Spirit Radio Ireland - 612mw - Radio

Rossall · 26-05-2009, 16:39

The new religious station for Ireland was supposed to be launching on 612mw this year. Has it been shelved?

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has awarded the first nationwide Christian and religious radio licence to Athlone-based Spirit Radio, a not-for-profit company. Spirit Radio’s submission said it would pioneer a new model of funding in Ireland, raising 70% of its funding from listeners.

The station will begin broadcasting in September 2008. The company has purchased a transmitter site 10km south of Athlone and plans to use a DRM-compatible 100kW transmitter on 612 kHz, with FM relays in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.

http://www.bci.ie/documents/spirit_7.pdf

MarkLS12 · 26-05-2009, 16:55

Looks like their current planned start date is October this year.

http://www.spiritradio.ie/

MikeBr · 30-05-2009, 14:23

They are going to use the old RTE transmitter from Tullamore, originally planned to build their own site.

The latest BDXC-Uk magazine spotted an interview with Dave Heffernan of Spirit Radio as a podcast at this site, they'd initially aimed to raise 3.5 million Euros for the station and got nowhere, this has now been lowered to 300,000 Euros:
http://www.irishchristians.ie//index...cast&Itemid=74

hanssolo · 31-05-2009, 08:44

RTE were not keen to let Spirit use it's AM sites so looks like they have changed policy.
However most listeners will be using FM in the cities and towns.

MikeBr · 31-05-2009, 09:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanssolo

RTE were not keen to let Spirit use it's AM sites so looks like they have changed policy.
However most listeners will be using FM in the cities and towns.

Spirit Radio's business plan was to use their own transmitter site which they had purchased.

Of the five applicants for the Irish Christian licence three said that they would lease RTE Tullamore, two of whom said they would use RTE Summerhill then switch to Tullamore when it became available at the end of 2008.

The other applicant, Yes Radio, would use it's existing site at County Monaghan, which had been used for an unlicenced relay of UCB on 549 for many years.

My impression is that the BCI awarded the licence to the group with the most unrealistic business plan, which seems to have been admitted in the interview.

At least two of the applicants I'd have thought could have been on the air by now, UCB would probably have had the finance and Yes Radio had their own transmitter and site.

DKFM · 31-05-2009, 11:58

I'd agree - I really had thought the licence would have gone to UCB or Yes Radio, and was surprised when UCB didn't even make it to the final round when the decision was being made.

Mike_1101 · 31-05-2009, 18:13

How many listeners do they expect to get? I have no objection to religious radio, but I'm not convinced there is much demand for it.

DKFM · 31-05-2009, 22:15

Don't know if they've put a figure on it. I guess the best point of comparison would be the former (unlicensed) ICB broadcasts of UCB on 549MW. Anecdotally, UCB seemed to have a big audience in Ireland in those days, which I guess came mainly via ICB's MW broadcasts. Of course, 549MW could also be heard over large parts of western mainland Britain, which undoubtedly gave them more listeners. I presume Spirit on 612 will have a more limited coverage as far as mainland Britain is concerned - more akin to RTE2's previous coverage on 612MW?

Rossall · 31-05-2009, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKFM

Don't know if they've put a figure on it. I guess the best point of comparison would be the former (unlicensed) ICB broadcasts of UCB on 549MW. Anecdotally, UCB seemed to have a big audience in Ireland in those days, which I guess came mainly via ICB's MW broadcasts. Of course, 549MW could also be heard over large parts of western mainland Britain, which undoubtedly gave them more listeners. I presume Spirit on 612 will have a more limited coverage as far as mainland Britain is concerned - more akin to RTE2's previous coverage on 612MW?

Probably helped by it being right next to RTE Radio 1 on 567Khz?

Mike_1101 · 31-05-2009, 22:26

I remember this being discussed on here before, apparently they planned to make their own programmes rather than broadcasting "Holy Joe" programming from the USA.

Or do they plan to delight us with the thoughts of R.G.Stair?

hanssolo · 07-11-2009, 06:14

Should expect them to have nothing to do with R.G.Stair!

Notice they have an update on the website

Quote:

We are hoping to launch in December of this year. Funds are tight for all of us, but where God's grace abounds anything is possible. For example, Spirit Radio is about to acquire ready made top class studios at one tenth of what we originally budgeted. Word is spreading all over Ireland and lots of new people are getting behind Spirit Radio. We have seen so much fruit with are volunteer team in Galway who have been holding fundraising events to fund the Galway transmitter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeBr

The other applicant, Yes Radio, would use it's existing site at County Monaghan, which had been used for an unlicenced relay of UCB on 549 for many years..

Some of the ex Yes guys are now involved with Access media in Stoke who have started web tests. If Spirit radio gets on air guess they may be able to contribute programmes.

Hot Country radio was using the 549 tx legally for their weekend RSLs, but now seem to be just using FM and web.
Spirit Radio has permission from it's application to use 549 legally to boost it's AM signal in the north if needed.

radiosgalore · 07-11-2009, 08:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike_1101

Or do they plan to delight us with the thoughts of R.G.Stair?

is that the same guy who was going by the name of Brother Stair 5-6 years back?

hanssolo · 07-11-2009, 09:20

His wiki entry looks bad!
Stair seems to have no outlet for his awful programmes in Europe anymore, but has still some followers and a church in the US. If you go to his church beware!
http://www.overcomerministry.org/content/view/34/70/

Quote:

If you would like to attend one of our services or join us for prayer, please dress as becometh holiness.
Brothers: No long hair, it is shame for a man to have long hair.
Sisters: Wear a long dress, no pants. It is an abomination for a woman to wear that which pertains to a man.

Wonder if any group has tried to storm his church dressed as hippies, might give him a heart attack!! Mind with his history might need bodyguards and bouncers!

radiosgalore · 07-11-2009, 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanssolo

His wiki entry looks bad!
Stair seems to have no outlet for his awful programmes in Europe anymore, but has still some followers and a church in the US. If you go to his church beware!
http://www.overcomerministry.org/content/view/34/70/

oh yes same one. I used to run across him on shortwave in the late 90s I think it would have been. Don't know a thing about him but ive been told he's pretty mad

26-05-2009, 16:39	#1
Rossall Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Gender: Male Location: NW England Services: Windows 7, O2 7MB ADSL, Philips DTR220 Freeview, Eton E5, Pure One DAB Posts: 4,068	Spirit Radio Ireland - 612mw The new religious station for Ireland was supposed to be launching on 612mw this year. Has it been shelved? The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has awarded the first nationwide Christian and religious radio licence to Athlone-based Spirit Radio, a not-for-profit company. Spirit Radio’s submission said it would pioneer a new model of funding in Ireland, raising 70% of its funding from listeners. The station will begin broadcasting in September 2008. The company has purchased a transmitter site 10km south of Athlone and plans to use a DRM-compatible 100kW transmitter on 612 kHz, with FM relays in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. http://www.bci.ie/documents/spirit_7.pdf

26-05-2009, 16:55	#2
MarkLS12 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Leeds Services: SKY+ Posts: 414	Looks like their current planned start date is October this year. http://www.spiritradio.ie/

30-05-2009, 14:23	#3
MikeBr Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Herts Posts: 2,467	They are going to use the old RTE transmitter from Tullamore, originally planned to build their own site. The latest BDXC-Uk magazine spotted an interview with Dave Heffernan of Spirit Radio as a podcast at this site, they'd initially aimed to raise 3.5 million Euros for the station and got nowhere, this has now been lowered to 300,000 Euros: http://www.irishchristians.ie//index...cast&Itemid=74

31-05-2009, 08:44	#4
hanssolo Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 4,157	RTE were not keen to let Spirit use it's AM sites so looks like they have changed policy. However most listeners will be using FM in the cities and towns.

31-05-2009, 11:58	#6
DKFM Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 16	I'd agree - I really had thought the licence would have gone to UCB or Yes Radio, and was surprised when UCB didn't even make it to the final round when the decision was being made.

31-05-2009, 18:13	#7
Mike_1101 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Blackpool Services: Telewest Supreme, Blueyonder, Astra 1 & Hotbird Posts: 1,402	How many listeners do they expect to get? I have no objection to religious radio, but I'm not convinced there is much demand for it.

31-05-2009, 22:15	#8
DKFM Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 16	Don't know if they've put a figure on it. I guess the best point of comparison would be the former (unlicensed) ICB broadcasts of UCB on 549MW. Anecdotally, UCB seemed to have a big audience in Ireland in those days, which I guess came mainly via ICB's MW broadcasts. Of course, 549MW could also be heard over large parts of western mainland Britain, which undoubtedly gave them more listeners. I presume Spirit on 612 will have a more limited coverage as far as mainland Britain is concerned - more akin to RTE2's previous coverage on 612MW?

31-05-2009, 22:26	#10
Mike_1101 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Blackpool Services: Telewest Supreme, Blueyonder, Astra 1 & Hotbird Posts: 1,402	I remember this being discussed on here before, apparently they planned to make their own programmes rather than broadcasting "Holy Joe" programming from the USA. Or do they plan to delight us with the thoughts of R.G.Stair?