New station to spin the discs for young listeners in Munster region
The dedicated youth music station’s chief executive Aevann Upton said it will herald a new era in radio for the 15- to 34-year-old age group in Limerick, Clare, Kerry Tipperary and parts of Laois.
Shareholders include former rugby international Keith Wood and Kerry entrepreneur Jerry Kennelly, who sold his stock photography company Stockbyte for over €110 million.
SPIN has been licensed by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland to broadcast to Limerick, Clare and Kerry, on 102 -103 FM, and into north Tipperary and south-west Laois on 94.7FM.
Spokesman Eugene Hogan said: “The music station is entirely dedicated to the 15- to 34-year age group and will also have a strong sports and news flavour, again reflecting the interest of its target market.”
Chief executive Aevann Upton, whose father Jim was one of the founding members of Limerick’s first local radio station Radio Limerick One (RLO), said they have been getting strong feedback.
She said: “Young people across the region have been crying out for their own dedicated music station for years and they won’t be disappointed. We are first and foremost a music station and our music content will reflect what our listeners want to hear. However, we will essentially mirror the interests of listeners in many aspects, including through our news and sports coverage, as well as our daily talk show.”
SPIN South West will be based in Raheen, Limerick, and will employ 43 people.
SPIN is investing €3.8 million in the project and the station will be broadcasting to an audience estimated to be somewhere in the region of 156,000.
The new station will pick from some aspects of a proven mix of sister station, Dublin-based SPIN 103.8.
Music programming at the station will be dedicated entirely to its youth target audience across the region, providing a constant stream of urban, dance, rock and pop music, with 90% of hits coming from the last five years. The new service will also include a daily youth-oriented current affairs programme Spin Talk.
Chairman Liam O’Shea said it is not before time that the region got its own dedicated youth station.
He said: “In both our own and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland’s market research for this, we found there was a glaring need for a dedicated youth station in the region.”
