2FM
 |
|
| Broadcast area |
Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Worldwide (mainly the United Kingdom on satellite) |
|---|---|
| Slogan | Sound Of The Nation |
| Frequency | |
| First air date | 31 May 1979 |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio, news, entertainment, speech, showbiz |
| Owner | RTÉ |
| Sister stations |
RTÉ 2XM RTÉ Gold RTÉ Pulse |
| Webcast | |
| Website | 2fm.rte.ie |
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is an Irish radio station operated by RTÉ. The station specialises in current popular music and chart hits and is the second national radio station in Ireland.
The station commenced broadcasting in 1979 and has undergone numerous name and line-up changes.
In 2008, the station had 17% of the national audience, making it the second most popular station in Ireland after RTÉ Radio 1 (23%). According to The Irish Times, the 09:00 AM - 12:00 midday slot is "the most critical in the 2fm schedule both in terms of audience figures and advertising revenue". This was presented by Gerry Ryan from 1988 until his sudden death on 30 April 2010. The Gerry Ryan Show was the longest running show in the station's history.
The station is recognised as being the first in the world to play any new single released by U2, due to the band's long-term friendship with Dave Fanning. They celebrated their thirty-year association with each other in September 2009 with the airing of a special weekend of programmes, including U2's Top 30 Moments.
RTÉ 2fm, like RTÉ Radio 1, technically broadcasts 24 hours a day, however weekday programming from 01:00 until 06:00 is replays of programmes from the previous day along with live news updates on the hour, and weekend overnight hours have been home to specialist music recorded shows since 2001. The station regularly broadcasts live from large Irish music festivals, such as Oxegen, Electric Picnic and Life Festival, and latterly has broadcast live music under the title 2fm XtrAlive (formerly 2fm Live), with the most recorded visiting act being Manic Street Preachers. The series of shows entitled the 2fm 2moro 2our maintained the station's reputation for homegrown live performance promotion as well as offering career boosts to artists such as The Immediate, The Flaws, Ham Sandwich, Concerto For Constantine and David Geraghty.
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