Radio station joins fellow broadcasters to BEAT out widest possible market

A NEW radio station targeting the youth market in the south east has teamed up with fellow stations in Dublin and Cork to ensure it reaches the broadest market.

BEAT 102-103 has announced a unique sales association with Dublin’s FM 104 and Cork’s Red FM, meaning BEAT will have a full-time sales manager in Dublin, working from the

offices of FM 104. The station, broadcasting to Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford, goes live on July 1.

Sales manager Karen Cheevers said the reaction from advertisers was phenomenal.

“There is huge anticipation ahead of our launch. We are being seen as the template for the first regional licence.

"The fact that we are targeting the 15-to-34-year-old age group market means there is no wastage.

"Prior to BEAT, advertisers had an opportunity to go local or national. We’re offering regional advertising now.”

The station will be based in a new multi-million euro complex on the outskirts of Waterford City.

It has a team of highly-experienced people behind it, including chairman Des Whelan, currently chief executive of Waterford’s WLR FM.

BEAT 102-103 chief executive is Kieran McGeary. From Waterford he spent the last 13 years in England, becoming one of the youngest managing directors in commercial radio, at Wolverhampton’s 107.7, at the age of 26.

Other directors are Paul McGuinness and Trevor Bowen of Principle Management, Mean Fiddler supremo Vince Power, Newstalk 106 chairman John Purcell, Redmond O’Donoghue of Waterford Wedgwood and People Newspapers’ Ger Walsh.