20 staff laid off

Junk Adele wrote: »

I have listened even before Phantom was Phantom. when Simon was in a shed in Ballybrack. I have told people from various countries to listen to Phantom. I am now embarrassed .
I have now realised that Phantom has to Die.
If we keep listening, it's a false loyalty. We love what they were, they aren't that now. We are older, they are dead. Do not tune in any more because, you (we) are greasing the Machine. Phantom is Dead! Let's kill Phantom.
It hurts me, but there you go.
To all the the people like Me and me Mates, and you lot in Raheny, Firhouse, ballybrack, and all around the world...."
Phantom is Dead
Long live Phantom.

Your post makes me so sad, but I fear maybe you're right. I wouldn't say it's all dead, your (almost) namesake's show has a fair dose of integrity (is that you??), ditto the Ritchies and, to be fair, though we all howled in disgust when Claire Beck was hired, she actually turned out to be more than daycent. It just seems the top level management making the big programming decisions - the tone and voice of new hires (*cough*breakfast*cough*), the incessant heavy-rotation choices etc. - didn't have a clue about what Phantom was and why it had a listenership.

The other tough reality is that advertising spend in traditional media is down all-round, and the more old-school business mindsets who would advertise on radio wouldn't necessarily 'get' the old-style niche Phantom either. The solution had to be either try really hard to get niche brand partnerships, brands whose close association with Phantom would tie-in with their listener demographic, rather than just chasing regular ad-slot spend (in which Phantom couldn't compete with mainstream stations) or cut their expenses - maybe they did have too many paid DJs, or other operational expenses? (I have no idea on this, just speculating, but I assume back in the day everyone was working for a lot less).

It's the same sort of challenges facing quality newspapers and magazines these days; readership is down, advertisers are moving away to where the readership is (online), but there is still such an inherent cultural need for quality journalism - facebook and TMZ can not replace it. God help us all if they do.

But so how does a niche station remain profitable enough to cover costs, while retaining its integrity and not trying to emulate todayfm? I have no answer to this. I wish someone at phantom did, but I guess not either

Srobify wrote: »

What is it with Phantoms obsession with John Grant. His new song is on the station 63% of the time 25% of the time.

His gig tomorrow night probably is the main reason,?

Kelly Ann Byrne is already signed up to TodayFM it seems from her Twitter.
The weekender is a great mix of tunes, so good to see her still going.

Srobify wrote: »

I was basically making the point of the repetitiveness of station lately

You are right, and I knew what you meant, when a certain gig is coming up, they really play the band /artists to death, so because he was tonight, he got alot of airplay. same with St Vincent last week, it does my head in.

saying that, Today Fm and 2fm played RHCP to.death around the time they played Phoenix Park etc, I flipping hate them as a band now, because hearing them incessantly in.work just ruined any enjoyment of songs....

So, next week is the last week then? Or has a set day bee picked for the 're-launch'?
Seems odd still hearing the Phantom shows / line ups getting advertised, knowing their fate.

Last week for the presenters this week but I have heard nothing of a launch yet

By the way, after going way from it for a while, I came back to the radio and listened to about the last half-hour of the final Spiral Stares. Laura spent over 5 minutes talking about some of her highlights with Phantom over the years.

I did not know until tonight that she came to Phantom in 2003. That must have been while it was still a pirate because she certainly did not crop up in the schedule in their first temporary license later the same year. How could you miss a name like that?!

They overran by about 5 minutes. What were the bosses going to do about that? Sack her?! The closing song was sheer class - "Transmission" by Joy Division.

missed the last R&R, hopefully someone recorded it like when Michelle and Richie and the others finished up in 2012.

caught Derek Byrne's last show of The Lounge on Tuesday night, sad to see that go, always hearing great tunes new and old on there.
http://www.phantom.ie/blogs/190.191.196.251/4652/-/Playlist:_The_Last_Lounge_%E2%80%93_Tuesday_11th_of_March_2014%20-%20Playlist:_The_Last_Lounge_%E2%80%93_Tuesday_11th_of_March_2014

Seems surreal with still no word on the new shows or rebrand.
Why even bother tune in next week?
It's been like a wake of sorts over the past couple of weeks.

It's interesting that every time people are doing their last show that the music mix gets much more adventurous and loose and free. During the last few days, it had the spirit of the old Phantom from the pirate days and the early licensed days.

I will tune in next week (wearing my anorak!) to see what is going on. I am always interested in the latest radio development, even if it is simply a rebrand.

Best of luck to those who have just left or will have left by the end of the weekend.

Did anyone catch the last Metal Notes on Monday or the last Icon on Wednesday?

Great to hear NPB on the radio again. Cathal Funge playing some good stuff this morning.

Great article, I remember working part time in Kilmainham in 96/97, and coming across Spectrum on the radio in the shop. It was class, never heard radio like it. I used to like the way they prided themselves on their cheapness, like picking competition winners from the 'Spectrum Plastic Bag'!

Unfortunately, the signal wasn't strong enough to get it at home, so I could only listen to it in work. I used to love work back then!

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

I heard the last 20 minutes or so of Richie Ryan's Stadium Rock today - his last with Phantom. It was a bit of an emotional affair. He mentioned the famous shed and Simon Maher and of course the other Richie. He also mentioned at one point friends Gerry and Cliona. It could be a coincidence but former boss of Phantom Ger Rowe's partner was called Cliona (she used to be on Coast FM after Ger).

Richie's last song: We Are the Champions by Queen.

Earlier this morning, I heard the end of The Breakfast Club with Nadine O'Regan - another person finishing up. She kept it very professional with almost business as usual. Her last song was "Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty.

All the guys finishing up these last few days have been so dignified and professional about everything and it's been really humbling to listen to. The end of Stadium Rock yesterday was just about perfect.

infacteh wrote: »

I've decided Phantom should be taken over by RTE, and financed as a public service. Where are the state broadcaster's schedule is indie and alternative music catered for? 3 hours on a Sunday with Cormac Battle's Battle Axe?

We all pay our TV licence for RTE, and what do we get? Lyric FM? I suppose it's alternative, but not in the same vein as Phantom.

As someone pointed out earlier, a station like Phantom would probably never be financially viable, but that's what makes it so good, it doesn't sound like all the other generic stations, which are just painful to listen to.

So, in order to provide a public service to independent and alternative music lovers, homegrown and up and coming Irish bands, RTE should take over the Phantom licence, hire the pre 2012 DJ's back, and let the good times roll on!

I agree with you but 2xm does that job for them.

John C mentioned earlier that TXFM will launch on the 31st March, and that there will still be music between now and then. No mentioned of what that entails though.

Seems to be a 'best of' highlight show at the moment?
It stops at midnight? Anyone been listening? I only tuned in around 20mins ago.