4FM - Ireland's newest radio station - launch in Dublin today

Another day, another event. This time it's not one I had even known about but apparently there's a new Radio Station in Ireland launching called 4FM.

4FM is Ireland’s new multi-city radio station, broadcasting to counties Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Clare.

The station is built on four key programme elements - music, entertainment, news and talk.

I literally found out about this from the lobby of our building, introduced myself and was invited up for a look.

Wandering around the new studios, conveniently located in the same building as we are, it's obvious that the team behind this have put some serious thought and money into how it's going to be run.

Boasting such names as Dr Mary Redmond as Chairperson and backers including Fox Radio, Thomas Crosbie Holdings, The Irish Times, Vienna Investments and Bay Broadcasting, they have spared little expense in kitting out an entire floor with two studios, meeting rooms, lots of office space and a view from the balcony to envy.



Some of the presenters already signed up are Derek Davis (Sunday programme), Gareth O' Callaghan (weekday breakfast show), Jimmy Greeley (weekday music show), Damien Kiberd ("issues of the day"), Brian McColl (afternoon music), Gerry Stevens (the best of the 60s and 70s), Tom McGurk (Drivetime news) and a host of others, including Bill Hughes doing a show on the music from Broadway and the West End.



The management team is Chief Executive Martin Block, co-founder of FM104 and Lite FM, Programme Director Al Dunne, formerly of Atlantic 252 and Lite FM, Finance director Howard Block, co-founder of Lite FM and Dave Hammond, the Sales and Marketing Director and, from talking to him, seems a very approachable guy indeed.

We guarantee to play the richest mix of music you’ll hear on the radio, as well as a unique blend of programming with upbeat music truly at its heart.

With a repertoire covering more than 50 years, 4FM plays the widest selection of music on the radio - from classic and mainstream songs to a specialist portfolio including jazz, soul, rock ‘n’ roll, standards, music from the movies and musicals, as well as motown, MOR and soft ballads.

They've got the ways people in Clare, Cork city and county, Dublin city and county (which includes Naas on their site for some reason), Galway city and county and Limerick up on their website as well as the promise that listening live on the web is coming soon.

It's going to be an interesting one. Wonder if they need any contributors...