KISS FM 102.7 Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

4th August 20215th August 2021

Early KISS FM programming

This is an early broadcast of KISS FM on 102.7 from 2130-2259 on September 11^th 1982, just a few days after the station’s launch. There are a few links by an unidentified DJ, but the style is mostly the clutter-free format for which Nova and its offshoots would gain popularity at various times. Nova’s news service is now known as ‘Independent Radio News’ and is carried by both stations at 10pm. It is read by Bryan Dobson, now one of RTÉ’s leading journalists. Clearly KISS FM was still experiencing teething problems as the news jingle fires unexpectedly and there is dead air for a few seconds in the final half hour.

This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

2nd August 202129th July 2021

The early days of KISS FM 102.7

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One of several offshoots of Radio Nova, KISS FM, came on the air on September 7^th 1982 and broadcast until January 15^th 1984. Starting off by playing continuous music only on 102.7 FM, KISS developed into a specialist and speech service alongside Nova, mopping up additional advertising and listeners.

This is the original version of an interview conducted by British radio enthusiast Leon Tipler during a visit to KISS FM in September 1982. He speaks to Brian Edgar and Stuart McLaughlin about the plans for KISS, rivalry between the Dublin stations and the economics of pirate radio.

This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England. Below is a KISS FM promo from 1982 for a giveaway of £102.70. This was donated to us by Paul Buckle.

12th May 202110th March 2024

Sunday morning bandscan from 1982

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This is a bandscan of Dublin radio by British radio enthusiast Leon Tipler during a visit to Dublin in 1982. It was made from about 0800-0930 on the morning of Sunday 12^th September 1982 and features both AM and FM stations. The bandscan begins with Bryan Dobson reading the news on Radio Nova and is followed by the start of that day’s broadcasting on the brand new Nova offshoot KISS FM. Some of Nova’s main service on 88 FM is also heard. There are snippets of Boyneside Radio, Radio City and Radio Dublin, including a promo for the Lebanon Requests Show presented by DJ Angie. There’s also a short extract of ‘RTÉ Radio 1 on VHF’ and BBC Radio Scotland on FM as well as an unidentified English station on AM.

The recording concludes with part of a Christian programme on Radio Nova called ‘Good News Tracks’, featuring religious music and reflections. Nova experimented with such specialist programmes in the early days, and Tipler’s documentary refers to another religious show on the station.

This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

12th June 20206th August 2021

Documentary: The Irish Pirates (Volume 4)

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This is the final volume of Part 2 of ‘The Irish Pirates’, Leon Tipler’s acclaimed documentary on the Irish scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. This hour covers Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova in more detail, including a visit to the Nova transmitter site and interviews with Chris Cary and Stuart McLoughlin about the economics of radio and the ratings wars. There are also interesting clips of specialist programmes such as the current affairs show ‘Dublin Today’ and the religious hour ‘Life is a Celebration’. Tipler discusses the local radio legislation proposed in 1981, one of the many failed attempts to legalise the sector, and offers an in-depth analysis of the state of play at the time. The hour finishes with a long and fascinating bandscan of Dublin pirate radio. Tipler refers to Part 2 of ‘The Irish Pirates’ being in production and we will bring you those recordings shortly.

This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

Index to Volume 4

00:11 Dublin Today
02:12 Life is a Celebration
03:45 Trip to TX site
07:35 KISS FM promos
10:45 Chris Cary on Nova ratings
17:00 Interview with Stuart McLoughlin of Nova
27:10 1981 Local Radio Bill
31:55 Aim of the documentary
36:20 Possibility of local RTÉ opt-out for Dublin
37:00 Pirates raise money for charity
40:48 Thanks to those who appeared in Part 1
41:43 Final bandscan

11th June 20206th August 2021

Documentary: The Irish Pirates (Volume 3)

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Volumes 3 and 4 of Leon Tipler’s ‘The Irish Pirates’ make up Part 2 of the documentary. The third recording focuses mostly on Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova, the new superpirates which emerged in Dublin in the early 1980s. Tipler begins by visiting Sunshine Radio in 1981 and interviews its director Robbie Robinson. He tours the Sunshine studios in Portmarnock and hears its professional jingles produced by Alfasound. The documentary covers the controversy caused by politicians appearing on pirate radio and the coverage given by Sunshine to community events in its area. The episode also includes a feature on Community Radio Fingal in north Dublin in 1982. It ends with a visit to the Radio Nova studios at Herbert Street and a long interview with Nova boss Chris Cary.

This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

Index of Volume 3

00:00 1981 visit to Sunshine
01.38 Interview with Robbie Robinson
07:06 Sunshine jingles
08:35 Visit to Sunshine studios
11:30 Establishment of Radio Nova
14:52 Irish Association of Independent Broadcasters
15:30 Controversy over politicians on pirate radio
18:15 Sunshine covering community events
24:40 1982 visit to Community Radio Fingal
33:15 Visit to Radio Nova in Herbert Street
34:15 Interview with John Clarke
40:55 KISS FM
43:09 Interview with Chris Cary