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

Greyham · 29-06-2013 12:35PM #1

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 · 29-06-2013 12:38PM

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 · 29-06-2013 12:53PM

"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 · 29-06-2013 12:56PM

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

Skid X · 29-06-2013 01:01PM

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 · 29-06-2013 03:07PM

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 · 29-06-2013 03:09PM

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 · 29-06-2013 03:11PM

*Sticks on vice city

wnolan1992 · 29-06-2013 03:17PM

mikom wrote: »

*Sticks on vice city

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

LizT · 29-06-2013 03:18PM

wnolan1992 wrote: »

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

Don't forget Maurice Chavez, pressing issues.

Losty Dublin · 29-06-2013 03:25PM

LizT wrote: »

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

Play 70's music, I guess.

endacl · 29-06-2013 03:36PM

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 · 29-06-2013 03:53PM

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 · 29-06-2013 10:27PM

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

downonthefarm · 29-06-2013 10:32PM

wnolan1992 wrote: »

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

fernando martinez too

armchair fusilier · 29-06-2013 11:40PM

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 · 30-06-2013 12:00AM

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 · 30-06-2013 12:57AM

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

heybaby · 30-06-2013 03:09PM

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 · 30-06-2013 03:21PM

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 · 30-06-2013 03:27PM

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 · 30-06-2013 03:49PM

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 · 30-06-2013 07:08PM

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 · 30-06-2013 07:46PM

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 · 30-06-2013 08:58PM

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 · 30-06-2013 09:21PM

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 · 30-06-2013 09:33PM

"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 · 01-07-2013 02:09AM

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 · 01-07-2013 09:01AM

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 · 02-07-2013 10:26PM

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 · 03-07-2013 03:08PM

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"

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

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