RLO TV
Gerard Madden also operated a local TV station under the name RLO TV. The station was initially broadcast from the Sirius satellite commencing in 1998 and also transmitted in later years via Hot Bird on the frequency 12.597 GHz.
Free satellite equipment was offered to pubs and establishments around the city and county to facilitate reception of Ireland's first digital television channel.
The satellite incarnation of the channel featured a schedule that was looped every few hours with pre-recorded programs presented by several staff from the radio station. The broadcast was uplinked from London, a staff member flew each day with a new tape to play every morning and flew home again.
Programs included the Sean Buckley fronted "Buckleys people" with regular chat style interviews featuring local dignitaries and "Dr. John's Diaries" presented by breakfast show host John Moloney.
Many other programs were featured on the schedule at this time including recorded coverage of Local Gaelic Athletic Association games often unseen on other channels, Irish music video showcases and other general entertainment fare all produced in house at the RLO studios.
After a brief period broadcasting from Hot Bird, satellite transmissions ceased on the 1st January 1999.
Upon obtaining several licenses to deflect UK terrestrial TV stations to the county area of the region, the station began broadcasting on UHF Channel 51 from Woodcock Hill to Limerick city. This was linked directly to the main studio and live broadcasting could begin. Gerry Hannan's "Late & Live" radio programme was broadcast live on TV showing the radio studio. Provisions were being sought to set up equipment at prominent 'guests' private houses to broadcast live from, but this never came to light. Live production began on the second floor and the radio was suppressed on one channel to up-link to the hill-sites. There were two other transmission sites at Newcastlewest and Knockfierna intended for reception in the county.
Superimposing background images of limerick on green screens with high end technology began on the Gerry Hannan, Tom O'Donnell and History show. Lighting, sound, vision and transmission were all handled in-house. Staff were trained with high end digital editing suites and high resolution camera's for the time.
At night time Channel 5 was rebroadcast between RLO TV shows. Broadcasts were usually between 22:00 and 01:00 with the frequency reverting to Channel 5 straight after the local broadcast had ended.
During this period, a live element was introduced. Cameras were set up in the Radio Limerick one studio and joint TV/Radio simulcasts began. Programs that were featured in this live format included Gerry Hannan Late and Live, The Tom O' Donnell show, The History show and John Ryan's regular GAA special, broadcast both in and out of studio usually titled "Up for the final".
The station thrived while it was on air and featured adverts from local sponsors. After an ODTR raid in 2001 the radio and TV equipment were seized and the channel never returned.
Previous staff from RLO TV included Mary Beth Henschel, Bridget O'Grady, Keith Fitzpatrick, Mark Dempsey, Dale Clancy, Valerie Nolan, Dominic Fitzgerald, Colm McGrath, Eric Murphy, Enda Caldwell, Darren Moloney, Anne O Grady, Fintan Moloney, Simon McGuire and many others over the years.
Read more about this topic: Radio Limerick One