Bob Gallico (RIP) at Magic 103 in 1985 (courtesy DX Archive).
Magic 103 was one of the many offshoots of Radio Nova, broadcasting from April to September 1985. This recording was made on a sunny summer afternoon and features two of the station’s most accomplished presenters, Bob Gallico and Peter Madison, both since deceased. First up is the end of Morning Magic with both presenters, while Peter continues on his own with the Solid Gold slot after 1200. ABC Network News is read by Bob and Mark Weller. The music style includes classical, easy listening, big band and oldies. Listeners are also invited to bid for a rare Beatles picture disc, with the proceeds going to the forthcoming Live Aid concert. Although there is interest from listeners, virtually no adverts are aired, evidence of the financial problems facing Magic 103 throughout its existence.
The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 103.5 FM on Wednesday 24th July 1985 from 1150-1321. 199 metres (1521 kHz) is also announced.
Magic 103 was launched by Radio Nova on April 29th 1985, promoting itself as an easy-listening and information service for Dublin. This placed the station more in competition with RTÉ Radio 1 than Radio 2, but it never really found its feet and presentation and production standards were mixed during its short period on air. Magic 103 closed on 22nd September and the laying off of staff worsened a dispute with the National Union of Journalists, which would ultimately contribute to the demise of Radio Nova.
The tape begins with the end of the afternoon show with Mark Weller (Costigan) and Linda Conway, which includes an interview related to one of the day’s news stories. ABC Network News on the hour is broadcast on both Magic 103 and Radio Nova. Shane Mac Gabhann and Dave Johnson (Andrew Hanlon) follow the 1700 news with a drivetime news and music show, including a newspaper review, sports news, community information, a book feature and an entertainment guide.
The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 103.5 FM between 1645-1818 on Wednesday 17th July 1985.
Bob Gallico in the Magic 103 studio (courtesy Paul Buckle).
Magic 103 (103.5 FM and 1521 kHz although AM was never announced on air) was set up by Radio Nova in 1985 and was one of many examples of Chris Cary’s innovation in splitting AM/FM services to expand programming. Magic was a mostly easy-listening and talk service in contrast to the chart music format of Nova. Its first full day on air was April 29th 1985.
Image courtesy of DX Archive
‘ABC Network News’ was broadcast on both Nova and Magic, and the journalists also presented programmes on Magic. These recordings of the opening day begin with the segment above from 0900 with the shared news bulletin, followed by the first hour with Dave Harvey who describes Magic as the ‘new chat and information station for Dublin’. He invites listeners to call in and give their opinions on joyriders but the callers are often off topic and some of the conversations sound staged. There’s a news bulletin on the half-hour and a round-up of British news, strange for a station that was aimed at Dublin.
Original label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.
Part 2 below runs from 0945 and includes news with Bob Gallico (RIP) and then Bob’s own show, ‘Morning Magic’ from 1000. He promises chat, easy listening music, racing news, recipes, features, film scores and news about events around town.
Part 2 from 0945.
Part 3 below includes the final part of Morning Magic from 1209-1300, ABC Network News at 1300, followed by Mark Weller with a mixture of music and notices for events, sports news and stories from the UK wires. The recording is edited and includes news at 1700. The first three segments are from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection.
Part 3 from 1209.
Part 4 below is of the evening programme with Shane Mac Gabhann from 1823-1909. Listeners from around town send in their good wishes but one caller describes the musical selection as ‘ancient’ and wants more Lionel Ritchie. The main evening ABC Network News is read by Bernie Jameson and Mark Weller. Shane Mac Gabhann is now a newsreader on RTÉ, Mark Weller (Costigan) became political correspondent on licensed national commercial station Today FM and Bernie Jameson continues to read news to this day. This recording is from the Skywave Tapes Collection and there is some breakthrough in the background, due either to a problem with recording or deterioration of the cassette.
Part 4 from 1823.
The final snippet is an undated airchecked recording of an evening show in the first few days of the station. Dave Johnson (aka Andrew Hanlon, later head of news at independent station TV3) is both presenter and newscaster. A listener in Co. Down says Magic is coming in ‘crystal clear’, evidence of how far the FM signal travelled on a relatively uncrowded band. Sound quality is variable on this recording (it may have been recorded from AM), which is from the Pirate.ie collection.
Part 4 from around 2000.
Magic 103 was short-lived and closed at the end of September 1985, citing financial difficulties. Its closure led to the worsening of a bitter dispute between the National Union of Journalists and Radio Nova that contributed to the main station’s demise in 1986.
Magic 103 (103.5 FM and 1521 kHz AM) was one of the many short-lived sister stations of Radio Nova, and was on air from Leeson Street in Dublin for a few months in 1985. The station began broadcasting on April 29th and promised ‘easy listening and information for Dublin’. Presenters were journalists, most of whom were in dispute with station owner Chris Cary, and ‘ABC Network News’ was shared between the two stations. Magic 103 was gone by September 22nd, as the Radio Nova empire began to unravel.
This recording is of Mark Weller (Mark Costigan) from 3.25pm on 19 June 1985, featuring a studio discussion about stock car racing, including a forthcoming competition between teams from Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio! There’s also a comedy extract featuring iconic Nova voices such as Bob Gallico, John Clarke and Tony Allan. The 4pm news bulletin shared by both stations features international, Irish and British news. When the simulcast ends there is additional Irish news on Magic 103, evidence that Nova catered to a much larger broadcast area than just Dublin. Mark Costigan went on to work as a journalist for national independent station Radio Ireland/Today FM in the 1990s and 2000s and was eventually appointed Head of Government Information Services.
This recording is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Skywave Radio International broadcast a shortwave station in the 1980s from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.
