  Meanwhile,
in 1988, Dublin City was celebrating
the fact that it was 1,000 years old.
Part of the city's celebrations included
a 'special interest' radio station
called Millennium Radio. This was
operated by RTE
[Ireland's National broadcaster] and
broadcast general entertainment programming
of interest to Dubliners. Local programmes
went out from 8am to 8pm and it relayed
2FM for the remainder. The frequency
used? 88FM of course - to match the
year 1988! The studios were based
in the GPO Arcade, off Dublin's O'Connell
Street [main street] In March
1988 I became "legal" and joined the
staff of RTE's
Millennium Radio 88FM. This involved
presenting reports for programmes
and presenting the evening Sports
News, plus taking requests and enquiries
from the Public office at the Millennium
Information Desk, across from the
studio.
After
Millennium Radio closed in May
1989,
it was August that year that I joined
Ireland's very first legal commercial
radio station: Capital Radio 104.4FM.
I am forever grateful to Martin
Block for offering me the chance
to work on this historic Irish radio
station. Capital Radio was initially
based on the roof car park (literally)
of the Saint
Stephen's Green Shopping Centre
in four portacabins. Capital Radio
later moved to new permanent studios
in The Ballast Office, Aston Quay,
Dublin [City Centre]. The format was
"Hot Hits" and it commanded
the lion's share of the Dublin City
listenership, as it was the only alternative
to 2FM. My job initially included
presenting the daily sports news and
reports for the "Newsbeat" current
affairs programme.
I
Stayed 8 years with Capital Radio,
which then changed name to Rock
104 and then changed name again
to FM104. I did everything from
sports news, traffic news, reports,
on-street promotions, studio and
sound editing. When the station
became Rock 104, I became Stereo
Steve. Eventually, after 6 years
with the company, in 1995, I was
given my own show. I remained with
FM 104 until 1997.
The
Stereo Steve Overnight Radio Show
was born!
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