The LW version of Radio 1 which commenced in 2004, which can also be received across the United Kingdom and parts of Western Europe – and is transmitted on the 252 kHz frequency formerly used by the Atlantic 252 radio station – differs in certain respects from that broadcast on FM, particularly at the weekend, with significant additional sports coverage and religious programming. Overnights Radio 1 relays the output of the digital 'classic hits' channel RTÉ Gold. The station broadcasts weekdays from 5:30am - 3am and weekends from 6am - 2am. The station's tuning signal since 1936 has been the air O'Donnell Abú, although since the advent of 24-hour broadcasting in 1997, the tune has been played only as a prelude to the start of the day's live broadcasting at 5.30 on weekday mornings. RTÉ carried out DRM tests on its Long Wave frequency 252 kHz. RTÉ Radio 1 has been carried on shortwave in DRM during specific events, including the All Ireland finals. Listeners to WRN's English Service for Europe and English Service for North America can also hear a selection of RTÉ Radio 1 programmes. RTÉ DAB is available on the Saorview platform. The LW version of Radio 1, which can also be received across the United Kingdom and parts of Western Europe, is also the only RTÉ Radio service available in parts of Northern Ireland since the closure of Medium Wave.ĭAB broadcasts of the station began in the east of the country (from the Clermont Carn and Three Rock Mountain high power transmitters via the RTÉ DAB Multiplex) on 1 January 2006. RTÉ Radio 1 is currently available in Ireland on 88-90 MHz FM and 252 kHz longwave (LW). The former is now the flagship programme of RTÉ News and Current Affairs on radio while the latter has evolved into the current Drivetime programme via Five Seven Live. On 3 November 1984, current affairs programmes Morning Ireland and Today at Five began broadcasting. This anchored the station's daily morning schedule until 1998. In 1973, The Gay Byrne Hour began, becoming The Gay Byrne Show in 1979. When, in 1979, RTÉ established a new rock and pop station under the name of RTÉ Radio 2 (now RTÉ 2fm), the original RTÉ Radio channel was renamed once again and became RTÉ Radio 1. In 1971 the station began the phased move from the GPO on O'Connell Street in Dublin city centre, to a new purpose-built Radio Centre at Donnybrook. The station also began FM transmission in 1966. As a consequence, the station was renamed RTÉ Radio. The name of the corporation was changed to Radio Telefís Éireann in 1966. Run as part of the civil service until 1960, the Broadcasting Authority Act 1960 transferred the station to a statutory corporation, also called Radio Éireann, in preparation for the launch of its sister television station. Radio Éireann also carried sponsored programmes, often produced by Leonard Plugge's International Broadcasting Company, which tended to be more popular than programming made directly by Radio Éireann itself. It broadcast a mixed schedule of light entertainment and heavier fare, Irish language programming, and talks. Like most small European national stations at that time, Radio Éireann attempted to satisfy all tastes on a single channel. From the latter date the three stations became known as Radio Athlone, later being renamed Radio Éireann ("Irish Radio"/"Radio of Ireland") in 1937. Station 6CK, a Cork relay of 2RN, joined the Dublin station in 1927, and a high-power transmitter at Athlone in County Westmeath opened in 1932. Cite error: A tag is missing the closing (see the help page). It is the most-listened-to radio station in Ireland. The total budget for the station in 2010 was €18.4 million. The station is a rare modern example of a mixed radio channel, offering a wide spectrum of programming which is mainly speech-based but also includes a fair amount of music.
RTÉ Radio 1 ( Irish: RTÉ Raidió 1) is an Irish national radio station owned and operated by RTÉ and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926.