Juice FM at CSN College of Further Education is celebrating joining the new local DAB multiplex.
The move makes Juice the first radio station in Cork city to launch on the platform and the first
educational institution in Ireland to do so.
It will be available full time on digital radio, in addition to 88.7FM from October to April on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Student Broadcasters include Sean Ryan, Leon Mukerjee, Emmet Dunlea, Chris Geary, Cian McGuane, David Sheehan, and Stephen Murphy. The radio station enables students of the Radio Broadcasting course at CSN to avail of hands-on training in a real working digital radio environment.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Student Programme Controller Johnny O’Connell said: “We have an industry standard digital broadcast training studio, so the next natural progression is to broadcast on DAB. We are all extremely excited to take this step and we have no doubt the overall experience of our listeners will hugely improve as a result.”
Peter O’ Neill Course Director says “It was a natural progression for us to embrace Digital Radio given that we have Irelands most advanced digital radio training studios.
“I would expect to see rapid growth in digital radio here within the next two years, especially with the EU ruling last week that all new cars within Europe are to carry dab digital radios”.
Programmes will be presented by Radio Broadcasting QQI level 5 & 6 students. Juice Cork has also secured licencing rights to broadcast some of the UK and Europe’s top International djs with syndicated shows at the weekends. These include Andy Durand, Sam Devine, Armin Van Buuren and TIesto.
Meanwhile, Éirdab, operators of the DAB digital radio trial in Cork, has welcomed the BAI’s proposal to review the potential for digital audio broadcasting.
The media regulator’s Strategy Statement for 2017-19 sets out an undertaking to commission an independent expert review of the future for DAB in Ireland. It will also explore the opportunities for establishing digital audio broadcasting through consultation, working with the industry and conducting an analysis of the Irish marketplace and international developments.
Éirdab CEO, David Duffy, is encouraged by the Statement which comes days after the European Parliament’s approval of legislation requiring that radio sets in new cars across the EU are capable of digital terrestrial radio reception. “We see this major development, and the BAI’s strategy commitment, as strong endorsements of DAB. We look forward to engaging further with the regulator as it continues to encourage creativity and innovation as distinctive features of the Irish radio landscape”.