Galway Bay FM cutbacks

Cube98 · 08-03-2021 10:22pm #1

They are on autopilot nightly from 8pm to 7am. Sign of the times I suppose

StevenToast · 08-03-2021 10:24pm

Can they do that from 9am- 10am on rte radio 1 daily?

Galwayguy35 · 09-03-2021 10:12pm

A good start would be to get rid of those two Molly and Ollie that are on at 6.30am.

bobbyss · 10-03-2021 1:18am

How long has Finnegan been doing the same programme? Surely a shake up is needed there? John Bowman has been doing the same programme at the weekend on RTE radio for about 100 years. His ratings must be very good to sustain that. Presumably Finnegan's are good too. Otherwise the Boss would axe him.

Mrs OBumble · 10-03-2021 1:42am

bobbyss wrote: »

How long has Finnegan been doing the same programme? Surely a shake up is needed there? John Bowman has been doing the same programme at the weekend on RTE radio for about 100 years. His ratings must be very good to sustain that. Presumably Finnegan's are good too. Otherwise the Boss would axe him.

Remind us who The Boss is.

Gadgetman496 · 10-03-2021 2:17am

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Remind us who The Boss is.

The Connacht Tribune

sgthighway · 10-03-2021 8:30am

That Station should have been cleared out years ago. I tried to listen to it as I love local sport but the people on the breakfast show finally got me to switch to another station. Even when I did listen I would turn it off when the KF show came on. I reckon the main audience are probably in the 60 plus category. My Mum would have it on Sunday Mornings at home while preparing the dinner. The hurling commentary from Sean Walsh does be class. It is a tough time for media outlets at the moment as money from advertising has probably gone down and particularly hard for Sports Journalists. AFAIK Galway GAA had a big stake in it back in the day. Is that true?

bobbyss · 10-03-2021 9:47am

sgthighway wrote:

That Station should have been cleared out years ago. I tried to listen to it as I love local sport but the people on the breakfast show finally got me to switch to another station. Even when I did listen I would turn it off when the KF show came on. I reckon the main audience are probably in the 60 plus category. My Mum would have it on Sunday Mornings at home while preparing the dinner. The hurling commentary from Sean Walsh does be class. It is a tough time for media outlets at the moment as money from advertising has probably gone down and particularly hard for Sports Journalists. AFAIK Galway GAA had a big stake in it back in the day. Is that true?

Yes. The presenter at the weekend , forget her name, she does country music with requests for songs. Anytime I tune in the requests seem to take more time than any song played. I tune out again quickly. But country music? It must have an enduring popularity around the county in fairnes. (This does not seem to be reflected nationwide on RTE's schedule however.) But request shows are a throwback to yesteryear. Can't think of any programme on RTE that has such a focus on requests as her programme.

Her ratings (I assume they do some research into this) must be good though to be doing that for so long.

10-03-2021 11:12am

Requests and country music are the bread and butter of many local radio stations! The country music following is still very strong.

JoeA3 · 10-03-2021 11:21am

bobbyss wrote: »

Yes. The presenter at the weekend , forget her name, she does country music with requests for songs. Anytime I tune in the requests seem to take more time than any song played. I tune out again quickly. But country music? It must have an enduring popularity around the county in fairnes. (This does not seem to be reflected nationwide on RTE's schedule however.) But request shows are a throwback to yesteryear. Can't think of any programme on RTE that has such a focus on requests as her programme.

Her ratings (I assume they do some research into this) must be good though to be doing that for so long.

Valerie Hughes. It's the "Hospital" request show isn't it? There is a proportion of the population out there that love it - the "Country n' Irish" music and hospital requests. My parents generation and older... i.e. her demographic is strictly the 65++ age group. I've wondered what will happen when the 65+ year olds are no longer with us, but there's obviously plenty out there who still want to listen to her...

KF is the station CEO... so why wouldn't he keep trucking on? Who's going to tell him he's past his sell by date? (which he most definitely is imo).

I haven't heard the morning show since Jimmy Norman used to do it... be careful what you wish for.

I just looked at their schedule there and its very threadbare now alight. Only ~4 daytime presenters and the weekend schedule is repeats and live sports (of which there is precious little at the moment). You'd wonder what the longer term future holds for stations like this.

Mrs OBumble · 10-03-2021 12:10pm

Ah lads, ye are forgetting the death notices, the staple offering of Irish radio.

And half the population in many age groups still likes both kinds of music, country AND western.

10-03-2021 12:13pm

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

A good start would be to get rid of those two Molly and Ollie that are on at 6.30am.

Molly and Ollie are great. Only radio show I enjoy in the morning time

10-03-2021 12:43pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Ah lads, ye are forgetting the death notices, the staple offering of Irish radio.

My father-in-law got a tablet purely for checking rip.ie every morning to check he wasn't on the list.

Homelander · 10-03-2021 2:12pm

I would imagine most local stations have had to shave things back because of Covid. There'd be very little advertising revenue given that shops have largely been closed the past year and retail advertising would be huge for local papers/stations.

Cube98 · 10-03-2021 3:02pm

JoeA3 wrote: »

Valerie Hughes. It's the "Hospital" request show isn't it? There is a proportion of the population out there that love it - the "Country n' Irish" music and hospital requests. My parents generation and older... i.e. her demographic is strictly the 65++ age group. I've wondered what will happen when the 65+ year olds are no longer with us, but there's obviously plenty out there who still want to listen to her...

KF is the station CEO... so why wouldn't he keep trucking on? Who's going to tell him he's past his sell by date? (which he most definitely is imo).

I haven't heard the morning show since Jimmy Norman used to do it... be careful what you wish for.

I just looked at their schedule there and its very threadbare now alight. Only ~4 daytime presenters and the weekend schedule is repeats and live sports (of which there is precious little at the moment). You'd wonder what the longer term future holds for stations like this.

The equivalent licence in the UK is just a computer playing greatest hits Radio. I know people have always knocked the likes of Keith Finnaghan and Paul Claffey for their style of radio but I think it's a case that people don't realise how good we have a thing until it's gone.

Gadgetman496 · 10-03-2021 3:19pm

sgthighway wrote: »

That Station should have been cleared out years ago. I tried to listen to it as I love local sport but the people on the breakfast show finally got me to switch to another station. Even when I did listen I would turn it off when the KF show came on. I reckon the main audience are probably in the 60 plus category. My Mum would have it on Sunday Mornings at home while preparing the dinner. The hurling commentary from Sean Walsh does be class. It is a tough time for media outlets at the moment as money from advertising has probably gone down and particularly hard for Sports Journalists. AFAIK Galway GAA had a big stake in it back in the day. Is that true?

The owner of Galway Bay FM (2004) was Western Community Broadcasting Services Limited. The main shareholder was Oranmore businessman Mr Gerry Rabbitte. Other investors included the Archbishop of Tuam Dr Michael Neary, the Western Health Board, the GAA and the Galway Advertiser.

In 2006, the Connacht Tribune newspaper bought the station outright, having previously owned 27% of it.

sgthighway · 10-03-2021 6:57pm

Cube98 wrote: »

I think it's a case that people don't realise how good we have a thing until it's gone.

Agreed. They say something similar about State TV. RTÉ make a lot of programs some of which you hate but they make a lot of programs private tv stations wouldn’t make and we would miss that if RTE were gone.

Galwayguy35 · 10-03-2021 8:16pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Molly and Ollie are great. Only radio show I enjoy in the morning time

The songs don't be bad so if they just shut up and played them it would be grand.

They talk some amount of sh1te though, especially Molly.

what_traffic · 11-03-2021 10:47am

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

In 2006, the Connacht Tribune newspaper bought the station outright, having previously owned 27% of it.

Interesting info there Gadgetman496, knew about GAA but not the Archbishop.
Now that the Connacht Tribune have moved to Liosbaun, do you know if they have plans to consolidate the offices of the Radio Station with the Paper?

Gadgetman496 · 11-03-2021 1:32pm

what_traffic wrote: »

Interesting info there Gadgetman496, knew about GAA but not the Archbishop.
Now that the Connacht Tribune have moved to Liosbaun, do you know if they have plans to consolidate the offices of the Radio Station with the Paper?

No idea what_traffic, probably not though since the station have very recently totally renovated the inside including a brand new studio partly funded by a pandemic grant.

I'd imagine they both want to keep separate identities but I honestly don't know.

JohnCleary · 11-03-2021 2:36pm

Galway Bay FM would like to sypmathise with the friends and family of all those deceased.

(That'll be €50, please)

Cube98 · 11-03-2021 6:50pm

I'd say the money from the death and funeral notices is the only income stream not to have gone off a cliff in recent years. I can't imagine many businesses pay a premium to advertise on radio anymore when they can do it for free on social media, ditto with classified ads.

11-03-2021 7:35pm

Cube98 wrote: »

I'd say the money from the death and funeral notices is the only income stream not to have gone off a cliff in recent years. I can't imagine many businesses pay a premium to advertise on radio anymore when they can do it for free on social media, ditto with classified ads.

Advertising on social media isn't free

Posting an ad on social media is free, getting your ad into peoples newsfeeds costs money

JoeA3 · 12-03-2021 12:47am

The radio industry has changed massively since GB FM first came on air.

Bit of history from a radio anorak...

GB FM was a reboot of a a failed “Radio West” in the early ‘90’s. Radio West, launched in 1989, it was a clone of Mayo’s Mid-West radio, which had launched 6 months earlier. Really very twee. Country 'n Irish (Daniel o Donnell) music. Really terribly marketed. Bad reception outside of the city. The figures were brutal, it was going down the pan within 18 months of launch so it was reboot or bust.

GB FM in its early days (from 1992 ish) at least was a bit like Classic Hits 4FM today. Middle of the road “classic hits” format. It was a very successful reboot. Radio West was a disaster and this reboot revived it.

To give some perspective on how the schedule has changed over the years... a few older natives here may remember “The Love hour” which ran 7 nights a week. That Love hour was quite infamous in my school going days. If you had a mention on that show, you were doing well with the ladies! They had live programming from 7am-2am every day of the week. Jimmy Norman did the early show with some energy and enthusiasm. I thought he was genuinely very good back then (mid 90's), on a par with his national counterparts of the time but he seemed to become very miserable/embittered and has long since moved on...

Nowadays it’s robo-jock automated play out from 8pm every evening until 7am and the day time shows that used to be 2 hours are now 3-4 hours. 4 presenters across the daytime schedule versus 6, 7, 8 back in the 1990’s. The current weekend schedule is repeats, sport and very very specialist shows.

Other than local sports (of which there’s virtually none right now), death notices and twee local politics via the intolerable KF, it’s hard to see what the station has to offer nowadays. What’s the point of middle of the road music / request shows when Classic Hits / Today FM do it with much greater resources? What’s the point in 20 minute news bulletins when you are just relaying the same reports that Newstalk did 10 mins previously?

Someone mentioned Paul Claffey above. That guy has his haters but mid west radio is a real anomaly. They have huge (relative) figures despite sounding exactly the same as they did in 1989, there seemingly is still a large proportion of people in Mayo who want that type of radio. Claffey knows his audience and plays it to a tee. KF isn’t fit to lace his boots imo. So while I agree that we don’t want the UK “classic hits on a loop” format, there has to be scope for local radio that appeals to a wider demographic than GB FM does currently. But what is the market for local radio these days? Do many people under the age of 50 listen to GB FM or rely on radio for local content? I’d imagine no.

GerardKeating · 12-03-2021 12:55am

JoeA3 wrote: »

GB FM in its early days (1993 ish) at least was a bit like Classic Hits 4Fm today. Middle of the road “classic hits” format. It was a very successful reboot.

I remember (early naughties) the "City" frequency had seperate programming in the evening, a show at 7pm in the classic hits style i seem to remember.

JoeA3 · 12-03-2021 1:59am

GerardKeating wrote: »

I remember (early naughties) the "City" frequency had seperate programming in the evening, a show at 7pm in the classic hits style i seem to remember.

Yeah dunno if they do it now (doubtful) but they used to do a city/country split at 7pm, where City frequency got the "cool" music (banal charts/classic hits rubbish) and the country frequency got the country n' Irish. So essentially they assumed that if you lived outside of the city limits you were a C+W fan and vice versa

Homelander · 12-03-2021 10:45am

JoeA3 wrote: »

Other than local sports (of which there’s virtually none right now), death notices and twee local politics via the intolerable KF, it’s hard to see what the station has to offer nowadays. What’s the point of middle of the road music / request shows when Classic Hits / Today FM do it with much greater resources? What’s the point in 20 minute news bulletins when you are just relaying the same reports that Newstalk did 10 mins previously?

But that's true of most local stations? Some are obviously much better than others in terms of quality and programming but fundamentally they all offer something unique that attracts people - local news, local issues, local sport, etc.

And of course local stations get their national news from Newstalk, but they have a lot of unique local news too, which is what separates them. You kinda have to have both, no-one would listen to their local station as the best source for national news, likewise they wouldn't listen to local news if there was no national aspect to it. I would say Galway Bay have a reasonably good news service compared to other local stations. But the sport is definitely where it shines as you said.

People mostly listen to local stations because they get something they don't get elsewhere. Be that local sport, news, current affairs, niche shows like country/western, or whatever. Even if the quality isn't great, a certain amount of people will always listen.

Like where else would people get that really - OK you have Galway Daily, which is OK on what it does cover, but covers very little in comparison and wouldn't really cross over with the demograph that listen to Galway Bay.

And then you have the Connacht Tribune which while decent enough, people really aren't buying papers these days and it's continuously dropping, while radio is generally still doing very well.

Cube98 · 13-03-2021 10:55am

Back in the mid 00s,when listening to 2fm was like tuning in to 1982, Alan Murphy was doing the style of youth radio that's the norm on 2fm today

Wompa1 · 13-03-2021 11:24pm

Have to say, I do a stupid little Podcast that covers a handful of news stories. I heard KF's show a couple of weeks ago, I was impressed by how much he covers in a show. I'm sure he has a staff but even so to be able to switch topics like that and have people on for interviews, read out texts, cover some local stories. I only do it once a week for a 20-30 minute Podcast and find it exhausting.

Not sure I'd listen to it every day though but probably not aimed at me.

zell12 · 14-03-2021 12:22am

The Lurve Hour with Susan Shannon

:o

spurshero · 14-03-2021 3:40am

Wompa1 wrote: »

Have to say, I do a stupid little Podcast that covers a handful of news stories. I heard KF's show a couple of weeks ago, I was impressed by how much he covers in a show. I'm sure he has a staff but even so to be able to switch topics like that and have people on for interviews, read out texts, cover some local stories. I only do it once a week for a 20-30 minute Podcast and find it exhausting.

Not sure I'd listen to it every day though but probably not aimed at me.

If your inpressed by finnengans show your easily impressed . Waffle city .

Wompa1 · 14-03-2021 12:37pm

spurshero wrote: »

If your inpressed by finnengans show your easily impressed . Waffle city .

Have you tried it yourself? I'm impressed by the amount he packs into a show. The content wouldn't be for me but I'm likely not in the demographic.

spurshero · 14-03-2021 3:38pm

Wompa1 wrote: »

Have you tried it yourself? I'm impressed by the amount he packs into a show. The content wouldn't be for me but I'm likely not in the demographic.

Often did I can’t listen to it any more . That’s just my opinion . Each to there own . I’m sure loads people enjoy the show and good luck to them

Cube98 · 14-03-2021 8:16pm

Finigans show was only 2 hours long for many years, 3 hours of him a day seems overkill but I presume it's to do with the consolidation across the schedule rather than a demand from listeners. His own daughter is the producer of the program.

Cube98 · 15-03-2021 4:59am

<nope>

Placebo Effect · 15-03-2021 7:00am

KF can be good with local issues, certainly has a place as he will stick it to politicians if needed and addresses local concerns..

Olly and Molly, if that’s what they are called, make me change channel , unfunny wannabe shock jocks ...pure cringe...

JoeA3 · 15-03-2021 10:26am

<nope>

lol

biko · 15-03-2021 10:36am

Some content removed. Don't get personal.

Sam Tyler · 15-03-2021 1:05pm

I’m surprised about all the negativity towards the Molly and Olly program? I thought it was very popular! Considering that Molly left and then was brought back and there was a big relaunch campaign to announce it.
Out of curiosity what is that people don’t like?
Both are experienced presenters

Cube98 · 15-03-2021 1:47pm

Sam Tyler wrote: »

I’m surprised about all the negativity towards the Molly and Olly program? I thought it was very popular! Considering that Molly left and then was brought back and there was a big relaunch campaign to announce it.
Out of curiosity what is that people don’t like?
Both are experienced presenters

I can't comment as I've only heard it in passing on the bus but LMFAO, talk about history repeating it self, Jimmy Norman left the breakfast show and came back about 9 times and always with a big relaunch campaign as well :rolleyes:

phelant · 15-03-2021 4:29pm

JoeA3 wrote: »

The radio industry has changed massively since GB FM first came on air.

Bit of history from a radio anorak...

GB FM was a reboot of a a failed “Radio West” in the early ‘90’s. Radio West, launched in 1989, it was a clone of Mayo’s Mid-West radio, which had launched 6 months earlier. Really very twee. Country 'n Irish (Daniel o Donnell) music. Really terribly marketed. Bad reception outside of the city. The figures were brutal, it was going down the pan within 18 months of launch so it was reboot or bust....................

..................radio these days? Do many people under the age of 50 listen to GB FM or rely on radio for local content? I’d imagine no.

Bit of history to add here also.

Radio West was in the pan as you say and it was a guy called Peter Norton was brought in to rescue it. He did his thing and I think GBFM was born. Not sure why he left but the difficult part being done at this stage, Keith Finnegan was hired to replace him. Not sure how really as I think he worked in a photocopier company with 'city' in the name IIRC (don't think they are around anymore).

Cue the biggest boom this country has ever seen aka 'The Celtic Tiger' and the ability to surf that wave and here we are today. Some things really haven't changed in the last 25 years and it is very stale (Usually the case when there is possible nepotism - bit of a closed shop I would imagine). I can't listen but local news/sports will always draw a crowd.

I don't believe Gerry Rabbitte has any involvement anymore as he bought into Highland Radio.

I think Molly left as he has/had a fair commute. Not sure why he came back. TBF it's far from the worst program on GBFM and I think they are a decent double act for local radio. Jon Richards left at one stage as well to the UK I think as he felt he was destined for greater things. But obviously he came back.

15-03-2021 5:21pm

The last 2 times I actively tuned in and listened to GBFM were

- The 2009 flooding
- The 2010 heavy snows

Just to find out what roads were open/closed at the time

Gadgetman496 · 15-03-2021 7:03pm

phelant wrote: »

Bit of history to add here also.

Radio West was in the pan as you say and it was a guy called Peter Norton was brought in to rescue it. He did his thing and I think GBFM was born. Not sure why he left but the difficult part being done at this stage, Keith Finnegan was hired to replace him. Not sure how really as I think he worked in a photocopier company with 'city' in the name IIRC (don't think they are around anymore).

Cue the biggest boom this country has ever seen aka 'The Celtic Tiger' and the ability to surf that wave and here we are today. Some things really haven't changed in the last 25 years and it is very stale (Usually the case when there is possible nepotism - bit of a closed shop I would imagine). I can't listen but local news/sports will always draw a crowd.

I don't believe Gerry Rabbitte has any involvement anymore as he bought into Highland Radio.

I think Molly left as he has/had a fair commute. Not sure why he came back. TBF it's far from the worst program on GBFM and I think they are a decent double act for local radio. Jon Richards left at one stage as well to the UK I think as he felt he was destined for greater things. But obviously he came back.

No, Molly left to go to Canada with his partner and daughter to become a stay at home Dad while his partner worked out there. She got a serious deal to do with her own company I think at the time.

paconnors · 16-03-2021 12:59pm

JohnCleary wrote: »

Galway Bay FM would like to sypmathise with the friends and family of all those deceased.

(That'll be €50, please)

And the rest.

I just got my mum's funeral bill was charged €164 for Galway Bay FM notice

JohnCleary · 17-03-2021 12:22am

paconnors wrote: »

And the rest.

I just got my mum's funeral bill was charged €164 for Galway Bay FM notice

Sorry for your loss.

I suspect there was a cut taken from funeral director* (or similar)., surely? That's a serious sting for a couple of seconds mention on radio

paconnors · 17-03-2021 1:11am

JohnCleary wrote: »

Sorry for your loss.

I suspect there was a cut taken from funeral director* (or similar)., surely? That's a serious sting for a couple of seconds mention on radio

No he adds in other fees. Liaison / Professional Fees there called

Mrs OBumble · 17-03-2021 1:35am

JohnCleary wrote: »

Sorry for your loss.

I suspect there was a cut taken from funeral director* (or similar)., surely? That's a serious sting for a couple of seconds mention on radio

I understand that they're read several times during the day, for the one daily fee.

Homelander · 17-03-2021 4:20am

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I understand that they're read several times during the day, for the one daily fee.

Yeah I think the fee is based on how often the notice is read.

The emergence of RIP must have a fairly big dent on local radio.

Squeeonline · 17-03-2021 7:59am

Homelander wrote: »

Yeah I think the fee is based on how often the notice is read.

The emergence of RIP must have a fairly big dent on local radio.

That depends, I think. The kind of people who are listening to the radio intensely for death notices, may not be the same demographic who are regularly browsing the internet. In my experience anyway.

17-03-2021 9:11am

I did not know there was a fee for radio death notices. Just assumed it was a mutually beneficial service where the news gets spread locally and the station gets the listenership (to which they sell advertising).

A nominal contribution wouldn't be surprising but that's a crazy figure. Sorry for your loss paconnors.

Bullocks · 17-03-2021 9:42am

How many staff does the station employ I wonder?
What do ye think of Katie on the show? She is being primed to fill Keith's show whenever he hangs up his boots.
If it was RTÉ we would see a few threads here about the nepotism going on!

Galway Bay FM cutbacks

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