Frontlines: TX marks the spot

I’m going to have to master the art of soundlessly getting out of bed and not waking her.”

Cathal Funge is considering the marital implications of rising every morning at 5am to present the breakfast show on TXFM, the station that took over earlier this week on 105.2 FM from Phantom.

Still based in Communicorps’ Dublin HQ where it cohabits with Today FM and Newstalk, TXFM remains staunchly indie-minded and, despite talk of it going the ‘robojock’ route, has real live people behind the mic from 7am-midnight every day.

“We’re trying to find the balance whereby we still appeal to Phantom’s loyal listeners who’ve been with us for many years whilst bringing in a new audience because, bottom line, it’s a numbers game,” Funge resumes. “The schedule’s very strong, a lot of work’s gone into the music, which is a mixture of new and classics – and generally everybody here’s working overtime to make the station as good as it possibly can be.”

Unlike most of his breakfast time rivals, Cathal will be in sole control of his show.

“There’s no producer or sidekick. I’m not a comedian. I just want to play the best music possible and not be annoying,” he laughs. “It’s a formula that goes against everything else that’s happening radio-wise in Dublin, but one that I’m confident will work.”

As reported in Music News, TXFM’s weekday specialist 10pm-midnight strand has room for Marconi House newcomers like blogger and Irish Indo man Nialler 9 and Lisa Hannigan band member Gavin Glass, who’s been given his own Americana and alt. country slot.

“We’ve gone for people who love music and can articulate that passion on air. Derek Byrne is playing electro on Fridays and the Bodytonic crew are doing a Saturday night show, so there’s plenty of variety.”

Despite the need to get to bed early, Cathal will be double-jobbing on Wednesday nights with The Listening Post.

“That’s going to be all new music from Irish acts like Girl Band – the single they released earlier this year is incredible – and Rock Strong whose current one is amazing too. There’s a lot of creativity out there to tap into.”

Whilst “really excited to give it a lash” with TXFM, Funge admits he’s sad to see Phantom go.

“I joined Phantom at the tail end of its days broadcasting from above Whelan’s, so I did the pirate thing and was part of the drive to go legit. It was ‘us against the rest of the world’ and we had a lot of fun, but there’s a still a buzz there in terms of us all being massive music fans who want to make TXFM a success. We’re still the underdogs with something to prove.”

Cathal doesn’t agree with the doom-mongers who reckon that radio will soon be made obsolete by Spotify and the other streaming services out there.

“Wasn’t video going to kill the radio star?” he laughs again. “The death-knell’s been sounded many times before, but there’s still the need for something that filters all
the music that’s out there. Growing up, I listened religiously to Dave Fanning and Donal Dineen because I trusted their judgement and knew they’d play great stuff that wasn’t on my radar. Instead of spending hours on Spotify or wading through blogs, some people just like flicking on the radio and hearing a familiar voice.”