I Radio tuned and ready

ON AIR Knockmore’s Laurita Blewitt and Hector Ó’hEochagán at the official launch of the new radio station i102-104 last week

I Radio tuned and ready

Claire Egan

THE country’s newest radio station hit the airwaves last Thursday afternoon, boasting among its rank of youthful presenters Knockmore native Laurita Blewitt.
i102-104 was officially launched by comic duo Tommy Tiernan and Hector Ó hEochagáin, broadcasting from the first fully digital and ‘best-equipped radio stations in the country’ in the heart of Galway city.
“It is going really well and there is a fantastic buzz and energy. There is a brilliant opportunity to create a national station for 15 to 34-years-old. After 12 years of working in radio, I have been blown away by the ‘as live’ broadcasts we have been doing for the past number of weeks. We have a hugely talented team on board and I feel that i102-104 can really invigorate the media offering for young people in the northwest,” said Dan Healy, CEO of Wilton Radio.
The new station is one of the first dedicated radio stations for young people in the northwest region and will broadcast throughout the province, also taking in the counties of Longford and Donegal.
The new music-driven station will focus on listener interactivity, combining news and discussion programmes in a varied programme schedule.
Laurita, a former Mayo News and Mid West Radio employee, takes the hot seat as a sports broadcaster at I Radio and can be heard daily, bringing the nation up to date with regular sports bulletins.
“We have plans in place for a licence for the northeast, targeting a similar demographic and we are obviously aiming to compete with Today FM and 2FM,” said Dan Healy.
Thirty-two jobs have been created at the new station with ten of those hired from the national talent search which took place across the north west last year.