Big changes to evenings on Radio Ulster will be music to listeners' ears
Introduction
Music will take centre stage on 91Èȱ¬ Radio Ulster when a dynamic new evening schedule is launched next week.
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These latest changes to Radio Ulster's schedule, which start on Monday 5 February 2007, will be music to the ears of listeners as evenings on the station become the place to hear the best tracks played by presenters who are passionate about music.
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Leading these exciting changes is a modern new multi-platform Across The Line; three major new music programmes with Ralph McLean; and extended listening hours, with the station now opening up from midnight until the early hours for a range of new music shows from top music experts Donna Legge, Mickey Bradley (The Undertones), Joe Lindsay and Linley Hamilton.
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Head of Radio Ulster, Susan Lovell says: "This is the most exciting music line-up we've ever had on 91Èȱ¬ Radio Ulster.
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"We've put our best music experts at the heart of the evening and night-time schedules – ready to share their passions and discoveries across the widest range of musical genres.
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"Ralph McLean is your trusted night-time guide and his new music shows will have a broad appeal to audiences interested in all kinds of music, from new releases to classic tracks.
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"Across The Line is refreshed and relaunched for a new age. There will still be all the best of local and international, new and breaking music – now on a Monday – and now there's more interactivity, more pictures, a brand new website and a dance show on Saturdays.
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"And After Midnight will be a great place to find our best specialist music presenters bringing their passion and expertise to a late night audience.
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"We have zoned the schedule making it much easier to navigate.
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"Tuesday to Friday from 8-10pm brings a range of popular music to a discerning adult audience; 10pm-midnight is the home of The Late Show, our popular easy-listening strand which goes out six nights a week; while After Midnight, our new nightly strand, is the place to find specialist music with some familiar and some rising talent."
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These changes are the latest stage in an ongoing programme to refresh and add more choice to Radio Ulster's schedule.
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Ralph McLean
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Ralph McLean will become Radio Ulster's main music man with three major new weeknight programmes. Ralph will now bring Radio Ulster's listeners a wide range of music from 8 to 10pm, four nights a week, with three new programmes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights accompanying his existing Friday night programme McLean's Country.
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Each of these new programmes, called simply Ralph McLean, will take an in-depth look at a wide range of popular music which is sure to hit the right note with music lovers.
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At 8pm every Tuesday, Ralph will be focusing on black music, playing everything from soul and rhythm and blues to gospel, funk and reggae.
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Every Wednesday at 8pm, Ralph will turn his attention to legendary voices, playing tracks from such instantly recognisable artists as David Bowie, Dusty Springfield, Bob Dylan and Bob Marley.
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And on Thursday nights at 8, it's Ralph's album show in which he will be keeping Radio Ulster listeners up-to-speed with the best in current releases, re-issues and classic albums.
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Across The Line
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Across The Line turns 21 this year and comes of age with a modern new image which will provide the best in new music across radio, online and television, offering fans of the programme more choice and more accessibility.
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On Radio Ulster, the inimitable Rigsy will present an all-new, fast-paced, action-packed Across The Line every Monday night from 7.30 to 10pm, with the best in new local and international music, live sessions from top acts, festival coverage, big name interviews and all the latest local music news, reviews and features.
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And from 10 February, on Saturday nights at 12.05am, Paul Hamill will keep the Across The Line flag flying with the new-look two-hour Across The Line (ATL) – Dance.
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Moving from Thursday nights to midnight on Saturdays, ATL – Dance will be right at the heart of the clubbing scene, pumping the freshest underground electronica live from the ATL studios or from Northern Ireland's best clubs.
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These two new-look ATL programmes will accompany a brilliant new interactive website at bbc.co.uk/atl where ATL fans can, among other things, listen to the radio programme, watch ATL TV, watch live sets and interviews, leave their own comments and reviews on all things music and more.
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After Midnight...
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Radio Ulster is also pleased to announce that from Monday 5 February 2007, the station will be extending its listening hours to offer listeners an even greater choice of programmes from top music experts who are sure to cater for even the most discerning musical palette.
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A new set of After Midnight programmes will now be broadcast from 12.05 to 1am throughout the week, bursting some musical life into the dead of night.
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From Mondays to Wednesdays listeners can tune into After Midnight with Donna Legge who, after 10 years with Across The Line, is embarking on an exciting new chapter with Radio Ulster by presenting her own programme three nights a week.
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Donna will be widening her musical net by offering Radio Ulster listeners music from the coolest contemporary artists, plenty of quality pop music as well as the best album tracks and classic songs.
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On Thursday nights, Radio Ulster listeners can hear After Midnight with Mickey Bradley. A music legend in his own right as one of the founding members of Londonderry group The Undertones, Mickey will bring some musical anarchy to the airwaves with his weekly punk music series.
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From 12.05 to 1am, Mickey will be playing everything from the New York punk of The Ramones and The Heartbreakers through to the London scene of the Sex Pistols and The Clash, to the one-hit wonders and the influential icons of the genre.
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On Friday nights it's After Midnight with Joe Lindsay, who'll be sifting through his extensive music collection where soul, hip-hop, funk rock, electronica, soundtracks and psychedelia come together for a Friday night of frenetic musical majesty.
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And on Sunday evenings it's After Midnight with Linley Hamilton, in which the renowned Northern Ireland jazz musician will be showcasing contemporary and classic jazz, playing everything from Steely Dan through to the Brand New Heavies and giving a nod to the big names of jazz while introducing the best in local jazz talent.
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The Late Show
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Add all these new additions to The Late Show, every Monday to Saturday from 10pm to midnight, with presenters Cherrie McIlwaine, Eamon Friel, Stuart Bailie and Karen Kirby, respectively, and every night is quality music night on Radio Ulster.
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Head of Radio Ulster, Susan Lovell says: "At 91Èȱ¬ Radio Ulster we already lead the field when it comes to bringing listeners the best news, information and speech.
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"I am immensely proud of that track record and these latest schedule changes complete the picture with the station bringing fantastic music, talented presenters and the promise of learning about and enjoying more of the greatest music in the world."
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91Èȱ¬ Radio Ulster, 92-95FM, bbc.co.uk/radioulster.
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Notes to Editors
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Changes to 91Èȱ¬ Radio Ulster's evening schedule will take place from Monday 5 February 2007.
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This press pack is also available in PDF format (see right-hand column).
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JM4
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