Blast 106
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2014) |
| Broadcast area | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Format | Music Top 40 Rhythm and Dance |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Blast106 Limited |
| Links | |
| Website | www.blast106.com |
Blast 106 is a FM radio station broadcasting to Greater Belfast on 106.4 FM with a core target audience of 18-35 year olds.
The station commenced broadcasting in 2009, and the results of a recent listenership survey shows that the station has a weekly audience of approximately 94,500 people on FM with a large online listenership.
Mission statement
“Blast106 is a radio station for students & young people living, working or studying in Greater Belfast. The station will Educate, Inform, Entertain and Represent the entire student and youth community with programmes that reflect their tastes and interests.”
Schedule Monday - Friday
| Time/Day | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 am - 10 am | Fully Charged with Neil Curran | Fully Charged with Neil Curran | Fully Charged with Neil Curran | Fully Charged with Neil Curran | Fully Charged with Neil Curran |
| 10 am - 1 pm | Blast @ Work with Kristyn | Blast @ Work with Kristyn | Blast @ Work with Kristyn | Blast @ Work with Kristyn | Blast @ Work with Kristyn |
| 1 pm - 4 pm | Blast @ Work with Sean McKeown | Blast @ Work with Sean McKeown | Blast @ Work with Sean McKeown | Blast @ Work with Sean McKeown | Blast @ Work with Sean McKeown |
| 4 pm - 7 pm | The Jam with Shane Pearce | The Jam with Shane Pearce | The Jam with Shane Pearce | The Jam with Shane Pearce | The Jam with Shane Pearce |
| 7 pm - 9 pm | Blast Reloaded with Connor Brennan | Blast Reloaded with Connor Brennan | Blast Reloaded with Connor Brennan | Blast Reloaded with Connor Brennan | Friday Night Blast with Connor Brennan |
| 9 pm - 12 am | The Lock In with Cushla Rice | The Lock In with Cushla Rice | The Lock In with Cushla Rice | The Lock In with Cushla Rice | Friday Night Blast with Sarah Spellman |
Schedule - Saturday
| Time/Day | Saturday |
|---|---|
| 7 am - 10 am | Weekend Breakfast with Jamie Robinson |
| 10 am - 1 pm | More Music Weekend with Emma Dickson |
| 1 pm - 4 pm | More Music Weekend with Dylan McKee |
| 4 pm - 7 pm | The Takeover with Cushla Rice |
| 7 pm - 10 pm | Saturday Night Blast with Connor Brennan |
| 10 pm - 1 am | Saturday Night Blast with DJ ARG |
Schedule - Sunday
| Time/Day | Sunday |
|---|---|
| 7 am - 10 am | Weekend Breakfast with Jamie Robinson |
| 10 am - 1 pm | Airplay 40 with Spencer James |
| 1 pm - 4pm | Blast Reloaded with Dylan McKee |
| 4 pm - 7 pm | The Buzz with Neil Curran |
| 7 pm - 9 pm | Sunday Night Live with Big Chris |
| 9 pm - 12 am | The Lock-In with Cushla Rice |
Blast 106 Presenters
- Shane Pearce (Programme Director / GM)
- Neil Curran
- Kristyn Higginson
- Sean McKeown
- Connor Brennan
- Cushla Rice
- Jamie Robinson
- Dylan McKee
- Emma Dickson
- Sarah Spellman
- Chris Barber
- DJ ARG
Blast Xtra
Blast Xtra was the online training station of Blast 106, this ceased broadcasting in September 2015 after 5 years on air.
Saturday Schedule on Blast Xtra
- 1pm - 4pm - The Joyride with Anos Nkambule
- 4pm - Andy Black
Licence Breach
In August 2013 the station was found in breach of its licence.[1] Communications regulator Ofcom found that the station was not meeting its licence obligations.
However in a court ruling against Ofcom the station won the right to continue broadcasting. The ruling which was delivered just hours before the station's licence was due to expire, the judge held that the process was unfair and disproportionate. The regulator's decision was quashed and an extension of Blast 106's community radio licence was granted. After hearing submissions the judge sat to give his verdict just before the expiry deadline. He held that Ofcom ignored a request from Blast 106's solicitors for an oral hearing after learning the regulator's preliminary view. A decision was made not to consider sanctions over the alleged breach - which would have involved due process safeguards. That meant all that was left to consider was the station's application in January for an extension to its licence.[2]
The Ofcom report said: "During the three days in January 2013 and two days in November 2012 when we monitored output, we heard no local student news, coverage of student sports events, documentaries, or coverage of student politics."[3]
The station responded by explaining that the days that Ofcom performed monitoring were exceptions to normal output, however following a subsequent monitoring period the station was again found to be under delivering its key commitments. The report concluded;
"As set out above, we have taken into account the following matters"
- The combination in ‘daytime’ output of a high volume of music (more than 90%) with very little speech of specific relevance to the target community;
- A very modest amount of speech output of direct relevance and interest to the primary target community, broadcast in the evenings only;
- A lack of variety in the music output except in specialist programmes; and
- Certain speech material not being featured in output for much of the year.
Communications watchdog Ofcom then went to the Court of Appeal after the decision to extend Blast 106's licence.
It was claimed that the case should instead have been sent back for the regulator to make a fresh decision following that ruling.
But senior judges in Belfast held that the body could not have carried out a fair re-hearing before the station's broadcasting permit expired.
Dismissing the appeal, Lord Justice Girvan said: "To refuse to make an order requiring an extension would be to visit on the licence holder a disproportionately unfair result compared to the alleged unfairness to Ofcom in having to grant a licence which, if abused, could be revoked."