of hearing Simon Maher!

Paul_Kavanagh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119704642#Comment_119704642

Yes We have done several OBs online and will continue to do so and while on fm we will try to do as many as we can. Two in the bag so far with many more to follow. thank you for your comments on the audio.

maniac2003

They have done their own version of a block rockin beats style dance show on fridays, its been excellent as they pull some absolute classics from the past that the main broadcasters won't play. Great run so far really enjoying the programming.

Paul_Kavanagh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119728318#Comment_119728318

Thank you for the comments.

All specialist Shows , Dance , RnB , Rock and chill out are available to listen to on demand and pod cast via our app and website.

Losty Dublin

Into the last few hours of Freedom's run this evening. Apparently there's a few surprises lined up this evening, including some "listener led" tributes....

Declan A Walsh

Simon Maher was presenting a rock show over some week nights over a number of weeks. He mentioned that he was standing in for Elaine Kane. Did she actually make it to Freedom FM's temporary license run this year? Presumably she had been presenting online before that anyway.

Declan A Walsh

It looks like Freedom FM will be on its third temporary license run at the end of this month.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121074108#Comment_121074108

I wonder will 8Radio.com's Simon Maher be on again with a rock show like last year.

ForestFire

Shurely Tubs is first up....

They can take my salary

They can take my extra salary

The can take the late late and my 1hr minus adds radio segment.

But they'll never take my Freedom(FM)

......

.......

or my honesty 😁

Show sponsored by the Toyman in association with all the poor kids of Ireland and various paid cooperate events, that may or may not happen at some point in the future.

Antenna

Freedom FM test transmissions are on tonight, for this year's temporary multi-area FM run

TheBMG

Enjoying the test transmissions .. best of luck to the Freedom crew

Ger Roe

Sounding good on 99.5 in Bray ....

Best of luck to all involved.

Speak Now

Stumbled across this on the Xmas FM frequency in Waterford. Nice to see a 99s/00s station meaning I won't be channel hopping across the usual dross on offer for my work commute in the month of October.

Losty Dublin

I've got the tape deck out and ready for tonight. The big questions is which sort of a blank tape will be unwrapped; regular or Chrome. Decisions decisions.

I'll stick it in and press the red button at 11:25PM. Cos like, you never know what sort of sneaky connivance those lads and lassies would "Power" up....

fmfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121166853#Comment_121166853

Would be nice if these Temp stations could expand to the North West (Donegal) in future just like Xmas Fm on 105.7

Paul.kavanagh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121175232#Comment_121175232

With every site there are some very serious costs , We are non funded and costs are silly. its in the pipe line , thank you.

Paul

fmfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121175254#Comment_121175254

Thanks for the reply Paul