Cork council hits out after Ryan Tubridy's weekend broadcast cuts into popular 96FM show

Ryan Tubridy broadcasts a weekly mid-morning show in London and is also presenting a dedicated Irish weekend show across the Wireless Ireland station network.

Cork County Council is writing to the Government after a popular Cork radio show was cut in half to make way for a new Ryan Tubridy show.

There was outcry over a decision by 96FM to half Derry O’Callaghan's Oldies and Irish Sunday slot from four to two hours to make way for Tubridy’s new weekend programme, which is being recorded in London.

Tubridy, who left RTÉ in the summer following weeks of controversy related to revelations that the organisation had publicly under-reported payments to him, started a new show on Virgin Radio UK last week. That station is part of the Wireless Group which owns 96FM along with Dublin’s Q102, Live 95 in Limerick, and LMFM in Louth.

Tubridy broadcasts a weekly mid-morning show in London and is also presenting a dedicated Irish weekend show across the Wireless Ireland station network.

The Government is to be asked if the reduction of Oldies and Irish to facilitate Tubridy's show is allowable under local broadcasting obligations.

Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern raised the issue at a council meeting in County Hall, saying that while she has nothing against Turbidy, “as he’s great”, it was, in her opinion, a retrograde step and the O’Callaghan’s programme should be reinstated to its previous four-hour slot.

She said O’Callaghan’s programme has been “engrained in Cork households for years” and got unanimous backing from colleagues to write to 96FM urging its senior executives to reconsider their decision.

'A disgraceful decision'

The Mayor of County Cork Frank O'Flynn said "quite a lot of people are very upset by this decision”. 

Independent councillor Ben Dalton-O’Sullivan said he was “quite surprised” at the number of his constituents who rung complaining about O’Callaghan’s show being cut in half.

However, he said it was obvious from the complaints that O’Callaghan is extremely popular and has played a key role in “promoting local Irish musicians, especially traditional musicians”. 

Labour councillor James Kennedy added: “It’s an outstanding programme, and it’s a disgraceful decision. I can’t understand it. 

To be cut from four hours to two is inexplicable."

Fine Gael councillor John O’Sullivan maintained the local broadcasting license enshrines the provision for local content.

“We should also write to the minister for communications and ask if content being beamed from other locations [such as London] is fulfilling it,” he said.

"It’s something very serious, and I think we should be looking into it. 

If the conditions are being met, then they should be reviewed."

Coimisiún na Meán is the regulator for broadcasting in Ireland, replacing the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland in 2022.

A spokesperson for Coimisiún na Meán told the Irish Examiner that it was "satisfied" that no changes were required to the licences of the regional stations broadcasting Tubridy's new show.

"The Wireless Group informed An Coimisiún of its intention to broadcast a pre-recorded weekend music-driven show for some of its Irish radio services, to air on Dublin’s Q102, Cork’s 96FM, LMFM, and Limerick’s Live 95FM. The Wireless Group confirmed that there will be no impact to any of the programming commitments set out in the contracts for any of the stations involved, including with respect to news information and current affairs. On this basis, An Coimisiún was satisfied no amendments to the relevant contracts were required. 

"If it appears that a station’s programming is not in line with its contract, An Coimisiún can take action to rectify the situation. Anyone is free to inspect a contract and to make representations to Coimisiún na Meán," they said.