Q97.2
Coordinates: 55°08′37″N 6°39′18″W / 55.1436°N 6.6551°W
| Broadcast area | Coleraine, Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 97.2 FM |
| First air date | 26 January 2000 |
| Format | Music |
| Audience share | 9.9% (March 2009, ) |
| Owner | Q Network Radio |
| Sister stations | Q101.2, Q102.9, Five FM, Six FM, Seven FM |
| Website | www.q972.fm |
Q97.2 "Causeway Coast Radio" used to be a radio station based in Coleraine, County Londonderry. It broadcasts on FM 97.2 to the north coast. Part of the Q Radio network which also owns a number of other stations in Northern Ireland. Q97.2FM previously broadcast from a building located on the Cloyfin Road in Coleraine at the junction of the Cloyfin Road and entrance to the Ballysally estate. Q97.2 broadcasts on F.M. across the Coleraine area reaching Portstewart, Portrush, Ballymoney, Ballycastle, Armoy, Garvagh, Kilrea, and as far as Ballymena, Antrim and Magherafelt. Q97.2 transmitter is located at Maddeybenney More which is situated between Coleraine, Portrush and Portstewart. The current on air strap line for Q97.2FM is "Q Radio on 97.2 and 107." (this mentioning both Q97.2 and the rebranded Seven FM as Q107)
Q97.2FM was bought by the Northern Media Group (NMG) in June 2006, since the take over by NMG, Q97.2FM has seen a number of changes. Several presenters & other staff were made redundant, news is now recorded at Seven FM in Ballymena and distributed to the NMG stations, networking of programmes is a 'norm' now with most of the weekend schedule coming from either a live presenter from Q102.9FM (Londonderry)/Q107 (Ballymena) or recorded, the week days also have a lot of networking including the lunch-time period 12 noon to 2pm coming from Q102.9FM. Evenings from 7pm are networked from Q102.9FM / Q107.
Q97.2FM used to be involved with several huge events in the North coast of Northern Ireland. The biggest event which Q97.2FM covered was the International North West 200 motorcycle race. In 2006 the Q Radio Network dedicated website northwest200.fm attracted some 1 million hits. Other events were the Portrush raft race, Northern Ireland International air show and the Ford Mini Rally around the North Coast.
During the summer months, Q97 used to have several competitions and events, this during an influx of tourists to the area. Sunday afternoons were broadcast from different shops around the Portstewart/Portrush areas and competitions included the 'Dash For Cash' where a clue was given to the whereabouts of the Q Voucher hidden somewhere in the North coast, the winner received a cash amount.
Q97.2FM licence will be extended on 25 January 2012, as OFCOM announced that Northern Media Group will continue with the Coleraine licence.
Previous presenters include: Alan Jenkins, Caroline Fleck (Downtown radio), Mark Cunning (Cool FM, i102104), Natasha Millar, Christopher Ward, Sam McFerran, Holly Audley, Andrew Boyce, John Wright, Denis McNeill, Neil Sweeney, Hector Wishart and David Gordon.
CURRENT Q97.2FM SCHEDULE
Monday - Friday:
7am-11am : Q Breakfast with ? (Networked with ALL Q radio stations)
11am-2pm: Q Cafe with? also on Q107 in Ballymena
2pm-6pm - Q Drive with ? (Networked with ALL Q radio stations)
6pm-7pm - Q Hitlist with? (Networked with ALL Q radio stations)
7.00pm-7.00am - Networked with ALL Q radio stations - pre recorded shows
Saturday:
All day is from Q107 in Ballymena
Sunday:
All day is from Q107 in Ballymena
During August 2010 - programming has been networked from Seven FM in Ballymena during the Q Drive afternoon show. This a cost-cutting exercise for the NMG and once again taking the localness out of local radio in Northern Ireland.
Criticism
Q97.2 has received bad reviews over the past years as it tends to play more advertisements than music also fewer live programmes now come from Q97 weeknights at 7pm they cross over to sister station Q102. The Coleraine building is no longer used by any staff, all programming to the Q97.2 area comes from the Ballymena studios of Q107. Programming is bland with no listener interactivity whatsoever, competitions take place on a network-wide basis over six radio stations, presenters cannot play requests for listeners. The Q97.2FM building is now up for sale from Spring 2010. All six NMG radio stations broadcast an advert about the sale of the property.