LMFM

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LMFM

Broadcast area	Counties Louth & Meath
Frequency	95.8 and 95.5 MHz
Format	Contemporary
Owner	UTV Radio
Website	www.lmfm.ie

LMFM is an Independent Local Radio station in Ireland. It is also the largest Local radio station outside of Dublin and Cork, broadcasting to a population in excess of 300,000 adults. Media group UTV bought the station in a deal worth about €10 million in 2005. The stations primary audience is the 25+ age group.

LMFM broadcasts on a number of frequencies, the main being either 95.8FM or 95.5FM. The station is licensed by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland to service both Counties Louth & Meath. The station also has strong listenership in counties Dublin, Cavan, Monaghan and Armagh in Northern Ireland. Its 95.5Mhz transmitter is notable significantly outside its franchise area, in Red Gap in County Dublin.

[edit] History

LMFM came to be after the clampdown on illegal radio activities in the late 1980s by the Irish Government and the awarding of a legal licence to cover the Louth/Meath area. Independent Media Broadcasting won the licence to provide the service. Most of the on-air staff they went on to hire such as Ray Stone, Eddie Caffrey, Daire Nelson & Dermot Finglas were DJs from the pirate days of Radio Carousel & Boyneside Radio.

In 1997 LMFM made a failed attempted to attract a larger volume of listeners in the North Dublin & East Meath area. An opt-out station was set up with a studio in Clonee Co. Meath. The new venture was called Fresh 95.5FM. The serviced was short lived. The opt-out failed for a number of reasons, mainly because of a lack of resources and a heavy reliance on input from the main service.

LMFM was successful when it reapplied to keep its current licence in 2003 and was again awarded a licence to providing a radio service to the Louth/Meath area for a further 10 years. LMFM are currently based in purpose build studios in Drogheda, Co. Louth.