The departure of four prominent hosts within a month from 2FM, RTÉ’s pop music station, suggests there may be some inside unrest. The exits of Jennifer Zamparelli, Doireann Garrihy and The 2 Johnnies have left the network scrambling to cover all their essential daytime rates. However, periodically refreshing the lineup isn’t catastrophic for a station that aims to attract a younger demographic.
The string of too close for comfort departures happening right before the enforcement of new stringent requirements on presenters’ commercial activities seems more than incidental. 2FM’s head, Dan Healy, agrees that these changes contributed to the mass departure, though he also points to other reasons.
During Healy’s tenure, 2FM has recovered some of its market share from rivals by hiring hosts who had pre-existing personal brands as influencers and podcasters. A drawback of this approach, however, is that these hosts might decide that limited budgets and increased scrutiny make RTÉ a less appealing option after a scandal.
An important question facing 2FM is its raison d’être. Some believe the station covers the third component of public broadcasting’s purpose to “inform, educate and entertain” and opens a vital channel to a younger audience than any other RTÉ service. Commercial rivals adequately meet both these needs, and arguably, public services would be best used to connect with younger audiences via streaming over traditional linear radio.
Conspicuously absent is clarity on the costs and revenues of 2FM. Previous reports have highlighted the vague lines between RTÉ’s commercial and public service functions. For 2FM to justify its continuation, Kevin Bakhurst, the director general, who has promised a leaner and more accountable organisation, will need to provide a more robust, more persuasive case for it.