Q Radio Network
{{short description|Radio network in Northern Ireland}}
{{Distinguish|Q Radio}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = Q Radio
| logo = Q Radio.png
| logo_size = 120px
| area = Northern Ireland
| airdate = {{start date and age|2015|08|09|df=y}}
| frequencies = {{ubl
| DAB:
| 12D Bauer Northern Ireland
| FM:
| 96.7 & {{frequency|102.5|MHz}} Greater Belfast
| 97.2 & {{frequency|97.6|MHz}} North Coast
| {{frequency|100.5|MHz}} Newry
| {{frequency|101.1|MHz}} Kilkeel
| {{frequency|101.2|MHz}} Omagh
| {{frequency|102.1|MHz}} Enniskillen
| {{frequency|102.9|MHz}} North West
| 106.0, 106.3 & {{frequency|107.2|MHz}}
Mid Ulster
| 107.0 & {{frequency|107.6|MHz}} Mid Antrim
}}
| format = Adult Contemporary
| owner = Northern Ireland {{dubious|date=March 2025}}
| webcast = [https://www.qradio.com/belfast/radioplayer/ Radioplayer]
| website = [https://www.qradio.com/belfast/ Belfast]
[https://www.qradio.com/midantrim/ Mid Antrim]
[https://www.qradio.com/midulster/ Mid Ulster]
[https://www.qradio.com/newryandmourne/ Newry and Mourne]
[https://www.qradio.com/northcoast/ North Coast]
[https://www.qradio.com/northwest/ North West]
[https://www.qradio.com/tyroneandfermanagh/ Tyrone and Fermanagh]
}}
Q Radio is a network of seven Independent Local Radio stations in Northern Ireland airing an adult contemporary format. The network is the fifth most listened to radio station in Northern Ireland, with a combined figure of 335,000 listeners as of December 2024, according to RAJAR.{{Cite web |title=RAJAR - Quarterly Listening - All Individuals 15+ for period ending September 2023 |url=https://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php |access-date=4 December 2023 |website=www.rajar.co.uk}}https://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.phphttps://www.qradio.com/advertise1/advertising-on-qradio/
Network
Q Radio covers seven licence areas:{{cite web|url=https://www.goqradio.com/info/how-to-listen/|title=How to Listen - Q Radio}}
- Belfast - 96.7 & 102.5 FM and DAB
- North West - 102.9 FM
- North Coast - 97.2 & 97.6 FM
- Mid Antrim - 107.0 & 107.6 FM
- Mid Ulster - 106.0, 106.3 & 107.2 FM
- Newry & Mourne - 100.5 FM & 101.1 FM
- Tyrone & Fermanagh - 101.2 & 102.1 FM
The various stations in the network previously had local opt-outs from the network schedule, including the Q Cafe on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. There are currently{{when?|date=December 2023}} no opt-outs on the schedule with all stations taking the network at all times, except for local news, traffic and advertising.{{Cite web|url=https://www.goqradio.com/info/public-file/|title=Public File|website=Q Radio|language=en|access-date=2020-03-23|archive-date=5 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505024513/https://www.goqradio.com/info/public-file/|url-status=dead}}
History
File:Q101.2 FM West, Omagh, January 2010.JPG
The first use of the Q brand in Northern Ireland came with the launch of Q97.2 from Coleraine, County Londonderry, on 26 January 2000. Additional stations were opened in Derry (Q102.9) and Omagh, County Tyrone (Q101.2).
Further stations that would later become part of Q Radio launched in the mid-2000s. Seven FM launched on 1 November 2005 from its base in Ballymena.,{{Cite news|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2005/11/seven-fm-launch-day/|title=Seven FM launch day|work=RadioToday|date=1 November 2005|access-date=5 July 2020}} while Five FM won a licence to broadcast to Newry and Mourne on 100.5 MHz in 2006,{{cite news|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2006/06/five-fm-win-newry-licence/|access-date=5 July 2020|title=Five FM win Newry licence|work=RadioToday|date=8 June 2006}} signing on 12 December.{{cite news|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2006/12/five-goes-live-in-newry/|title=Five goes Live in Newry|date=12 December 2006|access-date=5 July 2020|work=RadioToday}} That same year, River Media bought Mid 106 FM in Cookstown{{cite news|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2006/03/cn-group-sells-mid-106-fm/|title=CN Group sells Mid 106 FM|date=7 March 2006|access-date=5 July 2020|work=RadioToday}} from CN Group and rebranded it as Six FM. In 2011, Five FM, Six FM and Seven FM were rebranded as Q Radio stations.
In 2015, Q Radio acquired Citybeat in Belfast from CN Group, marking its entry into that market.{{cite news|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/01/cn-group-sells-citybeat-to-q-radio-network/|access-date=5 July 2020|date=29 January 2015|title=CN Group sells CityBeat to Q Radio Network}} The station was then rebranded as Q Radio Belfast.
In 2017, "QHQ", the network's main studios, were opened in Belfast's Fountain Centre.{{cite news|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/09/new-studios-and-hq-for-q-radio-in-belfast/|work=RadioToday|date=8 September 2017|access-date=5 July 2020|title= New studios and HQ for Q Radio in Belfast}} A series of licence extensions in 2018 brought Q Radio additional coverage in Northern Ireland, including transmitters covering Larne, Newcastle, Draperstown, Enniskillen and Ballycastle.{{cite news|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2018/02/q-radio-extends-fm-coverage-across-n-ireland/|access-date=5 July 2020|work=RadioToday|title= Q Radio extends FM coverage across N Ireland |date=15 February 2018}}
Notable former presenters
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.qradio.com Q Radio]
{{Q Radio Network}}
{{Northern Ireland radio}}
{{Radio in Ireland}}
Category:Mass media in Belfast
Category:Radio stations in Northern Ireland
Category:British radio networks
Category:Adult contemporary radio stations in the United Kingdom