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WLR FM (Waterford Local Radio), licensed since 1989 (WLR had previously been a pirate radio station) by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, is the local radio station covering Waterford City and County. In addition to the official franchise area, the station also enjoys a considerable listenership in South County Kilkenny and East County Cork (although WLR FM can be heard further west than Bandon in County Cork). WLR FM broadcasts on three frequencies: 95.1 MHz for most of the county (and a low-power transmitter also on 95.1 MHz for Waterford city centre), 97.5 MHz for Waterford city and much of East Waterford, and a low-power transmitter on 94.8 MHz to cover the East Waterford coast.
On April 13, 2007, Cork based Thomas Crosbie Holdings (TCH), owner of the Irish Examiner and 17 other Irish newspapers, announced it had acquired 75% ownership of both WLR FM and Waterford based regional station Beat 102-103 , in a deal worth a combined €14 million while WLR FM Managing Director Des Whelan kept 25% of each [1][2]. TCH already had a media presence in Waterford in its ownership of the The Waterford News & Star.
On Friday October 2nd 2009, at the PPI Radio Awards 2009, WLR FM was named Local Station of the Year[3].
[edit] History
The original WLR, which was a pirate station, launched on June 23d 1978 broadcasting from the garage of Rick Whelan at Killotteran just outside the city. This unlicensed operation was one of the longest lasting in the country and continued for just over a decade until its closure at the end of 1988 - new radio licences were to be awarded by the then IRTC (now BCI) in 1989. WLR, with a number of local businessmen on board formed a consortium to apply for the franchise to broadcast to Waterford city and county. This application had competition from two other applicants, one (Deise Broadcasting Company) involved former pirate ABC Radio and local business people including the Reid family (owners of the well-known 'Egans' licenced premises where ABC was based before its closure), and another application (Waterford Radio/WRFM) which was backed by the then Waterford Foods and The Munster Express newspaper. The IRTC held oral hearings for the Waterford licence at the Tower Hotel in Waterford city on the 27th April 1989 where all three applicants presented their case. Shortly afterwards it was announced WLR's consortium was victorious. The licensed WLR FM launched on the 8th of September 1989 from studios on Georges Street above the Georges Court Shopping Centre in Waterford City. The station broadcast from these studios for many years until the building of the present purpose-built Broadcast Centre, at Ardkeen, Waterford. The station's licence has been unchallenged on subsequent renewals.
[edit] Studios
The station have purpose built studios at "The Broadcast Centre", Ardkeen, Waterford City (shared with regional youth station Beat 102 103) and at the Dungarvan studio at The Plaza, Dungarvan Shopping Centre. The Broadcast Centre was opened by then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in 2003 replacing WLR FM's previous studio at Great Georges Street in Waterford City, while the new Dungarvan studio was opened by Head of the BCI Michael O'Keefe (a Dungarvan man) on November 10 2007 replacing the existing studio at Harbour Bay in the town [4].
The studios at The Broadcast Centre were revamped in late February and early March of 2009, to change to a new playout system, from P Squared, and new microphone and computer monitor stands from Yellowtec. While this work was taking place, some live programmes on the station had to temporarily relocate to other studios in the building, which led to Timmy Ryan sitting beside his co-host Aoibhin Fallon while on air, for the first time.
[edit] Departments
[edit] Department Heads
| Title |
Name |
| Head Of Programmes |
Billy McCarthy |
| Head Of News |
Liz Reddy |
| Head Of Sport |
Kevin Casey |
| Head Of Music |
Michael Byrne |
| Head of Engineering |
Pat Maher |
- Liz Reddy - Head Of News
- Mark Power
- Karen Doyle
- Sinéad Aherne
[edit] Traffic
- Matt Keane
- Roddie Cleere
- Sinéad Flynn
- Michael Byrne
- Kevin Casey - Head Of Sport
- Matt Keane - General sport
- Ray Scott - Soccer, Golf
- Paul Nolan - Rugby
- Mark Philips - Greyhound racing, Horse racing
- Ronan Douglas - Stand-in Sports News Reader
[edit] Engineering
- Pat Maher - Head Of Engineering
- Wayne Browne
- Michael Byrne
- John O'Shea
- Roddie Cleere
- Sinéad Flynn
[edit] Monday-Thursday
| Time |
Show |
Presenter(s) |
Details |
| 07.00-10.00 |
The Timmy Ryan Breakfast Show |
Timmy Ryan & Aoibhin Fallon |
Breakfast Show with music, banter, news updates and traffic reports |
| 10.00-12.00 |
Deise Am |
Billy McCarthy |
Mid-morning current affairs show, with live callers and regular features on health, cooking, animal health, sport, and counselling |
| 12.00-16.00 |
The Big Afternoon |
Oliver Carroll |
Afternoon show with daily competitions and music |
| 16.00-19.00 |
Noctor 'Till 7 |
Ian Noctor |
Drivetime current affairs show, with news and traffic updates, and features on business, sports, arts and entertainment |
| 19.00-19.30 |
Specialist Show |
Various |
Thursday & Friday |
| 19.00 (Monday - Wednesday) / 19.30-22.00 (Thursday) |
Waterford's Biggest Jukebox |
Geoff Harris |
Music request and dedication show |
| 22.00-00.00 |
The Late Show |
John O'Shea |
Music show with listeners requests and updates on the local music scene |
| 00.00-01.30 |
Deise Am Replay |
Billy McCarthy |
Repeat of Deise Am |
[edit] Friday
| Time |
Show |
Presenter |
Details |
| 07.00-19.30 |
As Monday to Thursday |
See Monday To Thursday |
See Monday to Thursday |
| 19.30-22.00 |
Ultimate 80s |
Trevor Condon |
Request show with music from the 1980s |
| 22.00-01.00 |
Roddie Cleere's Irish Music Show |
Roddie Cleere |
Irish music show with "Up and coming" Irish artists and classic Irish rock songs |
| 01.00-02.30 |
Deise Am Replay |
Billy McCarthy |
Repeat of Deise Am |
[edit] Saturday
| Time |
Show |
Presenter |
Details |
| 07.00-07.30 |
Mar Dhea |
Caoimhe Ní Mhuirithe |
Weekly Gaeltacht related programme, with a focus on An Rinn |
| 07.30-09.30 |
Weekend Breakfast |
Seán Organ |
Breakfast show with music, competitions, sports news and a look at the morning papers |
| 09.30-10.00 |
Farmview |
Kieran O'Connor |
A replay of Thursday's show |
| 10.00-12.00 |
Saturday |
Maria McCann |
Talk show with studio guests, music, and features on gardening and books |
| 12.00-14.00 |
Terrace Talk |
Matt Keane |
Sports show with news and interviews relating to many sports played locally |
| 14.00-17.00 |
Saturday Sportsline |
Geoff Harris |
Music show, with sports news and match reports |
| 17.00-20.00 |
Here's Ricky |
Rick Whelan |
Music show with songs from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and today |
| 20.00-23.00 |
The Weekend Jukebox |
Aoibhin Fallon |
Music request and dedication show |
| 23.00-02.00 |
The Secret Chord |
Liam Merriman |
Music show with folk, alternative and classic pop music |
[edit] Sunday
| Time |
Show |
Presenter |
Details |
| 07.00-07.30 |
Faith Matters |
Billy McCarthy |
Weekly religious and human interest programme |
| 07.30-09.30 |
Weekend Breakfast |
Seán Organ |
Breakfast show with music, competitions, sports news and a look at the morning papers |
| 09.30-10.00 |
Doing Business |
Paul Nolan |
A replay of Wednesday's show |
| 10.00-12.00 |
Easy On Sunday |
Timmy Ryan |
Music show with Easy Listening, Jazz, Big Band and Classic Pop music |
| 12.00-13.00 |
Sunday View |
Maria McCann |
News discussion show, Maria and a panel of local guests discuss the weeks news as it appears in the Sunday papers |
| 13.00-17.00 |
Sunday Sportsline |
Geoff Harris |
Music show, with sports news and match reports |
| 17.00-20.00 |
Decades |
Roddie Cleere |
Music and request show with songs from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and today |
| 20.00-22.00 |
Showtime |
Sinéad Flynn |
Music show with music from stage shows, musicals and films |
| 22.00-01.00 |
Guaranteed Irish |
John O'Shea |
Country and Irish music show with requests and dedications |
| 01.00-02.30 |
Deise Am Replay |
Billy McCarthy |
Repeat of Deise Am |
[edit] Specialist Shows
- Farmview with Kieran O'Connor Thursday @ 19.00, Saturday @ 09.30 (repeat)
- Farming programme with issues that also interest the wider community
- Gaelic Ground with Kevin Casey Friday @ 19.00
- Sports show with GAA news and results in Waterford
On Monday 31 March 2008, WLR FM introduced a new jingle package from Music 4 London.
[edit] Presenters
| Presenter |
Show |
| Aoibhin Fallon |
Timmy Ryan Breakfast Show, The Weekend Jukbox |
| Billy McCarthy |
Deise AM, Faith Matters |
| Caoimhe Ní Mhuirithe |
Mar Dhea |
| Geoff Harris |
Waterford's Biggest Jukebox; Saturday / Sunday Sportsline |
| Ian Noctor |
Noctor 'Till 7 |
| John O'Shea |
The Late Show; Guaranteed Irish |
| Julian Walton |
On This Day (History Slot) |
| Kevin Casey |
Gaelic Ground; Sports News |
| Kieran O'Connor |
Farmview; Hurling Coverage |
| Liam Merriman |
The Secret Chord |
| Maria McCann |
The Saturday Show; Sunday View; Deise AM (stand-in) |
| Matt Keane |
Terrace Talk; WLR FM Traffic Reports; WLR FM Sports News |
| Oliver Carroll |
The Big Afternoon |
| Paul Nolan |
Doing Business |
| Rick Whelan |
Here's Ricky! |
| Roddie Cleere |
The Irish Music Show; Decades |
| Seán Organ |
The Weekend Breakfast Show |
| Sinéad Flynn |
Showtime |
| Timmy Ryan |
The Timmy Ryan Breakfast Show; Easy on Sunday |
| Trevor Condon |
Ultimate 80s |
[edit] Notable former presenters
- Carrie Crowley – Having worked on WLR in the early 1990s, she went on to compere the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest with Ronan Keating, working on RTÉ Radio and TV and has acted on stage and in film.
- Tony Weldon - The well known Waterford entertainer from days past was also a presenter on WLR FM for many years, and was known for his catchphrase "get up out of the feathers". His last show, Sunday Morning Melodies, popular with older listeners, ended in 2003. Tributes were paid to him by many WLR FM staff, current and former including Head of Programmes Billy McCarthy and former presenter Eddie Wymberry, as well as by other Waterford entertainers such as Val Doonican when he died on Sunday 29th June 2009 [5].
- Eddie Wymberry - A Waterford city-based writer and raconteur, Eddie was another presenter popular with older listeners, presenting many shows during his time working at the station. He occasionally appears on Deise AM and commentates on the St. Patrick's Day Parade over Tannoy speakers in Waterford City centre.
- Domhnall Breatnach - Domhnall worked with WLR FM up until early 2009, presenting many shows including Siamsa Sathairn as Gaeilge and WLR FM News. He often presented the Christmas Morning breakfast show, and has commentated on Spraoi parades live from The Quay in Waterford City.
- Cephas Power - Cephas presented Sportsline on WLR FM for a number of years, and regularly filled in for Geoff Harris on The Home Run. During his time at the station, he trained as a barrister, and is now practising law in Dublin.
- Mark Graham - Having completed the WLR FM / Beat 102 103 / Waterford Institute Of Technology radio broadcast course Mark joined WLR FM along with Liam Merriman in late 2005. Mark presented Sideshow on Friday evenings playing "music you don't often get to hear on the radio", and The Saturday Show on Saturday mornings a wide-ranging chat and music show, which had many outside broadcasts including coverage of the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival.
[edit] Technical information
[edit] Outside Broadcasting
WLR FM has an outside broadcast unit known as the "Blastercaster". For indoor outside broadcasts they have a fold-up OB desk equipped with an internet connected laptop (allowing access to email and text messaging in addition to IM), an audio mixer, ISDN equipment, wireless microphones (and other assorted mics). Using the outside broadcast unit or the indoor OB equipment, the live feed from the OB is sent back to the studio via a high speed ISDN telephone line.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
