RTÉ Pulse is an electronic dance music station from Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), Ireland's national broadcaster. It plays a varied mix of dance music, with a small number of shows covering RnB. It started broadcasting in April 2008, but had an official launch alongside its sister services on 1 December 2008.[1]

RTÉ Pulse
Broadcast areaNational - Ireland
FrequencySaorview: Channel 205
Virgin Media: Channel 943
Online
Programming
FormatElectronic dance music
Ownership
OwnerRaidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ)
RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ lyric fm
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ 2XM
RTÉ Jr Radio
RTÉ Chill
RTÉ Gold
RTÉ Radio 1 Extra
History
First air date
April 2008; 16 years ago (2008-04)
Links
WebsiteRTÉ Pulse

It broadcasts on Saorview, Ireland's free-to-air DTT service in Ireland, as well as on Virgin Media cable television and over the Internet. Until 31 March 2021, the service also broadcast on DAB via the RTÉ Multiplex 1.

History

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Originally started as a jukebox service with no presenters, it now carries daily live and pre-recorded shows from a number of Irish DJs, including Mo K, Orla Feeney and international DJs and brands like Ministry of Sound, Defected Records, Hed Kandi, Paul Oakenfold, Ferry Corsten, Carl Cox, Nicky Romero, Mark Knight, Judge Jules and Bingo Players

Irish trade unions have announced they are supporting RTÉ Pulse's DJs in their push for pay equality at RTÉ. The management of RTÉ indicated that Pulse's presenters would be paid by the end of 2016. In September 2017, after this promised had not been kept, the NUJ publicly came out in support of DJs on RTÉ Pulse and the other digital radio stations at RTÉ.[2]

On 6 November 2019, RTÉ management announced that, as part of a major cost-saving program, all its digital radio stations would be closed, including RTÉ Pulse.[3] In March 2021, it was announced that the station would remain on air via Saorview, cable and online streaming, but the DAB network would close at the end of the month.[4]

Programming

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The schedule is designed to be stranded in its approach to fulfilling its remit of representing all genres of dance music. It also airs specialist live shows such as: The Drop with Aifric O Connell, which plays the most blogged about and brand new music; Back2Basics, the all vinyl show, presented by Simon Palmer, which is believed to be the only vinyl show aired by a state broadcaster globally; as well as content from the Red Bull Music Academy.

Sunday's scheduling draws very much from the eclectic styles of the genre and features soul, dub step, and drum and bass.

The station also does outside broadcasts, such as from the Life Festival in 2013. As well as airing music from many international live events during the Re-LIVE show.

The majority of broadcast come from RTÉ main studios in Dublin; however, the service also uses RTÉ facilities from all around the country and overseas. There are regular weekly live shows from the Cork, Limerick and Belfast studios. The service regularly broadcasts live from the RTÉ or BBC studios in London.

References

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  1. ^ "RTÉ digital radio services to begin". The Irish Times. 30 November 2008.
  2. ^ Hartigan, Barry (17 September 2017). "Trade unions air radio pay grievance". The Times.
  3. ^ Halpin, Hayley (7 November 2019). "'Today could be our last': Breakfast presenter addresses widespread RTÉ service and job cuts at start of show". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  4. ^ "RTÉ to cease radio transmission on DAB network". rte.ie. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
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