'Play
Sweeper " X" here'
Sweepers are usually a one-line
sentence which says something like:
"Dublin's Best Music - FM104"
or "Superstars of the 80's
and 90's, this is Dublin's FM104"
--------------------------- O.B.
Mini Disc 028 Track 4 SOMETHING
HAPPENED ON THE - PHIL COLLINS 4:30
--------------------------- THIS
IS WHERE YOU DO YOUR BIT
--------------------------- C314-15
GET OFF - PRINCE 4:20 -------------------------- PLAY
SWEEPER 4
--------------------------- C375-07
WHERE DO YOU GO - NO MERCY 4:16
--------------------------- //////
PLAY A JINGLE HERE \\\\\\
--------------------------- C411-20
YOU WIN AGAIN - BEE GEES 3:41
---------------------------
PLAY WINNERS SWEEP HERE
!
'Play
Winners Sweep here' Similar
to above, except this contains the
'voice' of a listener [usually with
a flat,
common Dublin accent] saying something
like: "Hi, my name is Mary and I
won £1000 on Dublin's Most
Music Station
FM104". This is written out in advance
on a piece of paper and held up
to be read by the 'listener'.
--------------------------- C427-01 NOBODY KNOWS - THE
TONY RICH PROJECT 4:11 --------------------------- THIS
IS WHERE YOU DO YOUR BIT
--------------------------- C254-05
ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE - MIKE &
THE MECHANICS 3:42
---------------------------
FM104
PLAYING ALL OVER .......... NOW!
---------------------------
C259-01
GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE SHAWN COLVIN
4:13
---------------------------
LINK/WEATHER/TIME
---------------------------
C213-01 TUESDAY MORNING
- THE POGUES 3:28
'C213-01'
means CD 213, track 01. The playlist
also tells the total time of each
song and whether it ends suddenly
or fades. It also tells you the
tempo = Fast or Medium or Slow.
----------------------------
THIS IS WHERE YOU DO YOUR
BIT
'This
Is Where You Do Your Bit'
was the Programme Director's way
of instructing me to speak between
songs at that point: However, there
was a catch "Keep it short,
15 seconds" is what
I was told. I also had to start
each link [spoken
piece] with the exact words: "Superstars
of the 80's and 90's Dublin's FM104".
I then had to announce which songs
were coming up, then end the link
with the exact words: "Superstars
of the 80's and 90's Dublin's FM104".
You were never to announce the songs
you had just played, under pain
of death!! This was strictly enforced
by the Programme Director, despite
the fact the show was broadcast
between 01.00am and 07.00am - not
exactly Prime Time?? This was Format
Radio at its worst and this was
Bullshit!!
---------------------------- C485-03
SWALLOWED - BUSH 4:47
---------------------------- PLAY
SWEEPER 8 HERE
---------------------------- C521-01
AIN'T TALKIN' 'BOUT DUB - APOLLO
FOUR FORTY 4:58
--------------------------- THIS
IS WHERE YOU DO YOUR BIT
-------------------------- C247-03
WEST END GIRLS - PET SHOP BOYS 3:44
---------------------------
Strict
music order: Contrary to what
you might believe, all the
music is chosen by computer and printed
out on A4 pages - each sheet equals
an hour. Each hour had about 8 to
10 songs, depending on how much advertising
was scheduled. All songs had to be
played in the EXACT ORDER,
no exceptions. If I dared to play
a song that was not on the list, then
the private studio phone would ring
almost immediately - I am NOT
joking here! The presenter has NO
SAY as to what is being played!!
In
fact, if you live in Dublin City and
tune in to FM104 right now, there's
a good chance that you may hear this
very playlist in use, even up to the
present day...they have changed very
little.
MEMO
[A message written by one person to
another, usually in the same department]:
FM104 was also a MEMO station. Each
night, each DJ's folder would be filled
with numerous MEMOS from various
people who had no interest in face-to-face
communication with their staff. The
MEMOS usually mentioned what 98FM
were doing; reminded presenters to
plug a give-a-way; and at one time,
even mentioned a stupid piece about
a beetle
found in yoghurt! The follow
up on this was that no-one was to
mention yogurt on-air, under pain
of being fired!!! Bullshit
again!!
Snoop
Tape: One final point on this.
During my time on-air with FM104,
every time the microphone was switched
on for the Presenter to speak, a cassette
tape machine recorded your every word.
This tape was called a 'snoop'. Every
so often, on a Monday afternoon, I
would be called to a meeting with
the Music Director (Dave Kelly) who
would put me through the embarrassment
and humiliation of having my 'snoop'
tape played at high volume for all
to hear. Each 'link' was analysed
or criticised as the case may be.
I had to sit opposite him while this
went on. This was harassment of the
highest order.
Sort
of does your head in? So you
still want to be a DJ on Commercial
Radio? Go right ahead, but be aware
of what you are getting into. Know
how the radio business works. Know
how Dublin Commercial Radio works.
Warning: My personal experience (with a few exceptions) is that FM104 was generally full of
back-biting, egotistical, power-hungry,
two-faced low-life. Although working in the communications business, these people lacked the basic inter-personal skills that most normal people have. This extends right
across the spectrum from presenters
to management. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. (Me bitter!!?? Never)
At
the TOP: To their credit,
FM104 station went from being nowhere,
to being the most-listened station
in Dublin during the mid-1990's.
In
September 1997 I left FM104 - while
the station was still at the
top - and took voluntary
redundancy, vowing never to do radio
again.
So
now you know their dirty little
secret...
Proud
but not bitter: I am proud
of the fact that I worked on the very
first legal Irish Independent Radio
Station from day one; that I got to
achieve my ambition of working on
a top radio station. I am not bitter
or resentful, but this website serves
as a reminder of how repressive and
paranoid Dublin Independent Radio
can be and my experience of working
in it.
To
the many friends I made through listener
requests; and the
many people, who, even to this day,
still remember: THE STEREO STEVE OVERNIGHT RADIO
SHOW!!
