East Coast FM

East Coast FM (formerly known as BLB, Horizon FM, then East Coast Radio) is an Irish local radio station broadcasting from Bray, County Wicklow under a sound broadcasting contract from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland

East Coast FM
Broadcast areaWicklow and Environs
Frequency94.9 MHz, 96.2 MHz, 99.9 MHz, 102.9 MHz and 104.4 MHz (Arklow)
Programming
FormatContemporary
Ownership
OwnerEast Coast Radio Limited
History
First air date
25 October 1989
Links
Websitewww.eastcoast.fm

The station operates in County Wicklow and into the adjoining counties of Dublin, Kildare, Carlow and Wexford, broadcasting on the following frequencies: 94.9 FM, 96.2 FM, 99.9 FM, 102.9 FM and 104.4 FM in Arklow. To achieve coverage of all of its franchise area, it requires six transmitters including stations at Bray Head, Wicklow Head, Avoca, Arklow, Baltinglass and a transmitter located at Slieve Thoul in Saggart County Dublin where the Wicklow, Kildare and Dublin borders meet.

History
East Coast FM outside broadcast unit in 2014

East Coast FM began as BLB (Bray Local Broadcasting) in 1984.[1] Originally an unlicensed operator, it was launched as "Horizon Radio" when it received a licence from The Independent Radio & Television Commission (now known as The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland) and later merged with South Wicklow's Ezy103 to become East Coast Radio.

In 2002, the station was renamed from "East Coast Radio" to "East Coast FM" and moved from its Victorian premises at Prince of Wales Terrace on Quinsboro Road, Bray (where it had been located since 1985) to a state-of-the-art radio centre complex in Ballywaltrim, Bray. The station is located on Killarney Road in Bray.[2] BLB had operated out of a rooftop office on top of what is now Katie Gallagher's pub on Strand Road in the early 1980s.

East Coast FM is owned by East Coast Radio Limited. Denis O'Brien's Communicorp group was a shareholder in the station from 1998 to 2008. As of December 2007, Communicorp reportedly held a 30% share in the station.[3]

Recognition
YearAssociationAwardRecipientResult
2006PPI Radio AwardsMusic Programme - GeneralEast Coast LunchGold[4]
2013Love Radio AwardsEntertainment & LeisureBray Wanderers "Fight For Survival" advertGold[5]
2019IMRO Radio AwardsNews Story/News EventThe Grand Hotel news coverageBronze[6]
2020Current Affairs Programme - Local/RegionalThe Morning Show with Declan MeehanSilver[7]
2022Welcome to WicklowBronze[8]
The Gay Byrne Award - Newcomer of the YearMax KaneSilver[8]

Notable former staff

See also

References
  1. "East Coast commands third of local radio broadcast market". Bray People. 30 August 2002. Retrieved 23 May 2023. the station first went on the air as Bray Local Broadcasting in 1984
  2. "MediaLive - Radio - Local - East Coast FM". medialive.ie. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  3. "East Coast FM to go on the market". Business Post. 23 December 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  4. "Joe picks up prestigious award for East Coast FM". Bray People. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  5. "East Coast FM honoured at radio awards". wicklownews.net. 18 November 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  6. "2019 Winners". imroradioawards.ie. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  7. "2020 Winners". imroradioawards.ie. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  8. "2022 Winners". imroradioawards.ie. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
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