2 for the show

Hot Press got an exclusive first look at the new 2fm website recently – and we’re pleased to report a dynamic new design, interactive features and a strong ethos of supporting Irish bands. Launching on March 19, the site has been completely overhauled with its contemporary look, easy navigation and many in depth features making it worthy of exploration.

With the convergence of media platforms, 2fm.ie collates the best of online media and social networking sites into an essential Irish music resource.
“Social networking sites are what they are and we’re not going to compete with that but we can offer something different, something totally unique and cutting edge”, proffers site mastermind Mark McCabe.
When a DJ plays a song on the radio, it’s also streamed live on the site and provides a link to a 2fm artist’s page. Each page takes the best bits from three engines: the artist’s Wikipedia biography, their YouTube stream and their MySpace blog, as well as a discography, a selection of their other tracks and 30 second song previews. With 2,000 artist pages, the 2fm.ie database is growing all the time. As bands change their MySpace details or upload new videos on YouTube, it’s automatically shown on the site.
“We’ll invite bands to submit their profile and bring our audience to them,” Mark adds. “There are a lot of Irish artists trying to push through who we can give a helping hand to in this way.”
2fm.ie is also offering a ‘catch’ service, whereby listeners can build up a catalogue of their favourite songs. This can be done online, or via your mobile. Every song played can be shared via Facebook, Bebo or email, again tapping into the popular social networking structures. Shows will be archived for 21 days, allowing people to listen at a time which suits them. Shows or songs can be streamed directly from 2fm.ie, rather than needing to be downloaded as a podcast in itunes.
Hot Press will feature prominently on the new site, with a direct link to the Hot Press Newsdesk. This will ensure that users have up to the minute access to all of the entertainment industry’s breaking news. 2fm.ie will also provide a list of legal download sites.
“Illegal downloads are killing an industry that people love,” says McCabe, “so we’ll point them in the direction of legal alternatives, which have great content and benefit the artists featured.”
Each show will have its own page, which will be updated daily with news of what’s coming up on air, competitions and photo galleries. Blogs will be a dynamic window into the DJ’s life, rather than a static biography and the site is built to ensure that presenters are easily contactable. Future plans include a fashion blog – cleverly named 2femme – and one dealing with gaming in its all myriad forms.
According to McCabe, the website is “about discovery with a strong emphasis on Irish bands.” Users who register between March 19 and 22 will automatically be entered into an amazing competition, with details to be announced on the Colm and Jim Jim Breakfast Show. New users are also encouraged to take an interactive tour to learn about all the features 2fm.ie has to offer.
In the future, it’s hoped to develop a backstage members area as well as special ticket offers, exclusive online interviews, an expansion of the Studio 8 sessions and other 2fm-related tie-ins.
“I see the site as a programme in itself with a team committed to developing it,” McCabe concludes.