RTE Radio 1 on 252!

Fuzzy Clam · 09-12-2014 10:30AM

STB. wrote: »

"As in reasonably practical". This is actually in the RTE stated public service commitment right after who it is meant to serving. I know and you know it is a handy sentence that it very much open to interpretation (hat tip to the diaspora but only if cash allows). Also the message also seems to be hard luck old people, get with the times (sound familiar from MW times). What is not open to interpretation is that RTE already shut down MW using the LW service as a softener to those upset by the MW shutdown move. Now they want to shut down the LW service. Why ? Is it the 250k PA. You would get half a Ray Darcy for that. Of course, disposing of the assets would also bring money in. Now at what stage does a PSB stop becoming a PSB ? Is it when only things that make money are kept ?

The primary platform for the national emergency was never FM. It was (and currently is) as far as I am aware, "all" platforms, although they have diminshed considerably.

Lets consider FM alone. During storms in recent times, there have been considerable power outages all around the country including at a lot of FM TX sites. Leaving aside the quagmire of feeds to these FM TX's and how they are linked, LW alone reaches further than any one single FM TX in the country for obvious reasons.

Would you agree that any added layer of communication resiliency being made available in the event of a emergency is pragmatic ? What price would you put on it ? Someone earlier mentioned that it would be unwise to depend on one tx in the event of some catastrophic event. My argument (and thats all it is) is that it would unwise to get rid of such of such a high powered transmitter even as a fallback.

The gradual disposal of the network hardware in such a small window of time has not been a very good idea. Sure some say it is outdated but what is the alternative ? We do not have any other Digital radio system nationwide in place. Sometimes we have a happy knack of doing things arseways in this country.

A lot of countries who have disposed of LW, actually have AM, DAB+ and SW in addtion in their FM platform already and still in situ.

Finally, whats the DAB reach like here ? Are they just as disappointing.

To cut through most of the crap, just what national emergency do you envisage that would require us to resort to listening to LW radio?

STB. · 09-12-2014 05:26PM

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

To cut through most of the crap, just what national emergency do you envisage that would require us to resort to listening to LW radio?

So its crap now Fuzzy. RTE went down the LW route (at considerable cost) to shut down MW (and shut up disenters) citing MW costs at an estimated cost of €1mill PA. Just over 5 years later the LW is being shut off, the justifcation for switching off MW! RTE's promises to NI residents has literally resulted in a deaf ears scenario with a lack of FM fill ins.

Given that the FM sites cannot cope with a minor storm I shudder to think that they are route 1 for a "national emergency". But you asked for an example, so I'll give you one.

What effect would say an ionized fireball have on FM.

former legend · 09-12-2014 06:34PM

STB. wrote: »

What effect would say an ionized fireball have on FM.

Brilliant. I'm going to stick on some popcorn.

L1011 · 09-12-2014 06:44PM

STB. wrote: »

What effect would say an ionized fireball have on FM.

The same as on the new, fully integrated LW transmitter.

Fuzzy Clam · 09-12-2014 07:23PM

L1011 wrote: »

The same as on the new, fully integrated LW transmitter.

You beat me to it.

I propose we all go back to valve radios, valve transmitters and any equipment that does not use semiconductor devices.
Just on the off chance of a strike.........

Fuzzy Clam · 09-12-2014 07:28PM

STB. wrote: »

Given that the FM sites cannot cope with a minor storm I shudder to think that they are route 1 for a "national emergency".

What are, in percentage terms, the reliability figures for RTEs FM network?

Radio_Fan_67 · 10-12-2014 07:18PM

It was funny to read what a few FF/FG backbench gombeens, who don't know what longwave is said to RTE, One of the gombeens asked rte could they save money by broadcasting the longwave signal from the FM transmitters

AwaitYourReply · 15-12-2014 02:49AM

Well given the significant cost of hiring one of Ireland's most high profile presenters (i.e.) Ray D'Arcy on national commercial radio station: TODAY fm (i.e.) to take over the Mooney show 3:00-4:30pm slot on RTÉ Radio 1 from next February one must wonder if RTÉ are having a laugh or just speaking from both sides of their mouth!

Speculation suggests this contract is somewhere in the region of 500,000 EUR and IF this is not far off and we will NOT be told how much RTÉ had to pay to secure Ray D'Arcy for 3 Years due to a confidentiality clause. It is very interesting to see how RTÉ Radio can justify such high costs whilst at the same time informing the nation that it must make major cut backs due to it's high debt levels. All the more interesting when you consider the RTÉ Director General has a unique task group examining raising revenue in various scenarios which include the possible sale of either all or part of the Montrose Dublin4 Campus HQ itself.

Why can't RTÉ grow more young talent instead of engaging in huge sums of money to land a major radio name. The vast majority of the audience of The Ray D'Arcy Show had on TODAY fm are very unlikely to follow him to RTÉ Radio 1 as they would not regard it as "cool" to be heard listening to something their parents generation listens to.

All seems ridiculous when RTÉ Radio claim they badly need to save money by shutting down RTÉ Radio 1 LW 252 but are still willing to pay major sums of money for someone who may not be able to pull many of his listeners across from TODAY fm.

Antenna · 15-12-2014 10:29AM

Radio_Fan_67 wrote: »

It was funny to read what a few FF/FG backbench gombeens, who don't know what longwave is said to RTE, One of the gombeens asked rte could they save money by broadcasting the longwave signal from the FM transmitters

What TD said this and have you any link to this? (Dail debates should be online)

There's going to be misinformation (either accidental or deliberate) on both sides of the debate.

Last October, on the Today show with Sean O'Rourke, Jim Jennings the Managing Director of RTE Radio for example claimed that RTE Radio1 was on DAB in areas of Northern Ireland that cannot receive RTE Radio 1 on FM.

L1011 · 15-12-2014 10:35AM

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

The vast majority of the audience of The Ray D'Arcy Show had on TODAY fm are very unlikely to follow him to RTÉ Radio 1 as they would not regard it as "cool" to be heard listening to something their parents generation listens to.

I think you're assuming D'Arcys audience is vastly younger than it actually is...

AwaitYourReply · 15-12-2014 05:19PM

L1011 wrote: »

I think you're assuming D'Arcys audience is vastly younger than it actually is...

You are correct - I am assuming The Ray D'Arcy Show on TODAY fm has a much younger audience and the wide sample of comments both for and against this move that I've read in reaction to Ray leaving TODAY fm suggests that this is very much the case. Listening to Ray's style on TODAY fm it was always came across to me that it was being aimed at a younger market than what was on offer from RTÉ Radio 1.

I also think it would generally be accepted that D'Arcy would have a larger share of a younger audience than the same programme timeslot on RTÉ Radio 1.

Remember that older listeners by and large do NOT usually tend to move the dial a whole lot apart from the odd listener who has kept abreast of these things so those who listen to a commercial independent national or otherwise would tend to usually be younger in general.

L1011 · 15-12-2014 05:51PM

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

You are correct - I am assuming The Ray D'Arcy Show on TODAY fm has a much younger audience and the wide sample of comments both for and against this move that I've read in reaction to Ray leaving TODAY fm suggests that this is very much the case. Listening to Ray's style on TODAY fm it was always came across to me that it was being aimed at a younger market than what was on offer from RTÉ Radio 1.

I also think it would generally be accepted that D'Arcy would have a larger share of a younger audience than the same programme timeslot on RTÉ Radio 1.

Remember that older listeners by and large do NOT usually tend to move the dial a whole lot apart from the odd listener who has kept abreast of these things so those who listen to a commercial independent national or otherwise would tend to usually be younger in general.

His audience may be marginally younger than Radio 1 but they're not a youth audience or a full generation away from Radio 1s target market (as the "parents" comment would require) at that.

AwaitYourReply · 15-12-2014 06:21PM

L1011 wrote: »

His audience may be marginally younger than Radio 1 but they're not a youth audience or a full generation away from Radio 1s target market (as the "parents" comment would require) at that.

Perhaps not a full generation away however; my basic point remains the same. No doubt that the odd listener will move with Ray but I still believe that the vast majority of Ray's current audience are unlikely to switch off TODAY fm and move to RTÉ Radio 1. I would not put RTÉ Radio 1 anywhere close to TODAY fm in terms of image/branding/style so why would it be attractive and comfortable for TODAY fm listeners to move in significant numbers to the veteran station namely: RTÉ Radio 1 ? The home of shows such as: Céilí House, The South Wind Blows, The Rolling Wave, Fáilte Isteach, Late Date, Ronan Collins and so on...

If we were talking RTÉ Radio 1 Vs NewsTalk 106-108 then maybe this would have a better chance of success although; NewsTalk is still a younger model, I think it is a more credible transition and I reckon Pat Kenny will continue to grow his audience on NewsTalk mainly at the expense of Today with Seán O'Rourke on RTÉ Radio 1.

Radio_Fan_67 · 15-12-2014 06:32PM

D'arcy will be perfect for young housewifes driving their kids home from school, Some people go on as if RTE Radio 1 is still stuck in the 50s, Apart from a handfull of shows that lets face it are on the endangered species list, RTE Radio 1 is a very modern radio station.

AwaitYourReply · 15-12-2014 06:47PM

Radio_Fan_67 wrote: »

D'arcy will be perfect for young housewifes driving their kids home from school, Some people go on as if RTE Radio 1 is still stuck in the 50s, Apart from a handfull of shows that lets face it are on the endangered species list, RTE Radio 1 is a very modern radio station.

Well both you know and I know that Ray D'Arcy has plenty of ability to shine in this spotlight. Some elements of the RTÉ Radio 1 schedule needs to be seriously examined as it all over the place.

Nowadays, I am mainly a listener of RTÉ Radio 1 and NewsTalk but I'm just not sure that even Ray or anyone else could pull droves of listeners across to the RTÉ Radio 1 brand from TODAY fm. To the younger generation Under 38s, they will be very unlikely to switch to RTÉ Radio 1 in general due to it's perception and young adults hate the idea of listening to the same radio choice as their parents/grandparents generation.

Radio_Fan_67 · 16-12-2014 04:01AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJnoOuVYOAk&app=desktop&persist_app=1&client=mv-google&gl=IE&hl=en-GB

Radio_Fan_67 · 16-12-2014 07:30PM

Im sure Brian Darcy meant well but he was misinformed with alot of rubbish about RTE planning to "sell the rights" to lw 252 and he also thought rte get ad revenue for lw 252

Redlake · 16-12-2014 10:12PM

Fr. Brian may not be too far off the mark. The old Radio Luxembourg Frequency 1440kHz (208 Metres) Medium wave is used by China to broadcast into Europe. They may also be interested to be on the same platform as BBC Radio 4 to broadcast into the UK, reaching a large radio audience listening in their cars

AwaitYourReply · 17-12-2014 03:10AM

Radio_Fan_67 wrote: »

Im sure Brian Darcy meant well but he was misinformed with alot of rubbish about RTE planning to "sell the rights" to lw 252 and he also thought rte get ad revenue for lw 252

I think Fr. Brian D'Arcy usually has his finger on the pulse. He isn't a man that is easily fooled or one to swallow PR spin. He has stood up against right wing conservatives in the Catholic Church and he has a lot of media experience especially in the line of radio down through the years. I never realised that Terry Wogan at BBC Radio 2 also availed of the services of Fr. Brian D'Arcy for "Reflection" on his old popular radio show as I recall him on RTÉ Radio doing this too many years back. He obviously sees that the elderly Irish emigrants who now live in the UK very much rely on the LW 252 service for RTÉ Radio 1 and he is standing up for them which I find very admirable.

AwaitYourReply · 19-12-2014 12:49AM

Retired RTÉ employees oppose Longwave 252 closure plans
Veteran staff join people in NI, Catholic bishops and Irish in UK opposing decision

Below is the link from the published article dated Wednesday 17/12/2014 in The Irish Times online edition by Patsy McGarry

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/retired-rt%C3%A9-employees-oppose-longwave-252-closure-plans-1.2041448

L1011 · 19-12-2014 10:10AM

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

I think Fr. Brian D'Arcy usually has his finger on the pulse. He isn't a man that is easily fooled or one to swallow PR spin.

Doesn't mean he has the slightest clue when it comes to anything commercial, though. As he's clearly about as wide of the mark as possible here.

AwaitYourReply · 19-12-2014 11:02AM

L1011 wrote: »

Doesn't mean he has the slightest clue when it comes to anything commercial, though. As he's clearly about as wide of the mark as possible here.

Fr. Brian D'Arcy knows that this sudden decision announcement made last September with all it's spin as a means to save money was made as a commercial decision by an organisation that can often be full of double standards.

The replacement of Mooney next February on Radio 1 by Ray D'Arcy did not come cheap and is typical of RTÉ speaking on both sides of it's mouth when it comes to saving scarce financial resources. This presenter had been long enough at RTÉ prior to Today FM and had knocked and knocked at the door of RTÉ Radio and was just left there so he eventually left! Of course we will have to wait for 3 Years to hear how much RTÉ had to fork out to secure him and one thing is certain, he did not come cheap! :rolleyes:

L1011 · 19-12-2014 01:14PM

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Fr. Brian D'Arcy knows that this sudden decision announcement made last September with all it's spin as a means to save money was made as a commercial decision by an organisation that can often be full of double standards.

Everyone knows that - except him. As he's the one claiming its so they can flog off the frequency, which is borderline lunatic in the rambling levels.

Its being turned off for cost reasons, that's it.

padd b1975 · 19-12-2014 01:16PM

EXTENDED UNTIL AT LEAST 2017!!

Radio_Fan_67 · 19-12-2014 01:33PM

www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2014/1219/667934-rte-radio-1-announces-extension-to-longwave-transition/ I think it is rather silly kicking the can down the road until 2017, The same people will be able to make the very same arguments in 2017.

Banjoxed · 19-12-2014 01:43PM

Ordinary Irish people in Britain 1, Middle class South Dublin Libertarians, Nil.

padd b1975 · 19-12-2014 02:02PM

Radio_Fan_67 wrote: »

www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2014/1219/667934-rte-radio-1-announces-extension-to-longwave-transition/ I think it is rather silly kicking the can down the road until 2017, The same people will be able to make the very same arguments in 2017.

Not really, when the time comes they can quietly announce a further extension without the negative PR which the bullyboy tactics of the initial announcement created.

Radio_Fan_67 · 19-12-2014 02:13PM

padd b1975 wrote: »

Not really, when the time comes they can quietly announce a further extension without the negative PR which the bullyboy tactics of the initial announcement created.

At the end of the day, Longwave is dead, The germans are switching off all their lw transmitters in 2 weeks time. I expect new lw radio sets in shops and in cars will be almost extinct by the end of the decade.

L1011 · 19-12-2014 05:04PM

Banjoxed wrote: »

Ordinary Irish people in Britain 1, Middle class South Dublin Libertarians, Nil.

You've got a very strange and I suspect entirely unsupportable view here...

AwaitYourReply · 19-12-2014 05:51PM

Radio_Fan_67 wrote: »

At the end of the day, Longwave is dead, The germans are switching off all their lw transmitters in 2 weeks time. I expect new lw radio sets in shops and in cars will be almost extinct by the end of the decade.

I saw the public announcement in relation to RTÉ Radio 1 latest broadcasting extension of the Longwave/LW 252KHz on the RTÉ News Now headlines ticker a few hours ago but I never got a chance to post or respond back til now.

I do not think that I or many others (if any) have ever mentioned that Longwave is a modern up to date technology or that it had a long bright future. However; the fact is that RTÉ and those individuals who scoffed at others who advocated for the service to be given a further reprieve lost the argument over the initial abrupt decision and short timescale involved.

Main reason for the latest postponement until at least 2017 is probably that many of the LW252 listeners were unlikely to go digital within the required time frame. Of course it is a relatively small number in the overall context of listeners to RTÉ Radio 1 but it was expecting too much too fast for those older loyal long time listeners to make the switch to go digital. Had RTÉ bothered to engage with the listeners of the LW 252 service in advance they would have been able to avoid this embarassing latest postponement but it seems that RTÉ never really considered their views and feedback until after making their announcement.

Hopefully RTÉ and other agencies will now assist those listeners in making the transition to other platforms more smoothly between now and 2017 as the actual day for close down of LW 252KHz will eventually come in due course now that it has been publicly been well flagged in advance to all concerned.

RTE Radio 1 on 252!

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