RTÉ Radio 1 relaunches website

RTÉ Radio 1 has relaunched its website with the intention of making content discovery a cinch for users. It’s good news for radio listeners eager to listen back to a specific segment on a particular show as itemised content takes centre-stage.

Speaking to RTÉ TEN, RTÉ Radio 1's Pat Kenny said: "We are very excited about our new beefed up website, its user friendly where listeners can search for items and contributors that they can listen back to.

"That can be anything from a debate on property tax, to an interview with Hilary Mantel or Salman Rushdie or Catherine Fulvio’s favourite pasta recipe. Listeners can also access all our consumer items with Tina Leonard in one place."

RTÉ Radio announces autumn schedule

RTÉ Radio today launched its autumn schedule across its eleven national radio services.

There are a total of thirteen new series on the services, with Miriam O’Callaghan, Marty Whelan, Deirdre Purcell and Eibhlín Ní Chonghaile taking up key new slots in the schedule.

Clare Duignan, Managing Director of RTÉ Radio, talked about the challenge of creating choice for listeners against the backdrop of the current economic climate.

“Our goal to achieve schedules of real value, from the mainstreams of news and current affairs, sport and music right across the genres – from arts, entertainment and features to diversity issues, regional affairs, cláracha gaeilge, specialist music and drama – was a more daunting challenge than any faced in the recent history of RTÉ Radio.”

“That we have risen to this challenge is a testament to the creativity of staff across all our services. Radio is very much a ‘people’ medium, and RTÉ’s radio people have risen to the challenge because we are passionate about this medium.”

Several key changes to the schedule were announced today, including Miriam O’Callaghan in a new Sunday morning slot, the move of Dave Fanning to the 7pm slot on RTÉ 2fm and the extension of Drivetime to 7pm, with Des Cahill rejoining the show.

IFTA winners 2011 announced

At the eighth annual IFTAs, Saoirse Ronan picked up the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her preformance in Peter Weir's 'The Way Back'.

‘Rewind’ actress Amy Huberman received the Lead Actress award.

Martin McCann was named the winner in the Lead Actor Film category for his performance in ‘Swansong - Story of Occi Byrne’.

Pierce Brosnan and Domhnall Gleeson were also among the winners at the awards, which took place at the Convention Centre in Dublin last night.

TV50: A Little Bit TV

To mark the TV50 year, RTÉ launches A Little Bit TV, a series of eight profiles of well-known and much-loved Irish television presenters.

In the 50 years since RTÉ TV began, television in Ireland has undergone huge changes: the burgeoning of new platforms, new stations and new media, not to mention new faces. Ireland's on-screen talent have experienced those changes first hand. In A Little Bit TV Grainne Seoige, Bill O'Herlihy, Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh, Bunny Carr, Seán Duignan, Mark Cagney, Derek Davis and Theresa Lowe share personal and professional memories while reflecting on the changing nature of television presentation and production down through the years.