WLR FM

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WLR FM
  • Waterford
Broadcast area Waterford City and County, Ireland
Frequency 95.1fm / 97.5fm / 94.8fm
Programming
Languages English, with dedicated Irish programme and occasional Irish spoken on other programming
Format Adult contemporary/talk
Ownership
Owner The Irish Times and Des Whelan
Absolute Irish Radio
History
First air date
8 September 1989
Links
Webcast https://www.wlrfm.com/player
Website wlrfm.com

WLR FM, or more commonly WLR (Waterford Local Radio) is the local radio station covering Waterford City and County, Ireland. It was named the IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) "Local Station of the Year" in 2019, 2020, 2021, [1] 2022 [2] and 2024. [3] In addition to the official franchise area, the station also has a considerable listenership in South County Kilkenny and East County Cork.[ citation needed ] Licensed by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland since 1989, WLR was originally a pirate radio station.

Contents

WLR broadcasts on three frequencies: 95.1 MHz for most of the county (and a low-power transmitter also on 95.1 MHz for Waterford city centre), 97.5 MHz for Waterford city and much of East Waterford, and a low-power transmitter on 94.8 MHz to cover the East Waterford coast. In September 2018, WLR launched a new Country and Irish digital radio station Absolute Irish Radio. [4]

History

The original WLR, which was a pirate station, launched on 23 June 1978 broadcasting from the garage of Rick Whelan at Killotteran just outside the city. This unlicensed operation was one of the longest lasting in the country and continued for just over a decade until its closure at the end of 1988 – new radio licences were to be awarded by the then IRTC (now Broadcasting Authority of Ireland) in 1989. [5]

WLR, with a number of local businessmen on board formed a consortium to apply for the franchise to broadcast to Waterford city and county. This application had competition from two other applicants, one (Deise Broadcasting Company) involved former pirate ABC Radio and local business people, and another application (Waterford Radio/WRFM) which was backed by the then Waterford Foods and The Munster Express newspaper.[ citation needed ] The IRTC held oral hearings for the Waterford licence at the Tower Hotel in Waterford city on 27 April 1989 where all three applicants presented their case.

The WLR consortium won[ citation needed ] and the licensed WLR FM launched on 8 September 1989 from studios on Georges Street above the Georges Court Shopping Centre in Waterford City. The station broadcast from these studios for many years until the building of the present purpose-built Broadcast Centre, at Ardkeen, Waterford. The station's licence has been unchallenged on subsequent renewals.[ citation needed ]

The station was 75% owned by Thomas Crosbie Holdings until that company went into receivership in March 2013. The 75% stake was acquired by Landmark Media Investments. [6] In December 2017, a sale of the 75% stake to The Irish Times newspaper was agreed [7] pending regulatory approval. In July 2018, the sale of the station to the newspaper was complete. [8] [9]

Studios

Main talk studio WLR Studio.jpg
Main talk studio
Commercial production studio WLR FM Production Studio.jpg
Commercial production studio

The station has purpose-built studios at The Broadcast Centre, Ardkeen, Waterford City (shared with regional youth station Beat 102 103) and at the Dungarvan studio at The Plaza, Dungarvan Shopping Centre. The Broadcast Centre was opened by the taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, in 2003. It replaced WLR FM's previous studio at Great Georges Street in Waterford City, while the new Dungarvan studio was opened by head of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Michael O'Keefe, on 10 November 2007, replacing the existing studio at Harbour Bay in the town. [10]

An outside broadcasting unit was launched in 2020. [11] The first studio opened in April 2024. [12] [ better source needed ]

Market share

According to the JNLR 2018-1 National Radio Listenership Survey, WLR FM reached a weekly audience of 64,000 in the first quarter of 2018. [13]

References

  1. ↑ "WLRfm is chosen as Local Radio Station of the year- for outstanding achievement in broadcasting". WLR. 3 October 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2009.[ dead link ]
  2. ↑ "Civic reception in recognition of WLR FM's four in a row 'Local Station of the Year' accolade". WaterfordCouncil.ie . 31 March 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  3. ↑ "WLR Crowned Ireland's IMRO Local Station of the Year for 2024". Waterford Chamber of commerce . Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  4. ↑ "WLR launches Absolute Irish Radio from Waterford". RadioToday.ie. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  5. ↑ Walsh, John (28 December 2023). "Waterford Local Radio prepares for closedown". Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "Receiver appointed to publisher of Irish Examiner". RTÉ.ie . 6 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "The Irish Times to acquire Landmark Media business". Irishexaminer.com . 6 December 2017.
  8. ↑ "Irish Times completes purchase of Irish Examiner". RTÉ.ie . 10 July 2018.
  9. ↑ "Irish Times complete purchase of Landmark Media; Pledge to protect 'identity and independence' of titles". Irishexaminer.com . 10 July 2018.
  10. ↑ "WLR FM Dungarvan is on the move!". The Munster Express . Archived from the original on 5 January 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2009– via radiowaves.fm.
  11. ↑ "WLR FM welcomes state of the art Outside Broadcast Unit". LearningWaves.ie. 2020. Archived from the original on 25 August 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  12. ↑ "Moncrieff Launched WLR Studio". WLRfm.com . 16 April 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  13. ↑ "WLR records listenership figures among the highest in the station's history". WLRfm.com . 26 April 2018.

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