The "NewsTalk 106" thread

[Charles Slane]

Since the thread on the other forum is now lost, what do you folks reckon for Newstalk's chances of survival ?

The line-up sounds okay to me, but I guess the real proof of the pudding will be Tuesday.

[vinylpusher]

I think they'll do well.
A decent business and financial slot would be a winner.

[Guest]

Not impressed. Audio levels are all over the place. The female newsreader this morning sounded so uncomfortable. The breakfast show is hardly rivetting. But, I shall give it time..

Opinions anyone else?

[Daithi]

Sounding mixed so far; features, interviews (the talk bit) are quite good, a nice mix, a little quirky, plenty of time given - but I'm not completely sold on the news bit - bulletins are repetitive, not that well delivered, riddled with tech trouble (though I'm sure this is just first-day nerves). Also, I don't think David sounded very happy to be reading news headlines this morning; he seems much more comfortable as an interviewer.

Apparently we're going to get classic comedy and documentaries at 9pm each evening. The promo sounded promising; "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" is on tonight. The station sound is OK, playing far too many jingles for my liking this morning, but again, that could just be for the first few days. I wonder how long it will be before the stings become annoying. Not many ads though.

I can't believe a mobile phone just went off in the studio :-)

[JamesDeane]

I listened in Longford on my way to a meeting this morning

I don't like McWilliams, it's a Culchie vs D4 thing

James Healy's voice suits the processor!

It is great to hear an alternative.:rolleyes:

[Daithi]

An absolute dream start for NewsTalk - the story on Bobby Molloy being slated from the bench of the High Court. A real old-fashioned breaking story and they ran with it first, well before RTE. In fact, they're consistently ahead of RTE with a few stories today. It's quite certainly a breaking news service.

George Hook bubbling with indignation so far..no surprise there.

Kiberd was good, very in-depth, very probing. Quite newspaper-like, not sure what the advertisers will make of it.

Daire O'Brien was light enough stuff - I assume this is the mood that's been looked for in the morning.

Didn't hear the afternoon show.

[Guest]

I've listened to quite a bit of the new NewsTalk 106 today and have to admit I'm quite impressed. The Breakfast Show is very business-orientated, and The Right Hook is a little rough around the edges, but the 20/20 news segments are excellent, summarising news, sport, weather and traffic at twenty past and to the hour, and with a full news bulletin on the hour. It's also interesting to note that the traffic news is live broadcasts from the AA on the hour, and rip-and-read information (presumably provided by the AA, but no credit is given) at the other times. I was very amused to know that the average bus journey was 40 mins at 7.40 and 1hour and 15 mins and 8.20! Overall, a very promising start to an exciting new station - 2FM has definitely lost my listenership now.

[Guest]

Its a disgrace that the most popular radio station in the country has been the most popular simply by default. For the first time there is an all day alternative to Radio 1. Now listeners to the main station have the choice to tune elsewhere, and stay elsewhere.

I predict a bit of a drop for Radio 1 in the next JNLRs.

[Charles Slane]

Strangely enough, for a Dublin News station, I've yet to hear an even vaguely Dublin accent yet. There's lots of country, northern and "Doblin" accents, but no one who sounds representative of the average person on the street.

I guess we'll have to wait for an interview with the Taoiseach before we'll get to hear a Dubliner's dulcet tones.

I also think that the music behind the news headlines is also waaaay too loud. It sounds like they're attempting to do Radio One's Newsbeat, but it just doesn't fit in with the rest of the programming.

And referring to Kiberd's show as "the one that Dubliners turn to" when it only started yesterday, undermines any faith in their self-promotion.

Apart from that, everything seems okay so far.

[Daithi]

Last night they had a fella on from ICON (inner city organisations network) who was talking about the future of the city and the new immigrants and the changing way of life etc. A really good interview and quite long too.

The self promotion is hilarious; best examples being the competition that "everyone's talking about" (the trailer came before the first show!!!) and George Hook (facing down the "city bureaucrats"...someone just lifted a trailer from New York, maybe?).

The levels of the music, I blame the fact that it's new rather than a programming decision. They are playing far too many jingles though without thinking: i.e. jingle ends "20/20 news on News Talk 106" and then the presenter says "20/20 news on News Talk 106".

Still liking it though, although certain stories are being missed (the middle east isn't really featuring in the bulletins, but is in interviews OK). And I know that I said yesterday that they did well to break the Bobby Molloy story, but do we really have to be reminded in every bulletin that this story was "exclusively broken yesterday by NewsTalk 106" ?

Daire O'Brien good again this morning.

[Guest]

Looking good for newstalk, audio levels are not 100% yet can be a bit annoying, I was listening in the car and I was unable to hear one contributor as her level was right down! expect this on the first few days but they must strive to be 100% perfection. I can see them being a great station providing a good balance of topics. Also they have arrived at a great time GE soon loads of people wanting to get their voice heard.

Good stuff

[Charles Slane]

So far, so good, but what's the deal with closing down at midnight ????

Why not use the downtime to broadcast some music (similar say to Phantom's output). I'm sure the BCI would let them away with it.

And what are they going to do for the weekends ??

[Talkman]

Okay, its really unfair to judge a radio station after two days, but sure what the hey! We're anoraks! I am talking about Newstalk 106FM.

I don't like it. Heres why.


For a start, theres WAY too many print journalists. Yes, they may be experts in their own field, but not every print journalist sounds good on a microphone. They have some people whos voices are so unpleasant that they would be enough to turn you off. I caught the sports show yesterday, hosted by Ger Kilroy. EVERYTHING about this programme sucked. If it had been on Anna Livia I'd have thought it was bad enough, but its on a radio station that would have us believe that they're aiming at white collar professional types.

Speaking of those professional types - is there enough of them to sustain Newstalk 106? If so, why then did Newstalk devote 40 minutes of airtime during the late night talk show to the Government Savings Scheme - a scheme that these professionals would know about already. Its like spending 40 minutes on a sports show explaining what a try is in rugby. Do those professional types want to hear the mid-afternoon show, where I heard 10 minutes being devoted to cinema listings today.

Why isn't there a computer show on the station? A computer clinic for two hours every weekend? That might work...

Its already been said that this is not a "common man" radio station. So far thats been proved true. I've heard very few callers to Newstalk, and even fewer local Dublin accents. I'd hat for them to go down the path of Adrian Kennedy for sure, but the only accents I've heard so far are the upper middle class tones of the well healed chattering classes that work for Newstalk. The 20/20 news concentrates on national and international news - which is a big mistake for a Dublin station to do. Most Dubs feel that their home town IS the centre of the universe.

Daire O Brien sounds quite good - better then I thought he would. I also like the classic BBC stuff that they play between 9-10 pm, but it bugs me that the station goes silent after 1am. Whats to stop them replaying the days output in the style of RTE? Or maybe take a feed from WRN or NPR as a sustaining service?

They're aiming at a 25-45 year old professional audience. I'm slap bang in the middle of that bracket, yet Newtalk are not talking to me, not reaching me, not relating to me, not telling me stuff that I need to know. They've failed to read what I want from them...and I think that they've hugely misread what the Dublin audience wants.

What we have in Newstalk is a station run by print journalists and programmed by a TV producer. Did this guy from the BBC even do dry runs with his team, or listen to demo tapes before hiring them in?

Audio - its bad. Really bad. So is the production. Their imaging is filled with all the bad cliches that print journalists (in their supreme arrogance!) presume that radio stations use. As a result of this we have lines like "its the show that they'll all be talking about". Which is not to far away from the "Godda say hi to the beautiful girls in radio land" DJ link in terms of its naffness.

Anyway, I'm really disappointed with Newstalk. I'm a big fan of BBC Five Live and thought that maybe we might get a similar sounding station over here. No such luck. Its Anna Livia with a higher wage bill and more whistles and bells.

[Guest]

Not exactly impressed by Talkman's critique of Newstalk. Maybe I'm suspicious but the mention of Anna Livia can only smack of sour grapes. We all know about the wasted opportunity that is 103.8 but really guy.........it's all too easy to criticise from the amateur sofa.

[Talkman]

eh, what are you talking about. You read my whole piece and choose to pick up on something I said about Anna Livia? Come on man, get the prorities right! I didn't apply for a job in Newstalk, would have little or no interest in working for them, and em, aren't Anna Livia on 103.2FM anyway?

Lets discuss NEWSTALK and not Anna Livia.

Wow. What was that all about?!!!

[Al]

It's good to read everyone's point of view and ignoring the anna livia part a lot of what's being said is very true but a project like newstalk will take time to devlop. I would rate it 6/10 so far which to be honest is really good for a very brave move by all involved. You may find in time the current presenters are replaced by better more in tune with the radio end of things. I find some of their output messy and in some cases any topic or input will do! Also their output can be very good and professional as well, it will takes time to get people tuned in and regularised with this station, if we all remember Dunphy when he started on Radio Ireland, he took time to put his stamp on the show. My conclusion is you dont have to be fan but give it time and if you are really into radio you would support the new and upcoming stations God knows we have had to put up with a lot of crap for a long time

[JamesDeane]

I was listening the other night and herd a Healy guy on speaking about computers, a regular slot apparently, so before people criticise they should have their facts straight, I do agree about the print journalists comment.

One point of criticism, if this guy is to speak on the station on a regular basis could he not go to the effort of making his way to the or a studio!

This is(or should be) real radio boys!!!!!!!!!!!!

:o

[Guest]

Apologies to Talkman on an ill-judged and badly written posting.
Point taken about the frequency (typo). Sorry if I made the assumption that you were a begrudging Anna Livia head and hope that you're not too offended.
We need decent talk radio in this country. There's buckets of talent out there which is being ignored or wasted. I have particular experience of seeing this happen and seeing good people disheartened. (I'm not one of them yet and like yourself didn't apply for Newstalk).
Maybe it's too easy to get defensive when you see something you never thought you'd see in this country.

[Al]

I think another point as well worth adding, we should try and forget bbc5 or rte radio1 and focus on allowing newstalk develop it's own style. Maybe one day people will compare other stations to newstalk and it's style, we dont want identical stations were is the value in this? Newstalk will give young Irish broadcasters and experienced broadcasters the chance to air their creativity and develop the industry.

al -

[Talkman]

So far Newstalk has not been a home for 'young' broadcasters. As I've already mentioned, its staffed mainly by print journalists, not broadcasters. Apologies for the computer issue btw, but I would still say that the station could do with a computer SHOW once a week, not just a 15 minute guest appearance.

I have no problem with 'forgetting RTE radio 1 or 5live"... but lets hope that Newstalks style will not be what they currently sound like.

[Charles Slane]

So now we've had some time to get used to the presenters ...

Is it just me, or does George Hook sound like a slightly tipsy David Norris ?

I keep expecting him to completely lose it, but he seems to just about manage to hang onto to the thread of the conversation.

Meanwhile the two girls in the afternoon sound like they just wandered into the studio from a Grafton Street shopping trip. They don't seem to have a clue what their talking about.

Apart from that, the rest of the shows are pretty good, but the 12 o'clock closedown is a joke !!

[Daithi]

(1) Suggestion; relay WRN (World Radio Network), NPR (National Public Radio), CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), or the BBC World Service.

I know for a fact that WRN don't charge a penny for the live broadcast of their signal. I'm sure they could set up a satellite connection very easily.

It would be a great benefit to Dublin listeners and would involve so little cost you wouldn't believe it.

(2) Any chance of a website any time soon? It's 2002, guys.

(3) The afternoon show sounds familiar :D I think that I had a similar show on Trinity FM this year :D . It's no reflection on the personnel; it's just not suited to the format IMHO.

(4) "SLIGHTLY TIPSY DAVID NORRIS" ? nice image. When you think about it...it could very well be true ;)

[Charles Slane]

A live overnight relay of NPR would be brilliant. WRN is on NTL and Sky Digital (not as handy as an FM broadcast, but at least it's possible to get it).

Anna Livia carry some NPR programming, but a live overnight show would carry their evening US programmes which would be great.

It's just a bit strange to be listening to a radio station and hear it close down at 12 o'clock. I can't believe they intend to keep it this way for long, but it can't be just a question of money. As you say, WRN would give them their programming for free.

Maybe they have some other idea up their sleeves.

[Guest]

After a week Ive changed my mind, slightly. The station is quite listenable. The 20 20 news idea does'nt work tho'. Bullletins finish at 10 past, theres a promo, an ad and the presenter then has EIGHT minutes before the next news. Putting a bulletin on the half hour like 5live would make more sense.

[gaucho]

Here's my verdict on the one week old Newstalk 106FM;

David McWilliams:

Assumes listners knows an awful lot about economics; for a wider audience he'll need to help the listener along. Personal opinion that a one man breakfast show is going to be boring.

Damien Kiberd:

This guy seems really good.

George Hook:

A big dissapointment; after following him on the RTE rugby panel I was expecting a bit more humour from the man.

Overall, I just can't see them getting a big enough market share to make a return on the invested money.

by the way, can somone please provide the weekly schedule for Newstalk 106FM?.............I haven't been able to find any schedule information in the newspapers or on the web..........

[Guest]

NewsTalk's schedule is on the main page of this site!

You did'nt look very hard.

[JamesDeane]

Listening to NEWSTALK since they launched I cannot stand their newbeds, they should be dropped, they far to tabloidish, I have said it before.

If they want to be a serious news station then they better drop the music, they dont need it.

Also what is the story with the shutdown at midnight? Are they mad.

Surely they can take an international news feed from somewhere.

Now I have all that off my chest I back to the Lunch!!!!!!!!

[The Mighty 890]

On a slightly similar note, the best ever Top of the Hour News Intro has to be the old Virgin 1215/105.8FM (depending on where you were listening).
"Live, from Sky, on the hour, this is Virgin News"

Pity they got rid of that, the new TOTH is crap.

Remember watching Chris Evans nonchanantly pushing those buttons when Sky One used to show his breakfast show live in the mornings and thinking, Christ, I'd love to do that!!!

:)

[Pierce]

Alot of people are up at night . What about the people that work at night. Can they not repeat some of the daytime shows for now until the really decide what to do at night. Does anyone know if they will have any live feed on the net . Well how about a website.

[John Fleming]

Excitedly i tuned to Daire O'Brian's show yesterday morning. Former Manchester United manager Frank O'Farrell was going to be on (And that's how he was billed too)

So, was he going to talk about the current exciting climax to the Premiership?
His opinion on the outcome of the semi-final of the European Cup perhaps?
Or, comments on Beckham/Keane's injury progress and forecasts for the World Cup?

Nope. He was on to talk about...wait for it, Mass in Latin!

Now that is wierd :rolleyes:

[Guest]

Originally posted by Daithi
The self promotion is hilarious; best examples being the competition that "everyone's talking about" (the trailer came before the first show!!!)

Everyone's talking about it because

a, its a direct rip-off of a Mark and Lard competition
b, it's crap
c, only heard it once. he DIDN'T give the correct answers!!!! My workmates were pissed that they answered but didnt know if they were right.

[Nom de Plume]

When Atlantic 252 first started broadcasting, they shut down at 6PM!! And it went on to be one of the finest radio stations EVER! Guess what? The guy behind Atlantic (Paul Kavanagh) is also behind Newstalk106. A true genius. So it's safe to say he knows what he's doing!

The idea of repeating the station name so often is to 'drive' home the name and brand the station in the minds of the listener. Newstalk106, Newstalk106, Newstalk106....

[Justin Speck]

Excitedly i tuned to Daire O'Brian's show yesterday morning. Former Manchester United manager Frank O'Farrell was going to be on (And that's how he was billed too).

He was on to talk about...wait for it, Mass in Latin!


"Well Brian, It was a mass of two halves; things were going ourway until the Agnus Dei......"

Die dulci freure.

:)

J

[Guest]

Well I taught the Palestinians were definitely offside, and did you see that cross...badly-timed execution without a doubt. All-in-all a bit of a hammer-blow for the Christians, but I'm sure they'll rise again.

[Daithi]

It's all about the High Cross !!!!!!

:p

http://kildare.ie/business/shakerstore/moone%20high%20cross.jpg

http://www.flashdrills.com/static_drills/images/cross.gif

[Guest]

Well, personally I think we need Doubting Thomas to buck his ideas up at the back.

[Justin Speck]

Hmm, time John was moving this threas to the "Anything Goes" forum!

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.

which translates roughly as:

I'm not interested in your dopey religious cult. Oh, and that's football I'm talking about, not Christianity:D

J

[Brian O'D]

Hmm, time John was moving this threas to the "Anything Goes" forum!

Well, I was listening to this game on the radio! Does that get it back on topic? :cool:

[Charles Slane]

The idea of repeating the station name so often is to 'drive' home the name and brand the station in the minds of the listener. Newstalk106, Newstalk106, Newstalk106....

I understand that branding is very important in radio, and even more so since there are now so many stations available, but I find I can only listen to Newstalk for a short amount of time before the relentless self-promotion drives me crazy.

Also the array of accents are bewildering. There really isn't any sense of it being a Dublin station. It's more like a "little RTE", but with more news.

Am I alone in thinking that it would be better to hear, if not more Dublin accents, then at least some neutral ones ?

[Guest]

I love NewsTalk106 - of course they're self-promoting. Everyone is tuning in for the first time! We need to know what the station stands for, the shows to listen out for and when to tune back in. I love it. Who is programming the station?

Yes, it sounds like RTE which is obviously intentional. They are serious competition for them. Pat Kenny's show was live from Sligo today (yawn!) so I got hooked to NewsTalk106.

[Radio Mad]

I am disappointed with NewsTalk 106. Their 20/20 news is a shambles and simply does not work. By the time the bulletins and ads are out of the way, it leaves very, very little time for anything else. BBC Five Live, absolved of any responsibility to carry ads, transmits just two news bulletins in any given hour, which is more than adequate. At that, I find if a programme is suitable interesting the bulletins sometimes just serve to get in the way.
In addition, some (not all) of NewsTalk’s newsreaders leave a lot to be desired. A good reader needs clarity; good flow of speech and proper emphasis – something that is sadly lacking.
To be honest, I’m disillusioned, but not entirely surprised at how Newstalk is performing. I really hope it improves. We deserve a lot better.

[Moby]

I agree with the standard of news reading. You'd imagine that a news station would have their bulletins right. However, overall I think the station is pretty good - and will only get better. Its so assuring that we are not listening to the same auld shite from Montrose, and that current affairs are being dealt with better than the main line commercial stations

[Radio Mad]

Please forgive me for broaching this thorny (for me) subject again.

As the weekend approached, NewsTalk 106 were constantly advertising the fact that they would be broadcasting live commentary from the Dublin versus Kildare GAA game in Croke Park. I tuned in at about 4.45pm yesterday and heard a guy speaking down an ordinary telephone line. Naively, I initially thought that I was listening to a 30 second or so report being filed from another game. But heck no, in this day of ISDN, satellite etc., NewsTalk obviously felt it entirely appropriate to allow a broadcast, which was over an hour in duration, to be done using a telephone.

Welcome to the world of Mickey Mouse radio!

[Alan Green]

Remind me of the extensive coverage coverage of the game on 98, 104, Lite and Country again?

[Radio Mad]

I don't why I'm even bothering with an answer to the above. The stations listed are all music-led ones. They, quite simply, are not expected to cover events such as this one. Conversely, NewsTalk 106's remit is talk radio and if they decide that live coverage of GAA football is what they are going to do, they should make sure the job is done properly. Broadcasting a live match – especially one within a few miles of the station itself - using standard phones is lazy, cheap, and very unprofessional.

[Dogger]

Actually, RM, you've got a good point there... a Comrex isn't that expensive and gives you quality almost as good as ISDN.
There's no excuse for what Newstalk did, a phone call to another local station (outside Dublin) would have elicited the loan of one for the day, just plug it into the phone line and Bob's your proverbial.

[DonnyX]

newstalk are having isdn problems,

the fact that newstalk are absed above a petroleum drilling company aint helping either

[DeclanC]

Titface

Did it take you long to think up that name ?

[Ginger]

I know the figures are not out yet but i would expect Newstalk to do a lot worse than one would have expected.
Does anybody agree they seem to have gone for the wrong market. The D4 market and the Pat Kenny fans have RTE Radio one and i think they will stick to it. Anyways i sincerly think the quality of radio put out by Newstalk is appaling. It is neither a news station or a talk station and i think one must go for one or the other.
If it were to be news well its failed as it seems it never breaks that many stories here in Dublin.
If it were to be Talk well again it fails because nobody is listening or interacting.

Ok lets say they want to be a news station , should they go down the CNN or SKY route and do rolling news. WOULD THAT WORK? (Maybe!)

If it were to be talk why not snatch tabloid talk jocks. After all love them or hate them Gerry Ryan , Joe Duffy , AK ,Chris Barry ,Niall Boylan, Eamon Dunphy are all quite popular in the figure`s war. Would it not be great to hear a good Talk Station in Dublin or Nationally 24hours a day.

Is Newstalk doomed like Country?

Suggestions please on this one ?

:eek:

[Euan Roberts]

Good topic Ginger, funny you should mention the lack of listeners that they have. I was listening on Wednesday to Darragh O'Brian's "Flipside" magazine program. Therr was a little quiz by the name of "PHONEY or PONEY". Basically the presenter gives two contestants on the telephone line the names of five horses. These horses are either phoneys or poneys. The listener that gets most right from the presenter's list will get a betting voucher worth twenty-five euro.

The strange thing is they could n't manage to get another contestant that morning to take part in this competiton. Furthermore this has happened a few times. To make things worse the presenter Dara O'Brian has openingly said that they are short of one contestant for the competition. That sounds bad for such a new station to say that. In addition, i wonder if at all they have any listeners at that hour of the morning? Are we talking a hundred or so. It wouldn't surprise me.

Euan Roberts

[Ginger]

Good posting my friend but i was wondering what would you do to change NewsTalk.
Would you make it a news station?

Would you make it a Talk station ?

And lets get some feedback on the artical in the times on how bad the muppets in afternoon are ?

[Euan Roberts]

I guess they need a real facelift in terms of their overall output. Firrstly.

They need to get away from the RTE agenda, less concentration on the predictable polictics and politicans that RTE do so well. Newstalk need to change to a Talk station.
IN that way, they can getaway from the whole political arena that RTE occupy focus on very different angles in the media, such covering alot more human interest stories, personal profiles, More entertainment and music shows than at present. They need to get rid of Sue and Carol in the afternoon, they just sound very amaturish.

They need to adopt a more creative Business strategy for David Mc Williams show in the morning-time. For example a move away from the stocks and shares items. How about this, interviews with ordinary people in Business, or if they have their own Businesses why doesn't he interview them. Make it more personal, more listener participation. At present Newstalk don't involve listeners via telepone calls ever. Disgraceful. More Music Documentaries, Stories from Hungary, Russia, Australia, The States, Sweden, Italy, Scandanavia, Iceland. What's happening in these countries. I'm sure Irish people would like to know given the fact RTE concentrate on other items.



Any more views Ginger?

Euan Roberts

[NoelRock]

My views may be dismissed as trash after reading the first (well, the second) sentence but...

I think NewsTalk 106 can run as both a news and talk station if, and only if, they learn how to divide their news and talk properly - as of right now, they seem to be simply trying to intertwine both topics and it is blowing up in their faces.

I think (this is rather simplified - but you get the idea) that they could perhaps do one hour of streaming news - then one hour of general talk - then back to news etc etc.

It could work, if they make a proper go of it...

[John P]

Newstalk got off to a good start but it has now gone crap.
There has been no improvement since day 1. David mc williams is talking to his mates not you and me.

They need help. They should try to get paul Kavanagh back, he would sort it out rapid.

Anyone know where he is now?

The figures will show NewsTalk is not providing a good service for Dublin.

They need help>>>.

[yamo]

figures will show what now? 88,000 listeners....nay too fcuking shabby i'd say. i think it's doing pretty well....

[John P]

Why wont newstalk give the real figures, they must be bad.

[John P]

It is a shame to see big stations that own it didn't put enought money behind it. What will happen next, will they let people go??

The big guys must want the small share holders out.

[Mister807]

Think on this one its not a "run out of money" scenario, but they are seeking a second round of funding which is absolutely normal in a business start up scenario. Most businesses need several rounds of funding to get themselves on a firm footing.

Problem comes when your investors can't come up with that extra cash. In this case that won't be a problem (all shareholders have said yes) but as can be seen from the plight of Dublins Country it can be a serious problem. And under BCI "rules", stations can't bring in new investors for 2 years from issue of licence (blah change of ownership rules blah).

Mister 807

[John P]

So it must be the big guys want to take more control. Now there will be a big battle with the share holders, the new CEO has enough to do without all that shit.

I really hope they don't start to let staff go.

98 must be pissed off, they had a really bad book.

[Mister807]

John,

No, they have no plans to let staff go to the best of my knowledge. Theyve actually recruited some new staff in recent weeks. And boy do they need them!

There is a new round of funding which involves all the shareholders. In other words, 98 etc will pay a contribution equivalent to their shareholding while smaller stations will pay less. Shareholding structure stays just the same.

Mister 807

[John P]

mister 807,

are you involved with the station ?
You may be reporting what you hear at ground level, but I hear the share holders are not happy and having meetings. They must have agreed a budget before they started????

[Mister807]

Nope John,

Im not involved although I do know a number of people working there. Shareholders are always grumpy when it comes to shelling out extra cash at slow times like this but in this case, they have all said yes.

Yes, a budget was agreed at the start but as part of any contract with the BCI, shareholders have to be willing and show evidence that they are in a position to take place in further rounds of financing for the station. Otherwise they won't get a licence, or alternatively they will be Country 106.8.

Public Limited Companies do this by means of extra share issues (which can, but not always dilute ownership) while private companies do it by means of funding rounds. Trust me on this one John, this is normal practice, shareholders will get grumpy over it, but thats just the way it works.

Mister 807