Ballyhalbert blog on Absolute Radio

Community Radio Time

Ballyhalbert — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:23:00 +0100

Well its that time of year again when the community radio station that I volunteer with launches under RSL licence from 19th June until 5th July. The next 2 weeks are going to be very busy.

If you are interested: http://www.carrickfergusfm.co.uk.

You know where I'll be if I'm not about the AR VIP community.

Isle of Man TT

Ballyhalbert — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:22:00 +0100

Well it's TT time once again. Motorbike road racing around a 37.75 mile circuit on the Isle of Man. The racing lasts until 13th June so if I'm not around as often as I usually am its because I'm keeping up to date via Radio TT.

Radio 5 Live co-opts Christian O'Connell

Ballyhalbert — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:21:00 +0100

Little bit of news that I wanted you to get from me before anyone else…

I’m going to be doing a weekend show for BBC Five Live, it doesn’t alter the love I have for here. Its not you, its me.

I did a show before them called Fighting Talk and I’m excited about going back. My first guest will be Clive Dickens, in a feature called “What The Dickens?”

Christian

–

Cat McDonald adds:

As well as saying a BIG WELL DONE to the OC, we also wanted to give you a bit more info on his new show which you can pass on to clients and contacts who have any questions.

In addition to the Breakfast Show on Absolute Radio, Christian will be presenting a new Sunday morning show from 11am to midday on BBC Five Live. It all kicks off in September with a 15-week initial run and will be a chance for the pair to generally put the world to rights… God help us all!

It’s familiar territory for Christian who presented a brilliant show called Fighting Talk on the station a few years ago and he’s one of a number of Absolute Radio DJs who take on projects which compliment their work here at Absolute.

Russ Williams hosts a football show on Sundays on TalkSport, Frank Skinner has done everything from Question Time to Match of the Day, Vicki Butler-Henderson takes on the boys on Fifth Gear every week and then there’s Tim Shaw putting his body through hell on Channel 4’s Extreme Male Beauty as well as Fifth Gear presenting duties.

It’s a testament to the talent we have here at Absolute Radio that other stations are so keen to get a piece of the pie and this is of huge benefit to us because it opens us up to whole new audiences. Five Live listeners are just the kind we want to target and we always say we’re a station with personality so any opportunity for our DJs to demonstrate what we’re about is good news for us!

Cat

–

Brian adds:

Me and Richie have been invited to do a show on Hampshire Hospital Radio on Sunday Evenings.

We’re currently weighing up the offer, but we’ll let you know.

Brian

Polly James & Martin Collins

Ballyhalbert — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:18:00 +0100

This weekend, on Saturday and Sunday mornings on Absolute Radio, you can catch Polly James between 1.00 and 6.00am.

On Sunday morning Martin Collins will serve you Breakfast between 6.00 and 10.00am. (Bacon, Eggs Toast and Coffee for me please Martin!) lol.

Enjoy.

Isle of Wight Preview

Ballyhalbert — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:18:00 +0100

An Isle of Wight Festival Preview programme will be broadcast on Absolute Radio on Sunday 19th April 2009 from 8.00 to 10.00pm.

Isle of Wight Festival Preview
John Giddings plays tracks recorded at Isle of Wight festivals gone by, and tracks from some of the artists who will be playing at this year's festival.

Martin Collins DJ

Ballyhalbert — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:12:00 +0100

How good is it to hear Martin Collins back on the airwaves at Absolute Radio. Martin used to present the Drivetime programme between 4.00 - 7.00pm before moving onto other projects.

You can catch Martin on Absolute Radio on:

Good Friday - 10.00am to 2.00pm

Easter Sunday - 6.00 to 10.00am.

Christian on the Ocean Waves

Ballyhalbert — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:37:00 +0100

To coincide with the release of the film "The Boat That Rocked" which is based on the era of Pirate Radio ships in the 1960s such as Radio Caroline, the Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show will be broadcasting live from a boat called The Chieftain all this week.

Locations are:-

Monday 30th March - Newcastle

Tuesday 31st March - Whitby

Wednesday 1st April - Grimsby

Thursday 2nd April - Lowestoft

Friday 3rd April - London

Christian goes Sailing!

Ballyhalbert — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:06:00 +0000

As announced on the OC Breakfast Show this morning.

Locations are:-

Monday 30th March - Newcastle

Tuesday 31st March - Whitby

Wednesday 1st April - Grimsby

Thursday 2nd April - Lowestoft

Friday 3rd April - London

Stay tuned to the Breakfast Show for further details. How long before Christian starts singing A Life On The OCean Wave? lol

Absolute Weekends Sponsorship

Ballyhalbert — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:12:00 +0000

The weekends on Absolute Radio are to be sponsored by a car insurance provider.

Swiftcover.com will be associated with all the station's weekend programming, including new signing Frank Skinner, Iain Lee and Tim Shaw, from Friday 13th March.

On air pre-recorded credits across the whole weekend will keep the company front of mind and convey the company's “Get a Life – Get Swiftcovered” messaging

Live read editorial feature in Russ William’s Monday morning show which integrates the “Get a Life” campaign into editorial content, timed to target listeners prior to “personal admin time” in their lunch-break

Absolute Radio will also include Swiftcover.com in newsletters to their 500,000 VIPs and create online competitions.

http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.4494

Frank Skinner joins Absolute Radio

Ballyhalbert — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:58:00 +0000

Frank Skinner is to join Absolute Radio to present a Saturday morning breakfast show.

The stand-up comic and former chatshow host will join the national rock music station - formerly Virgin Radio - for a three month run.

It will be Skinner's first regular radio presenting job and will be produced by Avalon Television, the first time an Absolute show has been taken out of house.

The Absolute Radio chief operating officer, Clive Dickens, said Skinner was a "seasoned professional and a fantastic communicator who would be hugely popular with our audience".

"He is bloody funny and tells great stories and that is what you should expect from his Saturday show. I can see the enthusiasm with which he has approached it - radio is a medium that Frank very much wants to conquer."

Skinner will be joined by co-presenter and radio newcomer Emily Dean for the show which begins on Saturday. It will be produced by Paul Raffaelli, who has produced shows on BBC Radio 6Music and Global Radio's Xfm, and executive produced by Avalon's Jon Thoday and Richard Allen-Turner.

Running from 8am to 10am, Skinner's Absolute show will avoid going head to head with BBC Radio 2's Jonathan Ross, whose show begins at 10am.

"I am very conscious that Jonathan does a great job on Radio 2 and I can understand why people might compare them but I see Frank and Jonathan doing two very different things," said Dickens.

Dickens said there was a gap in the market between 8am and 10am on Saturday mornings.

"We are trying to carve out a new daypart and we are very excited by that. Frank is learning to drive the desk and he will very much be the anchor of the show."

Skinner's long-time production and management company, Avalon was responsible for his long-running ITV1 chatshow. It also produces shows including Harry Hill's TV Burp and Al Murray's Happy Hour, also on ITV1, and BBC1 sitcom Not Going Out.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/mar/09/frank-skinner-absolute-radio

Live From Abbey Road - Thurs 26 Feb

Ballyhalbert — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:44:00 +0000

We'll be bringing you music from the Sound & Vision event, live from the legendary Abbey Road on Thursday 26 February.

What's On

5pm: Geoff Lloyd's Hometime Show will be live from Studio 1 at Abbey Road. Featuring a live performance by the Stereophonics' Kelly Jones, plus interviews.

8pm: Thursday Night Live at Abbey Road with Ben Jones, including Paul Weller playing live.

What is Sound & Vision?

Cancer Research UK are holding a celebratory musical event, Sound & Vision, at the world-famous Abbey Road studios on Thursday 26 February with special guests Paul Weller and Stereophonics' Kelly Jones.

It includes a stunning exhibition of music photography, art and memorabilia donated by some of the world's greatest photographers, including Sir Peter Blake and Terry O'Neil.

Now in its fourth year, Sound & Vision has raised over £400,000 for Cancer Research UK’s lifesaving work, which has saved millions of lives in the UK and across the world.

Visit soundandvisionofficial.com for more details of the event. Together we will beat cancer. Donate today

Absolute loses Listeners or not?

Ballyhalbert — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:44:00 +0000

Jan 29, 2009 - Almost 20 per cent of Virgin Radio’s listeners nationally have switched off since the station changed name to Absolute Radio, according to the latest listening figures issued today.

"Bums on seats" have dropped nationally from 1.53m to 1.18m, and in London from 958,000 to 836,000.

But the lack of RAJAR diary ticks could be down to brand confusion, and was totally expected by the 15 week old station. In London, the station is down 7.4 per cent in hours quarter on quarter, with hours down 14.4 per cent across the rest of the UK.

Average hours stand at 6.6 per week.

Digitally, the station is still leading the way, with 45 per cent of the of the station’s national listening on a digital platform, compared to the commercial radio industry average of just 18.3.

“Absolute Radio has had just 15 weeks to sink into the nation’s ears, Virgin Radio had had 15 years. When Oasis were 15 weeks old they told everyone they were going to be one of the biggest bands in the world. 15 years on, now look at them. We have the same aspirations.” Said Clive Dickens, Chief Operating Officer, Absolute Radio.

“Our independent research has shown that our marketing campaign is working and awareness has doubled and a quarter of the population are already aware of the brand. This multi-million investment in marketing will continue, building on this foundation.”

http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.4329

Hospital again

Ballyhalbert — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:02:00 +0000

So I'm off to hospital again - this time an operation to correct my loss of hearing which has occurred due to a build up of fluid at the back of my ears. On Monday morning, 2nd February, they'll take me into the operating theatre and perforate both ear drums so that they can drain away the fluid and insert small ventilators.

I've lost count of the number of times I've had this operation performed, especially when I was younger.

I think its a day procedure operation and I'll get home the same day which is a pity as an extra day or two would have allowed me to chase the nurses! lol

Thank goodness I'll have the radio to listen to whilst I recouperate in the days following surgery.

Radio Broadcast - Countdown is on

Ballyhalbert — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:28:00 +0000

Well only a few more days to go until my community radio station christmas broadcast hits the airwaves. The next few days are going to be busy finalising the studio set-up and equipment. Then its 3 weeks of broadcasting and putting in 12 hour days making sure everything goes according to plan.

I'll apologise for my absence from the community in advance. Hope everyone has an enjoyable few weeks in the run up to Christmas. I'll pop in when I can.

Bally

Weekend Away

Ballyhalbert — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:45:00 +0000

Well tis Friday afternoon and off I go for a weekend away to Enniskillen to visit my sister for a few days. It's a 2 hour drive and, as my parents are currently cruising around the Med, the family pets (3 Spaniels) are travelling with me lol.

Have a great weekend everyone - see ya next week.