For those who missed out this time around, just before announcing the awards the BCI announced details of the next round of the scheme.

Second, we have finally locked down the date of the Flirt FM reunion. Mark your calendars: 15 July, 7pm at NUI, Galway. We’ll have a catered meal, attendance is EUR25. Contact me, or reunion [at] funferal [dot] org as soon as possible, so we can have a good idea of numbers – in any event, please let us know by 5 July. Earlier in the day we’ll have discussions and workshops – details of those are still being finalised.

At its Board Meeting on Monday September 5th last, the Commission decided to award a licence in principle to LifeFM for the operation of a community of interest service in Cork City. Subject to the successful completion of contract negotiations, the Commission will enter into a five-year contract with the group for the provision of a radio service for Cork’s Christian community.

This obviously raises the same concerns about balance that the proposed national station does, but adds the extra wrinkle that being a community of interest station LifeFM will be bound by the AMARC charter.

The same announcement included a three-phase plan for advertising community station licenses, including, in February 2006, the student station in Galway – that is, Flirt FM’s license. Life FM describe their plans as:

The main aim of LifeFm will be to provide Cork’s Christian Community with its own unique radio station that reflects their lives and aspirations, while maintaining Christian ethos. There will also be many unique elements like Sunday morning Celebration, Thought for the Day, Lives of the Saints and scripture readings together with several multi-cultural programmes. Musically the station will deliver a mixture of contemporary and traditional Christian music together with secular music that fits our audience’s value system.

Given the frequent centrality to discussions of abortion issues in Ireland, I wonder whether a station called Life FM can be fair and impartial in covering the matter? An excerpt from their application gives a hint as to the answer:

The station will have all the normal elements expected, such as news and current affairs, community information, music and chat, but with one major difference in that we will reflect our Christian audience’s value system and not the media’s value system.

Given the explicit ban in the law on expressing station views on air I wonder how the BCI can have let this pass? Oh, and in case you’re wondering, that explicit ban comes from the 1988 Radio and Television Act, section 9 (1) (b):

9. (1) Every sound broadcasting contractor shall ensure that -
…
( b ) the broadcast treatment of current affairs, including matters which are either of public controversy or the subject of current public debate, is fair to all interests concerned and that the broadcast matter is presented in an objective and impartial manner and without any expression of his own views

Aims and Objectives of Strategic Review:

• To examine the structure of the company and establish whether it adequately meets the needs of the station and consequently those of the student body.
• To assess what students desire/require from a student station. Does Flirt FM meet this, particularly within its remit as a community of interest radio station?
• Establish whether Flirt FM provides adequate and suitable access for all members of the student community in Galway.
• To assess the quality and appropriateness of station programming, particularity in the context of a voluntary organisation.
• Identify what impact the station has had on the student body and assess what proportion of them listens.
• Examine how the financial, physical, human, and other resources can be best used for the betterment of the station and consequently the wider student body.
• From the above findings; formulate a five year strategic plan for the station.

Background
The origins of Flirt FM can be traced back to the early 1990s. When the IRTC sought applications to operate a community of interest station as part of its pilot project in community radio, Andrew Ó Baoill of he Radio Society approached the Director of the Language Laboratory in UCG (now NUI, Galway), who had previously signed the license contracts for Rag Week stations on behalf of UCG. Andrew was directed to Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, Vice-President for Development and External Affairs, who acquired college support, and the support of Gay Corr, Director of Galway RTC (now GMIT). An application to the IRTC was prepared, which, following a public hearing in October 1994, was ultimately successful in gaining a community of interest radio license.

The shareholding of the company is split 2:1 between NUI, Galway and GMIT. The company employs a full-time Station Manager and a part-time Assistant. Almost 100 volunteers partake in the production and presentation of radio programmes. The Station Manager reports to the Board of Directors and also sits on the Executive Committee (a newly formed Board of Management). The membership of the Board of Directors reflects the shareholding, and also includes a representative each from NUI, Galway and GMIT Students’ Unions.

The primary audience of Flirt FM is the students of Galway City and, in particular, the students of NUI, Galway and the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. It aims to provide a service that is generally not already available from other operators. Genres of music aired by the station include indie, metal, punk, rock, classical, ambient, traditional, world, and a variety of dance music. Speech programmes primarily cover topics relevant to students, but not exclusively so. Programmes dealing with national and global issues are also produced. The station aims to foster a culture of independent thought and action amongst students.

A further key role of the station is the provision of training and development to the student body, in particular its volunteers. This is currently provided via a mixture of practical classes and theory based classes. Initial sessions cover media law, studio operations and programme planning. Further sessions during the year provide training in interview skills, digital editing, journalism, drama production and DJing amongst other topics. Major training drives occur at the beginning of each academic year, with further sessions as the year progresses.

A conscious effort is made to cover a diversity of culture and also to foster local culture, in particular the Irish language. Galway is situated beside the Gaeltacht, and has many links with the Irish language. There is a positive attitude towards the language amongst students and the station aims to encourage this. This is done by providing several programmes either bilingually or completely through the medium of Irish.

Management & Coordination
The research project will be managed by the Board of Directors. The Board may not accept the lowest of any quote as the successful tender.

Timeframe
The completed evaluation will be submitted by January 1st 2006.

Deadline for receipt of submissions
Proposals may be submitted no later than Monday 4th of July at 5pm. They may be submitted in hard copy or electronically to address detailed below.

For further information contact Sean Mac Iomhair, Chairperson, Flirt FM, An Teanglann, National University of Ireland, Galway. Tel: 091 492 228 or email.