Phantom FM welcomes BCI's decison to issue new radio licences for Dublin

BrianD · 05-03-2004 6:20pm #1

Press Release

Dated: 3/3/04 for immediate release.

Phantom FM welcomes BCI’s decision to issue new radio licences for Dublin.

Phantom FM. has welcomed the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland’s (BCI) decision to licence two further radio services for Dublin. Phantom FM will be a leading a consortium that will submit an application for the “Alternative Rock” type service under the name of ‘Phantom FM’ when applications are invited by the BCI.

Phantom FM will be a “special interest” radio station aimed at musically disenfranchised 15-34 year olds who are not being be catered for by existing stations. Programming will be both innovative an exciting providing additional listening diversity for Dublin radio listeners. Phantom FM’s music policy will give prominence to signed and unsigned Irish artists within the music mix and new broadcasting talent.

The proposed business model will reflect that Phantom will be servicing a ‘niche’ audience. “The station by its nature will be smaller than existing stations, and revenue and investment figures will reflect this. A low cost base is critical to providing this type of service.” says Simon Maher, spokesman for the consortium, “We don’t see this as an opportunity for another large scale commercial radio station to enter the Dublin radio market”. Maher is also keen to emphasis Phantom FM’s local and diverse ownership, track record, and commitment to exclusively play and promote the alternative rock music genre. Phantom will generate its income through advertising spots, programme sponsorship and non-radio revenues such as the sale of CD’s and mobile content.

Phantom FM has been broadcasting an alternative rock service to Dublin since 1996. It has been highly regarded for its support of emerging Irish talent through proactive airplay. Over the years as become a well known “brand” among alternative rock music fans and the wider music industry. Last Monday at the Meteor Ireland Music Awards, The Frames – winners of Best Irish Act, thanked Phantom FM for their airplay support over the years even before the band was recognised by the mainstream stations'. In 2003, applied to the BCI to operate an alternative rock service using a 3-month temporary radio licence. The successful “pilot” run ended in January 2004 and was well received by listeners, the music industry and advertisers. Phantom FM is currently available on line at www.phantomfm.com

Ends.

acquiescefc · 05-03-2004 10:48pm

and when do we want it.....

luce · 05-03-2004 10:56pm

N to the OW!

fish-head · 06-03-2004 1:34pm

Thank gravy.

startled_frog · 06-03-2004 6:20pm

Bout time too

legofsalmon · 06-03-2004 11:20pm

huzzah!

christi · 07-03-2004 7:21pm

Congratu-friggin-lations!

It's about time

So the next obvious question is; When's a good time to hit the station up for a cool dj job?

Seriously though...

Great news and am anxiously looking forward to Phantom being back on the air!

Kingp35 · 08-03-2004 3:50pm

Thank god.we need phantom back and fast

christi · 08-03-2004 4:03pm

Wonder how long it's going to take before Phantom is back - live - on the air?

Can't be fast enough!

So hurry

egg_ · 10-03-2004 6:00pm

Hope to **** ye get it now, and not some OUTSIDER

magpie · 11-03-2004 4:24pm

So who else is involved in the consortium? Who are the money men?

SimonMaher · 12-03-2004 1:25am

Magpie,

I'll be brief:

1. Its none of your business who the money men/women may be. Does it make a difference who they are?

2. The names of the people who will be assisting us in our bid will be made public at the appropriate time (eg when the licencing process officially reaches that point).

To do anything else would be just lunacy. But dont worry, gives you a bit more time to practice the "sell out" speech

Regards,

Pete Reed
Phantom FM
reed@phantomfm.com

Tyrrial · 12-03-2004 1:52am

Originally posted by Pete Reed
. But dont worry, gives you a bit more time to practice the "sell out" speech

Regards,

Pete Reed
Phantom FM

it'll go something like this:

"i remember when phantom were all about the music!... what happened to you man?? you used to be cool......"

and so on.;)

ozone6280 · 12-03-2004 4:30am

Pete you got them going with the sellout speech . It sounds like one of those stations thats gets a licence and change everthing after they get the contract signed. ITS like what you see is not what you get...... lets us not name them hehe... Keep up the good work and lets get the radio rocking again with the music the people want not the music the other stations think the people want . where else can the new unsigned bands get played but Phantomfm .

Anyone got a good slogan for Phantom
Its not your grannys station its phantom fm playing the music thats matters.

magpie · 12-03-2004 11:13am

None of my Beeswax, as I thought. OK, just asking... I'm just relishing the irony of an alternative station being bankrolled by some Dermot Desmond type who sees the youth market for radio as a good investment.

And I'll restrain myself to a quick "You used to be beautiful man". And I promise I won't say "told you so" when you're all driving around in pink minis handing out Alpen bars at Clondalkin Shopping Centre.

Anyway, good luck with the bid!

Steve Conway · 12-03-2004 12:21pm

Just one point.

A lot of the responses on here seem to assume that Phantom *will* get the licence.

Now I've no clue or inside knowledge as to how many different groups etc will be applying for the alt.rock licence when it is advertised, but I would be very surprised if it is not in double figures. And some of those bids will be from people who ARE purely money men / women, and who would apply for a licence for a station to play songs about triangular people milking inverted cows for blue cheese, if they thought they could turn a profit out of it.

I don't think it will be anything other than a very tough fight - and bear in mind that all the other applicants will have studied the bid of all previous applicants in depth (including the last bid by phantom which made it to the shortlist).

So no jubilation yet . . . .

magpie · 12-03-2004 12:54pm

Damn straight. You'll be up against Magpie FM for starters...

Tyrrial · 12-03-2004 2:05pm

Originally posted by magpie
Damn straight. You'll be up against Magpie FM for starters...

magpie · 12-03-2004 3:25pm

<shiver in boots>

I rather thought you might be one of the djs Tyrrial... I thought we could co host the 'we're right, you're wrong' hour and the 'everything you know about music is a lie' drive time special.... actually, this station is shaping up nicely

christi · 12-03-2004 3:30pm

Again... "Ug!"

Well Mr.Reed I wish you and everyone else at Phantom the best of "Canuck" luck in getting your hands on a "much-deserved" liscence & look forward to hearing it "live" via the net!

I so don't wanna hear any negative comebacks and other crap about how "they" will surely sell out to "the man" (or woman)... I'm giving the station and all those involved the benefit of the doubt and shall not bitch until I hear brainless-boob Spears or other such top 40 nonsense... If Phamtom plays any of that crap - then hell yeah - I'll go on a witch hunt and roast me some wicked sell-outs!

But until then.... "wooooo hoooooo"

magpie · 12-03-2004 3:35pm

oooooo quel negativity!!!

if you think of it more as 'Yang' energy it makes sense cosmically.

Tyrrial · 12-03-2004 3:52pm

Originally posted by magpie
I rather thought you might be one of the djs Tyrrial... I thought we could co host the 'we're right, you're wrong' hour and the 'everything you know about music is a lie' drive time special.... actually, this station is shaping up nicely

well i do like being right .... and everyone is wrong... it may be the show for me!... that combined with the promise of exposing lies may make the greatest radio show in the World all thats left is a fan-base, a radio licence and $1,000,000 in unmarked bills, then nothing can stop us!

magpie · 12-03-2004 4:05pm

the greatest radio show in the World

Indeed. Phantom would be fools not to snap us up for themselves before we achieve world domination on our own.

Steve Conway · 12-03-2004 4:23pm

Are you going to play the songs about triangular people milking inverted cows for blue cheese?

If you do, I'll be seriously annoyed - it's our secret weapon this time around . . .

magpie · 12-03-2004 4:28pm

I was thinking of just playing 2 copies of Hocus Pocus by The Focus incessantly, with a huge bank of sound effects to insert instead of the yodelling/concertina interludes.

In fact I may go for the world record for the longest mixed version of Hocus Pocus.

And if anyone knows what I'm talking about a) I'm impressed b) You're clearly as sad as I am.

*searches frantically for inverted cow record*

James_M · 15-03-2004 10:35am

Best of luck with the submission this time around.

I think the trial licence was a great run and I'm sure it will stand to you.

Hope it works out.

(Not sure if I've managed to pull this thread back from its tangent though!)

Tyrrial · 15-03-2004 3:28pm

Originally posted by James_M

(Not sure if I've managed to pull this thread back from its tangent though!)

NEVER!!!

The Muppet · 16-03-2004 7:05pm

Originally posted by magpie
I was thinking of just playing 2 copies of Hocus Pocus by The Focus incessantly, with a huge bank of sound effects to insert instead of the yodelling/concertina interludes.

*searches frantically for inverted cow record*

Big focus fan here there's not enough yodelling in the charts IMO.;)

Good luck with the bid Phantom.

Phantom FM welcomes BCI's decison to issue new radio licences for Dublin

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