Will local radio stations undo covid cutbacks ?

Ballycommon Mast

Since March 2020, local radio stations like Highland radio and Galway bay FM have been on overnight music mode from around 7pm, Now that everything can open up, will they reinstate live evening programming ?

Could depend on advertising revenue I’d say!

radiotrickster

Are there still ads on the stations after 7pm? I’ve not noticed any cutbacks with the stations I listen to personally, although I did hear there’s a woman on LMFM who does something like seven hours on-air weekdays?

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520846#Comment_118520846

I had a quick look at LMFM's schedule. It looks like Túathla Lucey is the presenter in question.

radiotrickster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118522014#Comment_118522014

That’s right! Her name escaped me for a moment there. I remember she was let go from Spin south west around the time of their networking so it’s good to see she’s still going .

It says she presents 6-10pm and then 11pm-1am so it’s unclear what happens from 10-11. I would imagine 11-1am is voice tracked but even then, that’s a different skill that takes time to hone. It’s an unmerciful amount of hours to fill. I wonder if she has much time to prepare her show.

It seems rather unfair that the other shows on the station are two hours each (except for breakfast which is three). When the position was advertised, the salary stated was only 20k. It’s some experience at the end of the day, I suppose, but I hope she managed to negotiate higher for that amount of work.

Radio5

Radio Kerry have brought back a lot of their evening and night shows up to 10pm recently.

ford fiesta

have to point out here that Mid West Radio in Mayo have live programming 7 days per week, from 7am to 1am and sometimes 2 am.

This continued during Covid

Losty Dublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118531299#Comment_118531299

Ah but Claffy was cute; he cattle fluked his staff and gave them sheep dip once a week.

GSF

I suppose until local businesses start advertising they are going to be very careful with the cost of staff. Used to be the hospitality industry that gave a lot by of the rural stations much of the advertising. Also while they might still be running ads it’s the cost of the slots that’s important not just the number of minutes

Ballycommon Mast

UK anoraks are always taken aback by how well staffed Midwest radio is for such a small franchise area. Their equivalent ILR would be 4 or 5 presenters doing 4 hour shifts a day and voicetracked most of the weekend. Even the BBCs local radio stations announced last year that their covid cutbacks of presenters doing 4 hour shifts was going to be permanent.

tinytobe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058229397/will-local-radio-stations-undo-covid-cutbacks

I think Covid 19 is only part of the challenge. Radio and especially listening habits are changing rapidly. Especially the younger audience expects way more choice than one or two local stations and the existing RTE. You see that development in many countries. Take a look at the Czech republic, where they had a massive amount of small local stations which are being bought by bigger ones, creating networks.

In Ireland they are missing the changes totally. Also not implementing DAB+ means continued lack of choice and declining interest and also declining revenue. Due to the lack of DAB+ the younger audience is turning to the internet, to online streams, etc... Yes, cutbacks can be undone, however that would have to go in line with bigger advertising revenue and that I think can only be achieved with a more tailored offering towards the younger audience.

It will be a difficult and long learning curve for local radio in Ireland, - sadly.