Ultimate radio industry review of 2013

RadioToday brings you an exclusive first look at what made headlines for the radio industry during the last 12 months.

Of course the year started with the official launch of your very own dedicated-industry radio news website, RadioToday. We’ve been operating over in the UK for the past decade and as big fans of the Irish radio market, and with extra time and staff available, we expended across the Irish Sea.

It was a year which saw radio stations recreate the Harlem Shake, hire and fire presenters, and break social media records. 2013 was the year the Off The Ball team went off the air, the year we got new management at a number of stations and of course the year independent radio got Pat Kenny.

We had a number of big radio awards including the Love Radio Awards and a number of temporary stations were broadcasting such as The Rock and Zenith Classic Rock.

Sadly a number of colleagues moved on to the big radio station in the Sky in 2013. We remember Colm Murray, Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin, Stephen Dee, Henry Owens, Bob Gallico and their families.

So join us as we turn the clock back just 12 months and see what’s happened during 2013.

JANUARY

• Radio 1 starts doing sponsored timschecks
• RTÉ Pulse goes on 94.3FM for eight weeks
• Zenith Classic Rock goes on FM for the weekend
• BAI asks for expressions of interest for FM contracts

FEBRUARY

• Newstalk CEO Frank Cronin steps down from the station
• Spin becomes the first Irish station to reach 100,000 Twitter followers
• Ann Gleeson returns to Today FM after time off for cancer treatment
• Love Radio goes on DAB in Dublin for a three month period

MARCH

• Five Off The Ball presenters quit newstalk after a fall-out
• Carol Dooley takes over as Programme Director at East Coast FM
• 17 expressions of interest received for 12 sound broadcasting services
• Diarmuid O’Leary joins Cork’s Red FM as its new CEO
• Investment group buys Beat 102 103, WLR and Red FM

APRIL

• Nova launches 12 new audio channels online via its website
• Dan Healy replaces John McMahon at RTÉ 2FM
• BCR community radio in South Limerick closes
• Thatcher dies and Irish stations play Ding Dong The Witch is Dead 

MAY

• Chris Doyle, 98FM’s Chief Executive leaves the station
• Gareth O’Conner joins Today FM from Storyful
• Michael Brett moves from Spin 1038 to 98FM
• RTÉ Radio boss Clare Duignan ends contract
• David Harvey leaves 4FM

JUNE

• Amazing Radio launches on DAB in Dublin
• Tom McGuire takes control of RTÉ Radio 1
• Highland Radio boss Charlie Collins quits
• Shaun Doherty takes charge at Highland Radio

JULY

• Pat Kenny leaves RTÉ for a new daily show on Newstalk
• David Tighe moves to IRS as Chief Executive
• Gerald Whelan takes over as Chief Executive of Newstalk
• IBI calls BAI review outrageous & blinkered

AUGUST

• John McMahon joins Sean O’Rourke on air at RTÉ Radio One
• David Harvey reappears at 4FM due to popular demand
• Seán O’Rourke takes over Pat Kenny’s slot
• RTÉ confirms deficit of over €65m in 2012

SEPTEMBER

• The Rock starts broadcasting on FM
• Adrian and Jeremy make a quick exit from FM104
• Chris Barry heads back to FM104 for the Phone-in
• 98FM confirms Adrian and Jeremy are joining the daytime schedule

OCTOBER

• Jim Jennings appointed as Managing Director of RTÉ Radio
• Zenith Classic Rock joins DAB digital radio
• Radio Nova changes breakfast show as Pat Courtenay moves to Drive
• PPI Radio Awards take place in Kilkenny

NOVEMBER

• Big winners at Love Radio Awards include iRadio and UTV
• RTÉ Radio’s Commercial Director Antony Whittall leaves radio
• David Harvey leaves 4FM. Again
• Adrian Kennedy says Hector O’hEochágain should be sacked from 2fm

DECEMBER

• Hector Ó hEochagáin ends his time on 2fm Breakfast
• Tom McGuire officially takes charge at RTÉ Radio 1
• Highland Radio Contract goes to Oral Presentation
• RadioToday writes radio industry review of the year

So what will 2014 bring us? Presenters with new programmes, moving around the schedules and moving to new stations. Staff taking promotions and managers taking a bonus. Next year a number of stations are celebrating 25 years of broadcasting, and you can be sure RadioToday will be right here sharing the celebration.

Bringing the radio industry together, shouting as loud as we can about the great radio we are all part of. And we can only do it with your continued help. Keep news@radiotoday.ie in your contacts and let us know what you’re up to. Because sometimes you have to give yourself a little bit of self promotion.

Thanks for reading in 2013 and we look forward to serving you bigger and better in 2014.