Ocean FM closes two radio studios

THE Donegal Town and Manorhamilton offices of Ocean FM have closed down.

The last live broadcast from the offices at Cruagorm House was last week. The station will now consolidate activities from their main offices in Collooney, Sligo and will continue to utilise outside broadcasts within south Donegal. The radio station was granted a second ten-year radio broadcast licence franchise renewal in 2014 covering Sligo, North Leitrim and south Donegal, despite a rival bid.

The station brokered a new deal with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), before they made the decision to close their Donegal office, they have said.

Commercial Director of Ocean FM Daniel Browne confirmed: “Recent changes in broad- casting technology mean that the ability to broadcast from anywhere within our franchise area is now no longer restricted to being based in a studio. We have invested in digital broadcasting units that allow us bring live action from across the region.”

The Commercial Director said that they had consulted with and been given approval by the BAI to re invest in our outside broadcast schedule in 2018 and bring more content live to the listeners of south Donegal from south Donegal and to close our Cruagorm House office.”

A spokesperson for the BAI said:“The Authority noted the confirmation from Ocean FM that the closure of the studios would not negatively impact on the programming commitments set out in their contract.