Strict
music order: Contrary to what
you might believe, all the
music is chosen by computer and printed
out on A4 pages - each sheet equals
an hour. Each hour had about 8 to
10 songs, depending on how much advertising
was scheduled. All songs had to be
played in the EXACT ORDER,
no exceptions. If I dared to play
a song that was not on the list, then
the private studio phone would ring
almost immediately - I am NOT
joking here! The presenter has NO
SAY as to what is being played!!
In
fact, if you live in Dublin City and
tune in to FM104 right now, there's
a good chance that you may hear this
very playlist in use, even up to the
present day...they have changed very
little.
MEMO
[A message written by one person to
another, usually in the same department]:
FM104 was also a MEMO station. Each
night, each DJ's folder would be filled
with numerous MEMOS from various people
who had no interest in face-to-face
communication with their staff. The
MEMOS usually mentioned what 98FM
were doing; reminded presenters to
plug a give-a-way; and at one time,
even mentioned a stupid piece about
a beetle
found in yoghurt! The follow
up on this was that no-one was to
mention yogurt on-air, under pain
of being fired!!! Bullshit
again!!
Snoop
Tape: One final point on this.
During my time on-air with FM104,
every time the microphone was switched
on for the Presenter to speak, a cassette
tape machine recorded your every word.
This tape was called a 'snoop'. Every
so often, on a Monday afternoon, I
would be called to a meeting with
the Music Director (Dave Kelly) who
would put me through the embarrassment
and humiliation of having my 'snoop'
tape played at high volume for all
to hear. Each 'link' was analysed
or criticised as the case may be.
I had to sit opposite him while this
went on. This was harassment of the
highest order.
Sort
of does your head in? So you
still want to be a DJ on Commercial
Radio? Go right ahead, but be aware
of what you are getting into. Know
how the radio business works. Know
how Dublin Commercial Radio works.
Warning: The
radio business is generally full of
back-biting, egotistical, power-hungry,
two-faced low-life. This extends right
across the spectrum from presenters
to management. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
At
the TOP: To their credit,
FM104 station went from being nowhere,
to being the most-listened station
in Dublin during the mid-1990's. In
September 1997 I left FM104 - while
the station was still at the
top - and took voluntary redundancy,
vowing never to do radio again.
So
now you know their dirty little
secret...
Proud
but not bitter: I am proud
of the fact that I worked on the very
first legal Irish Independent Radio
Station from day one; that I got to
achieve my ambition of working on
a top radio station. I am not bitter
or resentful, but this website serves
as a reminder of how repressive and
paranoid Dublin Independent Radio
can be and my experience of working
in it.
To
the many friends I made through listener
requests; and the many people, who,
even to this day, still remember:
THE STEREO STEVE OVERNIGHT RADIO
SHOW!!
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