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2025-06-07T20:29:16Z

Added description of new owners

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{{Short description|Radio station in Galway, Ireland}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = Galway Bay FM
| city = [[Galway]]
| country = [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| above =
| callsign =
| logo = Galway Bay FM logo.png
| logo_upright =
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| area =
| frequency = 95.8 MHz
| rds =
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| languages = {{ubl|[[English Language|English]]|[[Irish language|Irish]]}}
| format =
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| network =
| affiliations =
| owner = [[Connacht Tribune]]
| licensee =
| operator =
| sister_stations =
| founded = {{Start date and age|1989}}
| airdate =
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| former_callsigns =
| former_names = Radio West
| former_frequencies =
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| website = {{URL|https://www.galwaybayfm.ie/}}
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'''Galway Bay FM''' is an Irish [[Radio in Ireland#Independent local radio|independent local radio station]] and operates under a licence from the [[Broadcasting Commission of Ireland]].<ref name="bci">{{cite web|url=http://www.bci.ie/licensed_operators/local_radio_galway.html |title=Galway Bay FM Contact details |publisher=Broadcasting Commission of Ireland |access-date=5 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310035637/http://www.bci.ie/licensed_operators/local_radio_galway.html |archive-date=10 March 2009 }}</ref> Established in 1989,<ref name="emigrant">{{cite web|url=http://old.emigrant.ie/article.asp?iCategoryID=200&iArticleID=34173 |title=August 20, 1989 THE IRISH EMIGRANT Issue No.133 |publisher=Emigrant Online |date=20 August 1989 |access-date=5 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124121104/http://old.emigrant.ie/article.asp?iCategoryID=200&iArticleID=34173 |archive-date=24 November 2007 }}</ref> the station broadcasts from studios in [[Galway]], serving the city and [[County Galway]].

==Programming==
The programming format is a mixture of music, news, sport, current affairs and local issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tca.ie/controls/getimage.ashx?image_id=1604 |publisher=Competition Authority |title=DETERMINATION OF MERGER NOTIFICATION M/06/067 – CONNACHT TRIBUNE/GALWAY BAY FM |access-date=5 March 2009 |date=24 October 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429080248/http://www.tca.ie/controls/getimage.ashx?image_id=1604 |archive-date=29 April 2014 }}</ref> Programmes are generally in English, although the station features some [[Irish language]] programmes. There is an opt-out service with alternative programming for Galway city on weekday evenings using the 95.8 MHz frequency.

==History==
The station was originally launched as '''Radio West''' in 1989<ref name="Times Dec 2024">{{cite news |last=Carey |first=Brian |date=1 December 2024 |title=Race on to acquire Galway media businesses |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/race-on-to-acquire-galway-media-businesses-d3zkjvgbz?region=ie |work=[[The Times]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=15 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/sale-of-local-radio-station-nets-galway-county-board-a-800000-windfall-66126.html|title=Sale of local radio station nets Galway county board a €800,000 windfall|work=Irish Independent|date=28 December 2006|access-date=5 March 2009}}</ref> and was the first legal local radio station in Galway.<ref name="emigrant"/> Radio West changed its name to Galway Bay FM in 1993.

In 2006, the ''[[Connacht Tribune]]'' newspaper bought the station outright, having previously owned 27% of it.<ref name="Times Dec 2024"/>

In 2024 Galway Bay FM had the largest market share of listeners in [[County Galway]] at 23%, with 115,000 weekly listeners. This was four percentage points ahead of [[RTE Radio 1]] and [[Today FM]].<ref name="Times Dec 2024"/>

In June 2025, it was announced that the station had been sold to Bay Broadcasting Limited, owners of [[Ireland's Classic Hits Radio|Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio]] in an estimated seven figure deal. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-05 |title=Galway Bay FM sold to Bay Broadcasting subject to clearance |url=https://radiotoday.ie/2025/06/galway-bay-fm-sold-to-bay-broadcasting-subject-to-clearance/ |access-date=2025-06-07 |website=RadioToday |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Alumni==
* [[Gareth O'Callaghan]] ([[RTÉ 2fm]], [[Classic Hits 4FM|4fm]])
* [[Adrian Lydon]] ([[RTÉ News and Current Affairs]])
* [[Marc Roberts (singer-songwriter)|Marc Roberts]]
* [[Keith Cunningham]] ([[Today FM]], [[Red FM (Ireland)|RedFM]])

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.galwaybayfm.ie Official website]
* [https://www.liveradio.ie/stations/galway-bay-fm Galway Bay FM Live Stream]

{{Galway}}
{{Media in County Galway}}
{{Local radio in Ireland}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord missing|County Galway}}

[[Category:Culture in Galway (city)]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Mass media in County Galway]]
[[Category:Radio stations in the Republic of Ireland]]

{{Ireland-media-stub}}
{{Europe-radio-station-stub}}

Galway Bay FM - Revision history

imported>Corrib Oil: Added description of new owners