WLR FM

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WLR FM
Broadcast area Waterford City and County, Ireland
Slogan First For Waterford
Frequency 94.8; 95.1; 97.5 FM
Format Adult Oriented Pop Music with local news, sports and specialist programmes
Owner Thomas Crosbie Media; Des Whelan
Webcast Here
Website wlrfm.com

WLR FM (Waterford Local Radio), licensed since 1989 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 in Waterford city), 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 a 75% stake in WLR FM and Waterford based regional station Beat 102-103[1], in a deal worth a combined €14 million while managing director of both stations Des Whelan kept 15% of each[2]. TCH already had a significant media presence in Waterford in its ownership of the The Waterford News & Star, one of the three ‘paid-for’ Waterford city based local newspapers (The others being The Munster Express and The Waterford People while the free paper is Waterford Today)

Contents

[edit] History

The original WLR, which was a pirate station broadcasting from a shed at the home of Des Whelan and his brother Rick Whelan at Killotteran just outside the city, launched in 1978. 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) 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, and the licence has been unchallenged on subsequent renewals.

[edit] Studios

The station have two purpose built, state of the art studios, at "The Broadcast Centre", Ardkeen Waterford City (shared with regional youth station Beat 102 103) and the new Dungarvan Broadcast Centre at The Plaza, Dungarvan Shopping Centre. The Ardkeen studio was opened by an Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in 2003 replacing WLR FM's previous studio at Great Georges Street in Waterford City, while the Dungarvan studio was opened by Head of the BCI Michael O' Keefe (himself a Dungarvan man) on November 10th 2007 replacing the existing studio at Harbour Bay in the town. The station made the decision to move to the Dungarvan Shopping Centre to be right at the centre of life in the town, as their previous studio was relatively out of the way situated in an apartment block two minutes walk from Grattan Square in the town

Pictures of the Ardkeen Studio Opening

Pictures of the Dungarvan Studio Opening

Pictures of the Dungarvan Broadcast Centre

A newspaper clipping about WLR FM's move in Dungarvan

[edit] Department Heads

Job Name Info
Head Of Programmes Billy McCarthy Billy presents WLR FM's flagship daily Current Affairs programme "Deise Am" each morning. It is Waterfords most listened to radio programme
Head Of News Liz Reddy Liz Reddy heads up WLR FM's busy news department bringing the latest local news in detail all day every day
Head Of Sport Kevin Casey Kerry man Kevin Casey is WLR FM's new Head Of Sport. Kevin also presents Gaelic Ground
Head Of Music Michael Byrne Michael is also deputy programme manager and a general "jack of all trades" sound engineering and traffic reports are all in a day's work
Head of Engineering Pat Maher Pat makes sure that both WLR FM and Beat 102-103 stay on air and makes everything technical run smoothly from PCs to OB's and everything in between


[edit] Departments

[edit] News

  • Liz Reddy - Head Of News
  • Mark Power
  • Danielle Murray
  • Karen Doyle

Janice Corrigan has left WLR FM moving on to a new post elsewhere. Janice received good wishes from many WLR FM presenters on Wednesday 21st May. Janice read her last bulletin, WLR FM's Main Evening News at 6pm on the same day. At 7pm, she was replaced by WLR FM's new news presenter, Karen Doyle

[edit] Sport

  • Kevin Casey - Head Of Sport
  • Matt Keane - General sport
  • Ray Scott - Soccer, Golf
  • Paul Nolan - Rugby
  • Mark Philips - Greyhound racing, Horse racing

[edit] Engineering

  • Pat Maher - Head Of Engineering
  • Wayne Browne
  • Michael Byrne
  • John O' Shea
  • Roddy Cleere
  • Sinéad Flynn

[edit] Shows

[edit] Monday-Thursday

Time Show Presenter(s) Details
07.00-10.00 The Timmy Ryan Breakfast Show Timmy Ryan & Aoibhin Fallon Timmy & Aoibhin brighten up Waterford mornings with their comical on-air banter and regular news plus traffic updates from Matt (Scooter) Keane MySpace
10.00-12.00 Deise Am Billy McCarthy Billy presents WLR FM's mid-morning Current Affairs show, with live callers and regular features like "Food Matters" with local chef Martin Dwyer
12.00-16.00 The Big (Hit) Afternoon Oliver Carroll Oliver presents WLR FM's afternoon show with daily competitions like the birthday call, lots of fun and more of Waterford's favourite music at lunchtime
16.00-19.00 The Home Run Geoff Harris Geoff presents this early evening show with regular traffic updates, all the latest news, special guests and chart toppers between six and seven
19.00-19.30 Specialist Show Various See below
19.30-22.00 Organ Till' Ten Seán Organ Seán has "Waterford's Biggest Jukebox" in studio every night, with lots of competitions and the latest sports and club lottery results
22.00-00.00 The Late Show John O' Shea John O' Shea eases you into the early morning with great music, listeners requests and updates on the local music scene
00.00-01.30 Deise Am Replay Billy McCarthy Missed "Deise" earlier or just want to hear it again? Listen to the whole show for a second time only without the ad breaks

[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 Sideshow Mark Graham Mark plays all the music that you don't usually get to hear on radio, with regular competitions and interviews with artists
22.00-01.00 Roddy Cleere's Irish Music Show Roddy Cleere Roddy plays all of the best music from "up and coming" Irish (and especially Waterford) artists with some of the best classic rock songs for good measure Irish Music Show MySpace
01.00-02.30 Deise Am Replay Billy McCarthy Missed "Deise" earlier or just want to hear it again? Listen to the whole show for a second time only without the ad breaks

[edit] Saturday

Time Show Presenter Details
07.00-07.30 Mar Dhea Caoimhe Ní Mhuirithe Caoimhe presents WLR FM's weekly Gaeltacht related programme. The Programme has a strong focus on An Rinn
07.30-09.30 Weekend Breakfast Seán Organ Seán wakes up Waterford every weekend morning with the best 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 The Saturday Show Mark Graham Mark presents this varied weekend show with guests in studio telling their stories and playing some of their favourite music. Also "Gardening Guru" John McGuire offers his advice
12.00-02.00 Terrace Talk Matt Keane See Specialist shows
14.00-17.00 Saturday Sportsline Geoff Harris Join Geoff for all the latest sports results, news, match reports, and a great mix of music in between
17.00-20.00 Here's Ricky Rick Whelan Join Rick as he plays all of your favourite music from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and today
20.00-23.00 Siamsa Sathairn Rena Dillon Rena plays more music right into the night. She presents this show as Gaeilge (in Irish)
23.00-02.00 The Secret Chord Liam Merriman Local musician Liam Merriman plays the best of folk, alternative and classic pop music with a tune of his own thrown in for good measure

[edit] Sunday

Time Show Presenter Details
07.00-07.30 Faith Matters Billy McCarthy WLR FM's new religious programme is presented by Deise AM's Billy McCarthy
07.30-10.00 Weekend Breakfast Seán Organ Seán wakes up Waterford every weekend morning with the best music, competitions, sports news and a look at the morning papers
10.00-12.00 Easy On Sunday Timmy Ryan Timmy plays all of the classic hits from artists like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald for two hours every Sunday morning
12.00-13.00 Sunday View Maria McCann Maria and her panel of local guests discuss the weeks news as it appears in the Sunday papers
13.00-13.30 Doing Business Paul Nolan A replay of Wednesday's show
13.30-17.00 Sunday Sportsline Trevor Condon Join Trevor for all the latest sports results, news, match reports, and a great mix of music in between
17.00-20.00 Rolled Gold Roddy Cleere Roddy plays all the hits from the 70's and 80's and can tell you about the number ones on your birthday
20.00-22.00 Showtime Clodagh Power Clodagh plays all the best music from all the shows and musicals (the well known and lesser known ones)
22.00-01.00 The Late Show John O' Shea John helps you relax into early Monday morning with all your favourite Country and Irish music
01.00-02.30 Deise Am Replay Billy McCarthy Missed "Deise" on Friday or just want to hear it again? Listen to the whole show for a second time only without the ad breaks

[edit] Specialist Shows

  • Terrace Talk with Matt Keane Monday @ 19.30, Saturday @ 12.00
    • Matt presents this wide ranging sports program along with his sports department


  • The Good Life with Maria McCann Tuesday @ 19.30
    • Maria keeps us up to date with all the latest health news, with regular features on alternative therapies


  • Doing Business with Paul Nolan Wednesday @ 19.30, Sunday @ 13.00
    • Paul presents WLR FM's weekly business show and keeps us up to date with all the business stories from across the county


  • Farmview with Kieran O' Connor Thursday @ 19.30, Saturday @ 09.30
    • Kieran presents WLR FM's farming program with issues that also interest the wider community


  • Gaelic Ground with Kevin Casey Friday @ 19.30
    • Kevin Casey brings us all the results and news from gaelic games in Waterford

[edit] Presenters

Presenter Show
Aoibhin Falonn Timmy Ryan Breakfast Show
Billy McCarthy Deise AM, Faith Matters
Caoimhe Ní Mhuirithe Mar Dhea
Cephas Power No set show
Clodagh Power Showtime
Domhnall Breathnach No set show
Geoff Harris The Home Run; Saturday Sportsline
John O' Shea The Late Show
Julian Walton Walton's Waterford (History Slot)
Kevin Casey Gaelic Ground; Sports News
Kieran O'Connor Farmview; Hurling Coverage
Liam Merriman The Secret Chord
Maria McCann The Good Life; Sunday View
Mark Graham Sideshow; The Saturday Show
Matt Keane Terrace Talk; general sport
Oliver Carroll The Big Afternoon
Paul Nolan Doing Business
Rena Dillon Siamsa Sathairn
Rick Whelan Here's Ricky!
Roddie Cleere Roddy's Irish Music Show; Rolled Gold
Seán Organ Organ 'Till Ten; The Weekend Breakfast Show
Timmy Ryan The Timmy Ryan Breakfast Show; Easy on Sunday
Trevor Condon Sunday Sportsline


On Monday 31st March 2008, WLR FM introduced a new jingle package, two new shows "The Late Show" Sunday - Thursday from 22.00 - 00.00 with John O' Shea and "Faith Matters" Sundays from 07.00 - 07.30 with Billy McCarthy, while Mar Dhea Le Caoimhe Ní Mhuirithe from 07.00 - 07.30 moves from Sunday to Saturday to free the slot.

Liam Merriman's "Secret Chord" moves to Saturday nights at 23.00, Siamsa Sathairn moves to the earlier time of 20.00 to facilitate this. Trevor Condon has been promoted from The Weekend Jukebox (Saturday Night), to Sunday Sportsline (Sunday Afternoon), Geoff Harris now moves from Sunday Sportsline to present Saturday Sportsline. It appears that Cephas Power (formerly Saturday Sportsline) is now a stand-in DJ, as he is now a qualified barrister elsewhere in the country. Finally Seán Organ's "Organ 'Till Ten" has changed format to become a request show with "Waterford's Biggest Jukebox".

[edit] Technical Info

[edit] Outside Broadcasting

WLR FM have fantastic outside broadcast possibilities. Their OB unit the "Waterford Credit Union Blastercaster" can regularly be seen all around the city and county. For indoor outside broadcasts they have a fold-up OB desk equipped with an internet connected laptop (allowing access to email and text messaging), a portable mixer, ISDN equipment, a pair of wireless microphones, and various other equipment available to them from Frankie King and Tom Russell of the newly formed Frontline Audiovisual company, who manage all outside broadcasts with the help of Michael Byrne and Sinead Flynn.

  • When outside broadcasts take place within the city of Waterford using the Blastercaster OB Unit, programmes are sometimes broadcast from a low power transmitter within the unit and then re-broadcast across the city and county with a slight delay.
  • More often whether using the Blastercaster or the OB unit, the live feed from the OB is sent back to the studio via a high speed ISDN telephone line. This method provides superior sound quality and a more reliable connection

[edit] External links

[edit] References

1. WLR FM 2. BCI 3. Radiowaves.fm 4. My own personal knowledge as an interested onlooker