Highland Radio is the local radio service for the County Donegal (North) franchise, operating under a licence from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). Headquartered at the Mountain Top in Letterkenny, the station may also be received across the border in the city of Derry and the rest of that county, as well as County Tyrone, County Fermanagh and parts of County Antrim.
Highland began broadcasting on 15 March 1990, and is currently franchised until 2014. It promotes itself as "Ireland's Number One Local Radio Station", a claim backed up by having both the highest reach figures (88% 7-day, 67% weekday) and market share (65.9%) of any local station within the Republic of Ireland. The station also ranks as the most successful local radio station in Europe.[1] Highland Radio employs 21 full-time and 40 part-time employees, and is home to Shaun Doherty, who, according to analysts, is Ireland's most popular radio presenter, and is considered an institution in the north-west.[2]
On 12 August 2012, Highland Radio received an international exclusive interview with Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt live on air from the Olympics in London.[3]
History
On 31 May 2005, it was announced that the station was to be purchased by Scottish Radio Holdings for €7 million. However, SRH itself was acquired by EMAP 21 days later.[4] The deal was cleared by both the BCI and the Irish Competition Authority. EMAPs sole changes to the station to date have been increasing the bandwidth of their web streams from 20 kbit/s to 128 kbit/s, with no format or presenter changes. On 16 July 2007 it was announced that Denis O'Brien's Communicorp had agreed to purchase FM104, along with national station Today FM and Highland Radio. The sale was, however, subject to both the Competition Authority and Broadcasting Commission of Ireland approval.[5][6] On 8 October 2007 the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland approved the proposed sale by EMAP to Communicorp of Today FM and Highland Radio, but did not approve the proposed sale of FM104 to the company owned by Denis O'Brien.[7]
Orangold, a company owned by the Rabbitt family, completed the purchase of Highland Radio from Denis O'Brien's Communicorp Group in July 2008. Gerry Rabbitt is a founder shareholder of Galway Bay FM and was managing director of Galway Bay FM for 10 years.[8]
The station launched Rehab Radio Bingo on 22 January 2009. The bingo sessions were first broadcast on 9 February 2009. Money raised goes towards supporting Rehab which works for social and economic inclusion among people with disabilities.[9]
Presenters
Current
- Greg Hughes
- Lee Gooch
- Ivan Boreland
- Gary Gamble
- Martin Friel
- Tommy Rosney
- Packie Keeney
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- Rosemary Herraghty
- Bernard Harper
- Mickey Doherty
- Caroline McDermott
- Pio McCann
- Aidan Murphy
- Canice Wilson
- Danny Sharkey
- Keith Fletcher
- Paul McDevitt
- Frank Galligan
- Jimmy Stafford
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Schedule
The station's schedule comprises a mix of MOR and country music and dance music.
References
External links
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