Just like that, the IMRO Radio Awards 2024 are done and dusted.
Another packed night at Kilkenny’s Lyrath Estate Hotel in the bag, another 40-odd happy winners, a return to hosting duties for Dermot Whelan who elected to trade a night of repairing broken shakras for hanging out with maniacs and masochists. His words, though I might be paraphrasing slightly.
With the best of Irish radio celebrated, from newcomers to Hall of Fame inductees, the annual pilgrimage to the five-star surrounds of Lyrath serves as much about recognising the talent, quality and depth of content and personnel in the commercial radio sector in Ireland as it does a much-needed knees up for an industry often stretched paper-thin.
While you can find the original list of 2024 nominees here, the winners are listed in full below.
A: Music Programming Awards
A1: General Music Programme: Ray Foley on Today FM (Today FM)
A2: Specialist Music Programme: The Tom Dunne Show (Newstalk)
A3: Breakfast Programme: Morning Glory with PJ Gallagher and Jim McCabe (Radio Nova)
A4: Music Special / Music Event: Chuck Berry, In A Field, In Ballisodare
A5: IMRO Irish Music Programme or Initiative: All Irish with Claire Beck (Today FM)
B: News & Sports Programming Awards
B1: News Story / News Event: Dublin Riots (Newstalk)
B2: News Programme – Full Service: Newstalk’s Dublin Riots Special
B3: News Programme – Local/Regional: FYI Galway – Blockades, Bottles and Birthdays (Galway Bay FM)
B4: Current Affairs Programme – Full Service: The Hard Shoulder (Newstalk)
B5: Current Affairs Programme – Local/Regional: The Michael Reade Show (LMFM)
B6: Sports Story: Doubters to Believers – Jurgen, Liverpool and The Irish Reds
B7: Sports Programme – Full Service: Off The Ball (Newstalk)
B8: Sports Programme – Local/Regional: Radio Kerry Weekend Sport (Radio Kerry)
C: Speech Programming Awards
C1: Documentary: Leesa: Last One On The Train (RTÉ Radio 1)
C2: Music, Arts & Culture Documentary: Are You Blind Or What? (Midlands 103)
C3: Short Feature: Henry McKean Reports (Newstalk)
C4: Magazine Programme: Saturday with John Toal – Christmas at John’s (BBC Radio Ulster)
C5: Drama: Drama on One – Helen Wheels by Fionn Foley (RTÉ Radio 1)
C7: Craoltóireacht le Gaeilge: Cosán na mBan (RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta)
C8: Interactive Speech Programme: Liveline (RTÉ Radio 1)
C9: Sustainability: Waterford In Action – A Climate Discussion (WLR FM)
D: General Awards
D1: Community/Social Action: Cork’s 96FM Giving For Living Radiothon (Cork’s 96FM)
D2: On-air Competition/Promotion: The Grand Tour (iRadio)
D3: Station Imaging: Today FM
D4: Entertainment Insert: Gift Grub on The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show (Today FM)
D5: Digital & Social Innovation: FM104’s Quid Games with Graham and Nathan (FM104)
D6: Radio Station Podcast of the Year: Runaway Joe (RTÉ Radio 1)
E: People Awards
E1: Music & Entertainment Presenter of the Year: KC (Cork’s Red FM)
E2: Radio DJ of the Year: Simon Murdoch (Cork’s 96FM)
E3: Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year: Kieran McGuinness (Radio Nova)
E4: News Broadcaster of the Year: Chris Buckler (BBC Radio Ulster)
E5: News Reporter of the Year: Barry Lenihan (RTÉ Radio 1)
E6: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service: Nathan Murphy (Newstalk)
E7: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Local/Regional: Austin O’Callaghan (Ocean FM)
E8: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service: William Crawley (BBC Radio Ulster)
E9: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Local/Regional: Neil Prendeville (Cork’s Red FM)
E10: The Gay Byrne Award – Newcomer of the Year: Zeinab Elguzouli (FM104)
F: Station of the Year Awards
F1: Radio Moment of the Year: Who Cares For The Carers? (Newstalk)
F2: Local Station of the Year: WLR FM
F3: Music Station of the Year: Cork’s RedFM
F4: National Station of the Year: Newstalk
The first award of the night was the Outstanding Achievement Award, that one going to Beat for their Digital Media Literacy Tour for secondary schools. The initiative saw 41 bilingual digital media literacy information sessions, on site, at 20 different secondary schools across the South East.
The four inductees to the IMRO Radio Awards Hall of Fame also collected their awards – those being Eddie Caffrey (LMFM), Ray D’Arcy (RTÉ), Carol Dooley (Sunshine 106.8 / KCLR), Hugo Duncan (BBC Radio Ulster / BBC Radio Foyle).
For more on the awards, and audio from the winners, see imroradioawards.ie.
If you’re a transition year student, or you have transition year students, in Kilkenny or Carlow then there’s a radio opportunity available at KCLR later this month.
The annual TY Media Week is back, taking place this year from 21-25 October at the studios in KCLR. The Learning Waves initiative is picked up by radio stations all around the country across seasonal work experience windows for second-level schools.
With limited spaces available, it’s a chance to gain insights to the workings of and hands-on experience in a radio station environment and, in our case, we cover everything from news and sport to music, programming, studio production work, engineering setups and more.
Students will have a chance to prepare and record their own shows, conduct interviews, and learn about the processes involved in preparing and delivering news bulletins and shows, sport shows and live commentaries, outside broadcasts, music selection, scheduling and everything else we can fit into a week. Those taking part will work alongside the station editor, journalists, engineers, presenters and producers to get a real flavour of the inner workings of life in radio.
Having already held one TY Media Week in February this year – more details on which you can find here – applications are open for our October week right now.
The shortlists for the 2024 IMRO Radio Awards have been released, the awards as always helping to celebrate the very best of what’s happening in the Irish radio world.
A: Music Programming Awards
A1: General Music Programme
Dave Moore on Today FM (Today FM)
Gareth O’Callaghan (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
On the Move with Kayte O’Malley (Galway Bay FM)
Ray Foley on Today FM (Today FM)
The Nova Lunchbreak with Dee Woods (Radio Nova)
A2: Specialist Music Programme
Block Rockin Beats with Dec Pierce (Today FM)
Europop – The Neil Hannon Show (BBC Radio Ulster)
FM104’s Freaks with Al Gibbs (FM104)
In the Mix with Marty (SPIN 1038)
The Tom Dunne Show (Newstalk)
A3: Breakfast Programme
Colm and Lucy in the Morning (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
iRadio in the Morning with Cooper and Oonagh (iRadio)
Morning Glory with PJ Gallagher and Jim McCabe (Radio Nova)
RedFM Breakfast with KC (Cork’s RedFM)
The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show (Today FM)
A4: Music Special / Music Event
25 Years is a Long Way Baby (Midlands 103)
Chuck Berry, in a Field, in Ballisodare (Ocean FM)
Classical Connections – Seamus Heaney Special (BBC Radio Ulster / Radio Foyle)
Today FM Celebrating Sinéad O’Connor (Today FM)
Today FM’s Big Busk for Focus Ireland (Today FM)
A5: IMRO Irish Music Programme or Initiative
21 Beats on Beat 102-103 (Beat 102-103)
All Irish with Claire Beck (Today FM)
iLove Irish (iRadio)
Mise Sessions (RTÉ Radio 1)
Plugged In Lyra Special (Galway Bay FM)
B: News & Sports Programming Awards
B1: News Story / News Event
A Tornado in Leitrim (Ocean FM)
Dublin Riots (Newstalk)
Emergency Department Death Trap – John Cooke RTÉ Radio 1 (RTÉ Radio 1)
Gone with the Wind (Shannonside Northern Sound)
The Arrest of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (BBC Radio Ulster)
B2: News Programme – Full Service
After the Flood – RTÉ Radio News At One (RTÉ Radio 1)
Breakfast Briefing (Newstalk)
Dublin Riots – Eye Witness Accounts and Reaction – Morning Ireland (RTÉ Radio 1)
Newstalk’s Dublin Riots Special (Newstalk)
The Arrest of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (BBC Radio Ulster)
B3: News Programme – Local/Regional
Cork’s 96FM News Extended Bulletin (Cork’s 96FM)
FYI Galway – Blockades, Bottles and Birthdays (Galway Bay FM0
Mass Day of Strike Action (BBC Radio Foyle)
Q102 Lunchtime News (Dublin’s Q102)
Waterford @ 6 – 30 Year Search for Imelda Keenan (WLR FM)
B4: Current Affairs Programme – Full Service
Newstalk Breakfast (Newstalk)
The Hard Shoulder (Newstalk)
The Last Word with Matt Cooper (Today FM)
The Late Debate -The Dublin Riots (RTÉ Radio 1)
The Pat Kenny Show (Newstalk)
B5: Current Affairs Programme – Local/Regional
Midlands Today (Midlands 103)
North West Today (Ocean FM)
The Michael Reade Show (LMFM)
The Nine ’til Noon Show with Greg Hughes (Highland Radio)
Tipp Today (Tipp FM)
B6: Sports Story
Doubters to Believers – Jurgen, Liverpool and the Irish Reds (Dublin’s Q102)
Monaghan Day (Shannonside Northern Sound)
Ón Taobhlíne OB Live from GAA World Games in Derry (BBC Radio Ulster)
The Rise and Fall of Vera Pauw (Newstalk)
When Rio Came to Rovers (Ocean FM)
B7: Sports Programme – Full Service
Chapters of Magnificence (RTÉ Radio 1)
Game On (RTÉ 2FM)
Off The Ball (Newstalk)
B8: Sports Programme – Local/Regional
Radio Kerry Weekend Sport (Radio Kerry)
The Final Whistle – How the West Was Won (Ocean FM)
The Men of ’23 (Galway Bay FM)
The Score with Trevor Welch (Cork’s 96FM)
Up for the Match (C103 Cork)
C: Speech Programming Awards
C1: Documentary
35 Years of GCN (Newstalk)
Concrete Jungle (Clare FM)
Documentary on One: Fear and Mistrust (RTÉ Radio 1)
Leesa: Last One on the Train (RTÉ Radio 1)
Queen of Nightclubs (Lyric Feature) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
C2: Music, Arts & Culture Documentary
Are You Blind or What? (Midlands 103)
Building a Ballet (The Lyric Feature) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
Give Kate Bush Back to the Irish (BBC Radio Ulster)
Louder Than Bombs – The Smiths in Ireland, Nov 84 (RTÉ Radio 1)
Magic on a Winter’s Night (Lyric Feature) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
The Trashcan Sinatras (Radio Nova)
C3: Short Feature
Henry McKean Reports (Newstalk)
Poetry People Reports Dave MacArdle (RTÉ Radio 1)
The Greatest Gender Benders of Music (Radio Nova)
The Story Behind The Song (Clare FM)
Where Life Sounds Greener (RTÉ Lyric FM)
C4: Magazine Programme
Atlantic Tales (Clare FM)
Moncrieff (Newstalk)
Saturday View (Midlands 103)
Saturday with John Toal – Christmas at John’s (BBC Radio Ulster)
TY Takeover (Galway Bay FM)
C5: Drama
Assume Nothing: The Handler – Six Months in Hell – Episode 2 (BBC Radio Ulster)
Drama On One – Helen Wheels by Fionn Foley (RTÉ Radio 1)
Miracle On McCurtain Street – Lorraine and Ross (Cork’s 96FM)
Sandwich (Newstalk)
Shinaid (RTÉ Radio, Drama on One)
C6: Specialist Speech Programme
Alright, Pet? (BBC Radio Ulster)
Feather and Flock (Lyric Feature) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
FM104’s Come In (FM104)
Futureproof (Newstalk)
The Home Show (Newstalk)
C7: Craoltóireacht le Gaeilge
Cosán na mBan (RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta)
Hit 30 (SPIN 1038)
Ón Domhan Thíos (RTÉjr / RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta)
Splanc le Cuán Ó Flatharta (Newstalk)
The Magic of An Ríocht (Radio Kerry)
C8: Interactive Speech Programme
Liveline (RTÉ Radio 1)
Lunchtime Live (Newstalk)
Night Time Talk with Lauren O’Sullivan (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
One Giant Leap on The Neil Prendeville Show (Cork’s RedFM)
The Stephen Nolan Show (BBC Radio Ulster)
C9: Sustainability
Ecolution (RTÉjr Radio)
Gardeners’ Corner with David Maxwell (BBC Radio Ulster)
Public Transport in 90 Minutes (98FM)
Waterford in Action – A Climate Discussion (WLR FM)
We Only Want The Earth (Lyric Feature series) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
D: General Awards
D1: Community/Social Action
2FM – Stand Up Awareness Week (2FM)
98FM’s Best of Dublin Awards (98FM)
Blue Monday (98FM)
Cork’s 96FM Giving for Living Radiothon (Cork’s 96FM)
Men’s Health Matters (WLR FM)
D2: On-air Competition/Promotion
Back to the Future – Simon Harris Day (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
Dead Air (98FM)
FM104’s Quid Games with Graham and Nathan (FM104)
Gift Grub Turns 25 (Today FM)
The Grand Tour (iRadio)
D3: Station Imaging
Cork’s 96FM
FM104
Radio Nova
SPIN 1038
Today FM
D4: Entertainment Inserts
A Very Moore-y Christmas (Today FM)
Emma, Dave and Aisling’s Swaptember (SPIN 1038)
Gift Grub on The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show (Today FM)
RedFM Breakfast with KC – The 10 Past 8 Bits (Cork’s RedFM)
This Is – Lorraine and Ross in the Morning (Cork’s 96FM)
D5: Digital & Social Innovation
Beat’s Digital Media Literacy Tour (Beat 102-103)
Dave & Fionnuala’s Grand Tour (iRadio)
Emma, Dave & Aisling’s Swaptember – Dave’s Dream Day (SPIN 1038)
FM104’s Quid Games with Graham and Nathan (FM104)
Inner Drive (Newstalk)
D6: Radio Station Podcast of the Year
Inside Ireland’s Rising Right (Newstalk)
Inside the Crime (Newstalk)
Let Me Explain with Sean Defoe (Newstalk)
Runaway Joe (RTÉ Radio 1)
The Real Carrie Jade (RTÉ Radio 1)
E: People Awards
E1: Music & Entertainment Presenter of the Year
Dave Duke (iRadio)
Emma Nolan (SPIN 1038)
Graham O’Toole (FM104)
Ian Dempsey (Today FM)
KC (Cork’s RedFM)
E2: Radio DJ of the Year
Brian McEvoy (Cork’s 96FM)
Eve Blair (BBC Radio Ulster)
Jess Spencer (SPIN 1038)
Louise Duffy (RTÉ Radio 1)
Simon Murdoch (Cork’s 96FM)
E3: Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year
Ann Marie Kelly (Midlands 103)
JJ O’Shea (Radio Kerry)
Kieran McGuinness (Radio Nova)
Ralph McLean (BBC Radio Ulster)
Stephen McCauley (BBC Radio Ulster)
E4: News Broadcaster of the Year
Alex Rowley (SPIN 1038)
Chris Buckler (BBC Radio Ulster)
Declan Harvey (BBC Radio Ulster)
Fionnuala Corbett (iRadio)
Shane Beatty (Newstalk)
E5: News Reporter of the Year
Barry Lenihan (RTÉ Radio 1)
Cian McCormack (RTÉ Radio 1)
David Nevin (Galway Bay FM)
Henry McKean (Newstalk)
Sheila Naughton (Newstalk)
E6: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
Aisling O’Reilly (Newstalk)
Eoin Sheahan (Newstalk)
John Duggan (Newstalk)
Nathan Murphy (Newstalk)
E7: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Local/Regional
Austin O’Callaghan (Ocean FM)
Derrick Lynch (Clare FM)
Donal Ryan (Ocean FM)
Eric White (BBC Radio Foyle)
Tim Moynihan (Radio Kerry)
E8: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
Andrea Gilligan (Newstalk)
Ciara Kelly (Newstalk)
Pat Kenny (Newstalk)
Sean Moncrieff (Newstalk)
William Crawley (BBC Radio Ulster)
E9: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Local/Regional
Alan Morrissey (Clare FM)
Mark Patterson (BBC Radio Foyle)
Neil Prendeville (Cork’s RedFM)
Niall Delaney (Ocean FM)
Patricia Messinger (C103 Cork)
E10: The Gay Byrne Award – Newcomer of the Year
Dan Dooner (Shannonside Northern Sound)
Gary Brennan (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
Luke Delaney (Dublin’s Q102)
Nicky Manley (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
Zeinab Elguzouli (FM104)
F: Station of the Year Awards
F1: Radio Moment of the Year
Go Back to Your Country – Exposing Exploitation (LMFM)
Liveline – Live from the Stardust Verdict (RTÉ Radio 1)
Entries have opened for the 2023/24 running of the Irish Audio Awards.
Launched by Radiocentre Ireland in 2022 as a joint venture between the IBI (Independent Broadcasters of Ireland) and RTÉ, the aim of the Irish Audio Awards is to showcase the unique strength and power of audio by recognising and rewarding work done in the audio realm, celebrating creativitiy in audio advertising and championship the teams behind the winning work.
Per the official website, “It’s the art of audio, coupled with science, sonic properties, dynamic audio, awesome and massive and big. Audio has such potential, it’s so big, bigger than we imagine. The best radio engages emotionally, it’s not a passive experience and we are great storytellers, great talkers. The innovation is always changing and there’s respect in the presence of a good idea. Creatives are competitive people and audio is one of the most creative medium, we should be world leaders and we are scratching the surface.”
There are 10 categories open for entry this year and an additional Grand Prix award will be announced on the night. These are
Business (B2B advertising)
Consumer (B2C advertising)
Audio for Change (where audio is created for a charity, not-for-profit, social movement, for government etc. and the goal will be positive societal change)
Use of Music (recognising exceptionally creative or innovative use of music or sound design in audio advertising)
Sound Design (rewarding the process of composing, specifying, acquiring, manipulating, or generating audio elements including sound effects, location recordings, ‘atmos’ etc.)
Copywriting Craft
Casting (where voice performance is integral to the success of the spot)
Innovation (recognising the innovative use of technology in audio advertising)
Speculative (not yet aired or published)
Broadcaster (original work by a radio broadcaster)
The Grand Prix category is awarded by the jury from entries made across the other general access categories, but can’t itself be entered. Full category details, 2022 winners audio and submission guidelines can be found here. Last year’s Grand Prix award went to Publicis Dublin for their Pick Up The Pace campaign for Virgin Media, a collaboration with JyellowL to release the fastest hip-hop track in Ireland. Take a listen below.
This might sound a bit strange to some, particularly if you’ve never dabbled in martial arts, but working in radio or broadcasting is more like Brazilian jiu-jitsu than you might imagine.
I”ll preface this by saying I’ve a couple of years of BJJ under my belt, training at Team Ryano Kilkenny (now Myalo), though work and life changes mean it’s also been a few years since I’ve been back on the mats. As it happens, the last time I was on the mats was close enough to the last time I hosted the afternoon shift, something I’ve been back covering for the past two weeks. I’d like to think that the skills you pick up on the gym floor are much like the skills you pick up in a studio environment – they stick with you, but ultimately they need nurturing if you’re going to develop.
Sure, muscle strains, chipped elbows and rapid rises in your heart rate every five to ten minutes aren’t typically associated with a live radio show but stick with me for a minute. Here are five reasons I think Brazilian jiu-jitsu and radio are more alike than you think.
1. Discipline and practice
Success in the worlds of radio and Brazilian jiu-jitsu relies heavily on discipline and consistent practice. On the BJJ side, you get out what you put in, something that’s made very evident early in your BJJ journey. Let’s say you do one 60-90 minute class a week. That class is usually divided into time spent learning a technique, time spent implementing that technique with a partner, and time in a live ‘rolling’ session, putting everything you’ve learned into play. That’s a very short amount of time you’ve got to hone your craft.
Similarly, in radio, you’ve got schedules to adhere to and hours to clock up to perfect your craft. As a beginner (let’s call you a white belt broadcaster), one 45-50 minute show a week or month is only going to get you so far. To advance, you’ve got to clock up the hours, put the work in, perfect your techniques and test them in the live environment. Saying practice makes perfect isn’t just for the craic.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Photo: Hugazo Boss / Pexels
2. Continuous learning
Both radio, especially commercial radio and Brazilian jiu-jitsu require a commitment to continuous learning. From an on-air perspective, you’re staying up to date with the latest trends, technologies, content creation techniques, libel and defamation, changes to the law, software, hardware and more. With BJJ, you’re constantly learning new techniques, strategies, gameplans, and different ways to chain moves to help you advance positions and improve your skills.
Some of the learning for BJJ takes place on the mats while other instruction is more from the live environment that gives you experiences to draw on. Maybe you watch YouTube tutorials (just don’t piss off your coach with the latest YouTube trend on the mats) but if you’re watching content on YouTube, similarly for radio you should always be listening. Not just to your colleagues or your own station’s content, but broaden your horizons and listen to more podcasts, make notes, and listen to other radio shows and presenters at home and away. Note their approaches to links, content, and interviews.
If you really want to further your learning in the radio game, why not make use of the regular Learning Waves courses open to those working in the industry in Ireland. Particularly with libel, defamation, social media and more, there’s always something to be brushing up on.
3. Handling adversity – getting comfortable being uncomfortable
BJJ has long been referred to as ‘the gentle art’ when it comes to martial arts. The running joke is that you extend the phrase to ‘the gentle art of folding clothes with someone still in them’. I’ve been there on both sides, doing the folding and getting properly folded. One thing that was drilled into me from day one in the gym was that you will – and need to – learn to get comfortable being uncomfortable. You’ll find yourself under pressure, running tight on time in rounds with the clock ticking down, in the pressure cooker of a competition environment, you’re trying to avoid effectively getting strangled or contorted all while trying to get your own job done.
The same applies to radio and for anyone considering getting into live radio in particular, be it at community or commercial level, local or national, get comfortable in being uncomfortable. Whether that’s handling a particular topic or a difficult guest (we’ve all had guests who only communicate in yes or no answers), changes to programming, your playout system not working, a lull in a live game when you’re supposed to be in full commentary flow – whatever the situation is, if you can be comfortable in those uncomfortable situations, you’ll be all the better a presenter for it.
As a broadcaster, you’ve got to be able to think on your feet and solve problems quickly. Pre-show, that means being able to work through creative ideas and content, how you’re tackling particular issues to make sure the right, balanced message, comes across. Hand-in-hand with point three above, it also means you’ve got to be able to adapt in the moment should you run into any ‘live’ problems.
For BJJ, I think the whole sport is problem-solving, especially if you’re opponent is the problem. Have they taken your back? Are the hooks in? Is their arm under your chin? This could be a problem. In a sport that’s all about action-reaction, you learn very quickly to troubleshoot and problem-solve your way out of trouble and on to the win. Unless you get yourself out of one submission attempt only to fall into another, we’ve all been there, but that’s also part of the continuous learning…
5. Teamwork and collaboration
As a presenter, you might be the face of your show but radio isn’t really an industry with room for solo runs. Listen to some of the talk shows around the country (I’m sure it’s the same elsewhere as it is in Ireland) and you’ll hear a credit list of researchers, producers, executive producers, reporters, engineers and more who have contributed to the successful running of a programme on air.
And sure, you may be on your own on air, and you may not have a producer, but I’m sure you’ll have colleagues you can bounce off, sales teams you’ve worked with for competitions, reception teams answering phones and calls and more. There’s an awful lot of teamwork and collaboration that goes into making radio happen, and it’s exactly the same on the gym floor for BJJ players. True, it could be seen as an individual sport as it always comes back to one-on-one encounters, but you don’t ever get into a one-on-one encounter without having trained and sparred with your coaches, training partners, and clubmates. It takes a village and all that.
So as much as you think the worlds of radio and Brazilian jiu-jitsu might be worlds apart, they both take a fierce amount of dedication, resilience and a willingness to learn and adapt that makes them more alike than you might think.
By way of a plug for my own parish, if you’re looking to explore the world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and fancy getting comfortable being uncomfortable, or indeed folding clothes with people still in them, give the lads at Myalo a shout in Kilkenny. They’ll either open their doors to you or point you in the right direction for a club or academy near you.
If you’re a regular KCLR listener, you may recognise a change in presenter this week and next between the hours of 1pm and 4pm.
Beginning after the lunchtime news tomorrow (Monday) and continuing through Monday 27 November, I’ll be making a short return to the afternoon lineup in place of John Keane. Have no fear, he’ll be back in your ears from Tuesday 28 November but between now and then you’ll find me keeping Carlow and Kilkenny company during the week.
The face of a lad back on afternoons on @kclr96fm this month.
It’s over three years since a Covid-induced schedule change saw me step out of KCLR Drive in the afternoons (3pm to 5.30pm) to concentrate on what was then a relative unknown – how were we going to ensure the continuity of operations, the introduction of remote working for virtually the entire station and more.
Overseeing sporting operations for the past two years meant a return to air in a different capacity, primarily as the voice of sport on Monday and Tuesday mornings but there’s nothing quite like the feeling of steering your own ship for a few hours a day.
Now, I say ‘own’ ship but it’s very much keeping the show flowing as it has been. If there’s one thing you pick up as a radio presenter, if you’re asked to cover a show whether for a day or a week or a month, it would be wise to begin by covering the show ‘as is’. Should you find yourself in a position where you’re covering a show or you’re hoping to pick up cover work, it’s wise to chat to the regular presenter of the show to look at the placement of features, links, music, competitions and more. Then bring your own personality and away you go.
So, running order in hand and with some new station-wide competitions kicking off in a few days’ time, if you’re looking for me Monday to Friday you’ll find me live here, here and here and across Kilkenny and Carlow on 96 to 96.9 FM from 1.15pm to 4pm until 27 November.
Looking forward to this one!
Listen: KCLR Drive in 2020
One of the last interviews from KCLR Drive before the country went to hell in a handbasket saw Hermitage Green join me in studio to talk about an album and tour that would eventually get pushed out courtesy of the pandemic. The live tunes were on fire that day though. So, if you’ve never heard me on air before, here’s a clip. I won’t have changed too much since.
The awards for Round 50 of the Sound & Vision funding for radio and television through Coimisiún na Meán have seen €2.4m in additional funding announced for commercial radio stations in Ireland.
Round 50 sees 29 funding awards in total, ranging from €35,000 to €95,000, with funding set to be used for programming specific to a range of topics including media literacy, digital transformation, GEDI (gender, equality, diversity and inclusion) and developing communities and communities of interest. Per media development commissioner Rónán Ó Domhnall, this latest round of funding “will also assist stations to explore opportunities that increase audience engagement through training and outreach activities, in particular for minorities and newer communities.”
The majority of independent radio stations around Ireland are included in the awards list (PDF) among them, FM104 who have secured €70,000 for their project Dublin: Rainbow Rising, Midlands 103 and KCLR who both take the maximum €95,000 award for two projects respectively, Collective Communities and Amplifying Voices Less Heard.
Bauer Media have also secured €200,000 in funding to be split between Spin 1038, Spin South West, 98FM and Cork’s Red FM.
Other projects set to begin development include Futurescape: Shaping Tomorrow’s Waterford (WLR) and Ctrl Shift Save – Life in a Digital Age (Newstalk).
Round 51 funding open
While Round 50 may have been a special round, Round 51 is currently open for applications from broadcasters and independent producers, for both television and radio. In all, €6.9m has been made available for the final funding round of the year.
Per CNAM, Round 51 “will also have a specific focus on programmes that support gender, equality, diversity, and inclusion, with a particular focus on integration and the voices of new Irish communities. “
This week saw the release of the 2023 Irish Radio Report, bringing with it some key findings about the listenership habits of the general population in Ireland.
From the most recent JNLR data (up to the end of June 2023) we already know that 80.2% of people listen to radio on average daily, translating to around 3.3 million sets of ears. Not only that, but the average time spent per listener per day on radio is four hours, and seven minutes. Since 2018, JNLR figures will also show you that the daily audience for live radio in Ireland has gone from 3.1 million to 3.3 million listeners.
What the 2023 Irish Audio Report shows is that when it comes to our consumption of audio content is live radio is very much the dominant force when it comes to audio listening. Audio content in itself is up at 98% of the adult population weekly with live radio commanding a 92% share of that audience.
Bring that back to an average day in relation to time spent listening to any audio and live radio takes a 74% share of the market, the remainder given over to on-demand content. Interestingly, within on-demand audio, podcasts only account for 3% when compared to other music streaming (12%) or YouTube Music (7%) While streaming services gain more ground with young adults (15-24 years old) at a 29% share, podcast consumption still remains at 3%.
Other key points of note show that smart speaker ownership is up from 13% to 45% in four years while almost 40% of adults are now paying for a subscription service on one or more online platforms – either for ad-free audio streaming, YouTube premium (again, ad-free) or podcasts.
Whether you’re a national, regional, local or community radio station, cyber security should always be kept on the agenda. Devices can go missing, pet names get used for passwords, programs get installed that shouldn’t and, with the rise of scammers, suspect links and attachments in emails to invoice redirection and outright theft, there’s always something to consider.
Each year, for the entire month of October in Europe, hundreds of activities around cyber security take place from conferences to workshops, training to webinars and more. It’s all driven by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) which runs an annual campaign dedicated to promoting cybersecurity among EU citizens and organisations, along with providing up-to-date online security information through awareness-raising activities and the sharing of good practices.
It sounds like a mouthful, and you can read more about it here, but in essence, it’s a month-long effort to aid the understanding and importance of cyber security for the world we live in today.
For radio stations, it’s paramount. Think of your internal setup – from remote staff to in-house workers, reception through to sales and commercial departments, news and sports programming to production and advertising. You may be running internal file stores, having countless connected machines from desktop computers to CCTV, your on-air playout system to your online streaming service. You’ve got full-time staff, part-time staff, contractors, swing jocks, cover reporters, work experience students and more – and that might be just on any given day.
A 48-port network switch. Photo: Brett Sayles / Pexels
Then think of your external setup as the analogue world has shifted to digital. You might have one transmission site, or you might have a dozen. They could be all interconnected, all networked. You’ve got primary links, backup links, AOIP connections, SIP connections and a plethora of hardware and software from many different providers that all have a key job to do in keeping the show on the road.
While you may not be able to bridge every gap or plan for every scenario, there are some simple things you can do to help improve cyber security hygiene for your radio station. And yes, these tips could be adapted and applied to businesses in all walks of life, but I’m focusing on the radio side of things for the minute.
Plenty of variables in a connected world, which could mean plenty of opportunities for would-be cyber attackers. So from safeguarding sensitive data to ensuring uninterrupted broadcasts, here are ten quality cyber security tips that you could implement immediately to bolster your radio station’s defences and protect your assets.
10 simple cyber security tips for radio stations (and other businesses)
1. Implement robust firewalls
Every radio station’s IT infrastructure should be shielded by robust firewalls. These act as the first line of defence against external threats, filtering out malicious traffic and preventing unauthorised access. That’s literally what firewalls do – provide a layer of protection from the outside world. Typically a single firewall setup will sit between your internal network and your external connection to the internet.
All manner of rules and configurations can be implemented to restrict traffic from outside sources, and limit requests to resources from inside (e.g. blocking certain websites or categories of online content). Whether you’re managing a firewall yourself or you’ve engaged the services of a third-party IT or security firm, you should ensure that your firewall hardware and software settings are regularly updated and reviewed.
2. Secure data storage
Radio stations handle a plethora of data and information every single day, from listener contacts and queries to commercial contracts and big finance deals, to sensitive employee information and more. It’s vital to store this data securely. Where you can, opt for encrypted storage solutions and consider using cloud services that offer advanced security features and regular backups. Always ask yourself the question – if I lost this data in the morning, how much would it impact my ongoing operations? If the answer is anything more than ‘not at all’, you need to consider your data storage options.
3. Regularly update software
In April 2014, Windows XP reached end of life. The extended support for Windows 7 beyond the end of life was reached in January 2023. Windows 10 will reach its end of life in October 2025. Yet there are core systems in radio stations around the world that are still running on dated, unsupported and no longer updated operating systems or running outdated software.
If you dig deep enough, you may even find it as a requirement of your insurance that you’re required to be running on updated versions of particular software. In the case of Microsoft, regular updates are pushed for Windows 10 and Windows 11 and, while sometimes they introduce headaches when done in the background, they’re provided for a reason – especially OS security upgrades.
The bottom line, keep essential software up-to-date and in line with your provider’s schedule for updates. Where you’re using other third-party software whether for remote access, scheduling, traffic and advertising, playout or the management of other key hardware and infrastructure, keep up with patch notes from vendors and apply updates regularly.
4. Establish a strong password policy
This one’s a simple one and can be applied to any walk of life. There are two areas jumping off the page immediately for this – one is with users logging on to an internal network (also picked up in my next point) and the other is for email and social media.
A strong password policy can be put in place by domain administrators (assuming your internal network uses a domain) while policies can also be set for Microsoft 365 / Google Workplace accounts for accessing email and other associated online services. For example, please don’t let someone’s password be ‘password’ or ‘abc123’. Consider a strong password policy, that can be enforced, encouraging longer, more cryptic options.
Tools like 1Password will provide password generators, LastPass too have an online option available here. If you’re only as strong as your weakest link, and that link is your password, it’s an easy one to improve. Equally, if you’re not already using MFA (multi-factor authentication for cloud accounts, remote studio access, email etc) then that’s a move you should be considering.If you’re a Microsoft 365 user, you may have already seen warnings coming about transitioning users from old 2FA methods to authentication apps, or doubling up with a password and an authentication app for additional layers of security.
5. Limit network access with defined roles for domain users
This is possibly more of an internal matter than an external matter but if you’ve got all desktops in your radio station on your primary network, and let’s say those desktops have access to shared files, running orders, contact details, show logs and more, that’s a lot of information you’re leaving up for grabs.
If you don’t have something in place already, consider a separate area, machine or network setup for program preparation that may allow access to the web in general, social media tools or printers. However, a better conversation starts with your network administrator in defining user roles and requirements for those accessing your network. Programming staff shouldn’t need access to commercial shares, your commercial staff shouldn’t need access to technical shares etc.
Users could be segmented into groups (a news pool, a music pool) with access rights to certain areas of your network restricted based on their role. If everyone has the keys to the castle, who’s really minding the castle?
6. Encrypt sensitive devices
Do you have a laptop or network-connected device heading to an outside broadcast? Have a phone passed around the studio as ‘the social phone’? If you’ve got portable devices heading out into the wilds – and that includes station-issued mobile handsets or other IP devices – make sure that there’s a strong level of security in place.
For Windows-based laptops, look at Bitlocker encryption, for Mac-based options look at enabling FileVault. For mobile phones, you should at the very least have SIM and device logins enabled, whether by PIN, patterns or biometrics (Face ID, fingerprint). Got social accounts running on devices? Consider implementing 2FA/MFA or adding app-specific passwords (a useful feature on Android handsets) to provide an additional layer of security.
7. Personal device (BYOD) policies
When it comes to personal devices, my recommendation would be that they stay off-network (or get segmented network access i.e. guest access) and they shouldn’t be used for any station-related work including mails, socials or otherwise.
If staff or contributors need to work on their own devices for any reason, then you need to consider a BYOD or Bring Your Own Device policy. This would determine how staff, contractors and other users can use their own laptops, smartphones or other personal devices on the company network if they need to access network-stored data to perform their job duties.
Essentially your radio station owns the data, but you don’t own the devices that are being used to access it. Options on device management, allowing apps to run in a separate partition or profile on a device can be looked at but running a BYOD policy can bring challenges. You may have to offer and provide support for devices that you’re allowing into your network, you have to be able to ensure compliance with policies and procedures (including legal), and you’ve still got to ensure your data is protected.
The great unknown when it comes to network security is still the human element. How many times have we heard phone-ins on talk shows discussing bank accounts being emptied, credit cards being charged, and identities being stolen because someone clicked a link in an email?
Remember the Sony hack in 2014? It might necessitate you inserting warning messages to emails internally on delivery, cautioning staff on opening links and attachments. It may necessitate training days, webinars, or regular briefings or, as with my last point below, engaging with cybersecurity experts to help inform and educate staff.
Come across something in the news worth sharing with your team? The last thing you’ll want is one of your own team ending up on your morning talk show about how they’ve been scammed or had their Facebook account hacked because they clicked something they shouldn’t have, let alone the greater impact that could pose to your station.
9. Regular backups
Nightly, daily, incremental or whole snapshots, the choice is yours. If your radio station was hacked, flooded, struck by lightning or burned to the ground in the morning, could you survive with the loss of data? Or what if someone had clicked a link in a spurious email or opened an attachment they shouldn’t have and suddenly you find you’ve been locked out of vital systems? Imagine your playout was rendered unusable, could you spin it up in the cloud? Or if the building was fine but someone happened to gain entry to your network and delete everything overnight, have you backups in place?
Don’t leave it to chance though, and when you are making backups, try to have them backed up to somewhere other than the machine you’re taking them from. Redundancy counts for a lot.
10. Collaborate with cybersecurity experts
You can’t know everything and can’t be expected to know everything, that’s why IT contractors and cybersecurity experts exist. If you’re already working with a third-party provider, turn the conversation from reactive to proactive and open a dialogue about your cyber security options. Talk to them about auditing your radio station’s network and assess weak points, be they hardware, software or human. There’s no silver bullet
A final word & additional reading
If you fear you’ve been a victim of a cybercrime or data theft, you should report the incident to your local Garda station and may need to contact the Data Protection Commission.
Much like I penned in September (for October), we’re back with a few more ideas to get the creative juices going for the month of November.
I’ll be doing a series of posts like these over the course of a calendar year, giving some light tips and suggestions for on-air competitions and promotions that might be useful for the following month. They’ll be seasonal, some a little easier to integrate into your on-air offering than others while every now and again you might get something that will take an extra few weeks for planning and execution.
Either way, if you’re looking at some ideas for standalone promotions or show integrations in November 2023, you’ve come to the right place. Here are seven suggestions to get you thinking.
1. Thanksgiving recipe contest
I’ll drop this one in here for the visitors from across the Atlantic as the US gets set for Thanksgiving at the end of the month. That said, you’ll find a lot of Irish radio stations around Thursday 23 November (that’s the date this year) tapping into their book of American contacts and contributors to discuss Thanksgiving traditions. If you’re jumping on that bandwagon, then how about a Thanksgiving recipe contest?
Get listeners to put their best recipes forward, get them shared and get voting. Prizes could include cooking equipment, gift vouchers for local butchers or supermarkets, or go all out and offer a catered Thanksgiving dinner in a listener’s home (or even bring them into the station instead and get a few of the team around for food). If you’re considering commercial possibilities, target local food stores, kitchen appliance brands, or dealers.
2. The Winter Warmup song contest
In Ireland we love a good song contest so if you’re looking for a bit of craic this November, why not try out the Winter Warmup Song Contest? After all, there’s no point in waiting for the Eurovision to roll around in May when you can get stuck into the singing in just a few weeks.
With the cold weather likely to set in for November, invite listeners to submit their favourite ‘warmup’ songs, something that gets them moving or warms their spirits. It could be a classic hit, something hot or if you’re willing to play your Christmas music early, it could be something a little festive. Best song goes to the top of the class with your prize offerings the likes of gig tickets, wireless headphones and the likes. Get listeners to send in their songs and get your final list down to 10-15. If you’ve got the songs in your library, why not shape a clock from them or get them on a playlist, spinning them across the month with a vote at the end of the month on the ultimate Winter Warmup song.
3. Movember awareness campaign
Is your mo’ ready for November? It’s that time of year again where those with a penchant and ability for growing facial hair can go all out on the moustache or bear front across the month before trimming it all off in the name of charity. Movember has grown into a focus on mental health, suicide, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Grow a mo, move for mental health, host a mo-ment or just “mo your own way”. Read all about it here.
If you’re looking at a campaign to target male listeners, why not get involved with Movember? Encourage the moustache-growing movement, share progress and stories, get some WhatsApp or social interaction going. You could go the whole hog and open up a voting system, team up with some men’s grooming products suppliers, maybe a local health clinic or even a barbers, with prizes on the line including grooming kits, health checkups, a hot towel shave etc.
4. Black Friday scavenger hunt
Production departments around radio stations in Ireland (and presumably globally) will likely be chock full of Black Friday requests, ads, campaigns and the rest. What was very much “a thing” in the US market has certainly been adopted by Irish retailers in recent years as businesses look to make the most of pre-Christmas sales with the hope of tempting customers in with some day-only to week-only offers.
One option that’s primed for local radio stations or particular local/regional markets is a Black Friday scavenger hunt, with clues leading to local businesses offering Black Friday deals. Provide your clues on air, via social media or look to an outside broadcast for some live event participation. If single retail stores are out of reach for sponsors, look at shopping centres, town groups, maybe even e-commerce platforms or online shops. For prizes, think exclusive deals, vouchers or one-off Black Friday goodies.
5. Thankful thoughts
This is a little like point number one in that it has to do with giving thanks, but it could help generate some feel-good content for air. What are people thankful for? The clocks will have changed, the evenings are drawing in and November is a good month for reflection before planning ahead for Christmas and the new year. Did someone do a listener a good turn over the course of the year? Did a neighbour come to the rescue during the flood weather? Maybe you’ve got a listener who’s thankful to be alive, to have found work, found a home, got a promotion, started a new job, or taken up a new hobby?
Whatever the case is, make a spot for sharing thankful thoughts on air and look at how they could be rewarded – do something nice in return for someone. A prize for the story of the day, or one that tugs at the heartstrings of your audience?
6. Countdown to Christmas fitness challenge
This November, why not encourage listeners to get out, get healthy, and boost their fitness with an on-air challenge? Like it or loath it, there will be plenty of people hoping to shed a few pounds ahead of the festive social season, and plenty more who would like to get out and about, get moving and improve their health. While gyms and fitness centres will be the target of much hype for the January market, why not get ahead of the curve and link up with a local gym, sportswear brand or health food store?
You could offer online registration, work it in conjunction with a health/nutrition slot on-air or online, or offer up prizes like a gym membership, a fitness tracker, or an activewear wardrobe makeover. The cold and dark nights will be closing in so why not make the most of it!
7. Photo contest: “My November”
Years ago (and this may well be still a thing), you would have companies calling out for photos to make their annual calendar. Texaco or Top Oil may have been the front-runners in the Irish market but I stand to be corrected. How about running something similar online where you put the call out for listeners to capture what the month of November means to them in a photo – maybe it’s the turn of the leaves, their town at night, a frosty morning. Instead of a calendar, why not make the winning photograph (because you’ll need to pick a winner) your Facebook / Twitter cover photo for the month of December and show it some love on your website.
Got something to add?
If you’ve got something to add yourself or have a competition or promotion that you keep returning to in November and fancy sharing it with the rest of the class, drop a note in the comments area below.
