Sunshine 106.8 is an easy listening radio station, based in Dublin, Ireland. It is licensed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), as a commercial FM broadcaster. The station broadcasts on 106.8 MHz from Three Rock Mountain to County Dublin and is also available on the DAB trial broadcasts in Dublin and Cork.
The radio station has studios and offices at Castleforbes House in Dublin 1. The studios at Castleforbes House went live in December 2015. It previously had studios on North Wall Quay in Dublin 1. The station launched in October 2001 from studios in Stillorgan, Co Dublin and was originally identified on-air as 'Dublin's Country 106.8FM' and later (from 2005) as 'Country Mix 106.8'. The station was completely re-branded as Sunshine 106.8 in October 2010.
The company, is headed up by CEO Sean Ashmore, who has been involved with the company since 2004. Sunshine 106.8 broadcasts 24 hours a day and features an easy listening format. The music output is a broad mix of easy listening music drawn from several genres including soul, country, crossover and Irish music. The station primarily appeals to a 35+ audience (see JNLR data below). Sunshine 106.8 is the number 3 rated music station in Dublin for 35+ adults and the number 1 music station in Dublin for 45+ adults (based on Mon-Fri 7am-7pm market share).
The station has won a number of awards including Bronze & Silver World Medals (2010 & 2011) for station format in the New York Festivals radio programming Awards - the first Irish station to receive an award for format in the awards.
The station signed a ten year contract with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) on 12 September 2014 to continue broadcasting until 2024. The new contract for 2014-2024 allowed the station to re-position itself in the Dublin market. The station adopted the positioning statement of 'Dublin's New Place to Relax' from September 2014.
Robbie Fogarty - Sunshine Breakfast (Former Music Director at 98FM and Presenter at Classic Hits 4FM)
Enda Murphy - The Sunshine Workday
Carol Dooley - More Music Drive and Saturday Live (Former PD of East Coast FM and former PD and presenter of Radio Nova 100FM)
Joe Harrington - Mellow Moments (Former PD of East Coast FM )
Ken Doherty (former World Snooker Champion) and Reggie Corrigan (Leinster and Ireland Rugby International) Dublin's Talking Sport
Sean Ashmore - Sunshine at the Weekend
Paddy Cole - The Paddy Cole Show
Sunshine Meets... - Andrea Hayes (broadcaster, writer), Amanda Brunker (Journalist), Rebecca Storm (Singer)
Tom Cole Junior - Sunshine Swing
Other Presenters include: Lucy Kennedy ( TV3 ) Brian Ormond (Winning Streak )Graham Day
News Presenters include Niamh Maher, Michelle MacMullan, Gareth Farrell, & Rebecca O'Connor
Station Imaging VO is Kerri Murphy (also station voice of London's Magic 105.4 and the Magic brand across The UK).
Sunshine 106.8 station jingles are produced by Music4, the same package has been used by Smooth 95.3 in Sydney and Magic 105.4 in London.
Sunshine 106.8 Sponsorship & Promotions VO is Enda Caldwell.
Dave Harvey - Radio Nova (Ireland), 4FM
Paschal Mooney - The Paschal Mooney Show
Paul Harrington (Eurovision winner) (Lite FM)
Alan Corcoran - South East Radio. The ex-2FM presenter was at one stage involved with three stations: Dublin's Country Mix 106.8, South East Radio and Ocean FM.
Keith Shanley - presenter with various radio stations over a 30yr career including CKR, KFM, Midlands 103, South East, KCLR, Christmas Fm and Presenter and former PD for Country Mix 07/08. He was part of the Easy Fm Application for a Niche Music Radio Licence for Dublin in 2013/14.
Alan Curry - Actor and Voiceover Talent based in South Australia.
Arthur Murphy - "E-Mail Bag" on Ray Darcy Show on Today FM. Singer, musician and former presenter/producer on RTÉ and RTÉ Radio 2
Niall Toner - Presents "Roots Freeway" on RTÉ Radio 1. The former presenter of "Lite Country" on Lite FM is also a well-known bluesgrass musician.
Tommy Greene - East Coast FM (and former Lite FM, CKR, Today FM and KFM and 949 The Rock presenter).
Stevie Bolger
Enda Caldwell - Pulse 87, Radio Luxembourg presenter), Riviera Radio, Atlantic 252, Kiss100, East Coast FM, FM104, LMFM (and former Today FM, Beat 102-103, South East Radio, WLRFM, Midlands 103 & . He was with various temporary licensed stations.
Bob Conway - Today FM (and former 2FM, East Coast FM & Lite FM presenter)
Don Swift - East Coast FM
Stephen Keogh - SuperQ102FM (Superpirate), KFM (and former CKR, Today FM and FM104 presenter)
Jim McCabe - 4FM (and former 98FM, FM104, Today FM, Lite FM & East Coast FM presenter)
Niall Boylan - Talk Show Host on Classic Hits 4FM (phone-in talk show) (and former 98FM and FM104 presenter). After "Country Mix", he set up temporary licensed Real Radio. Has been a deejay in clubs such as Club M in Temple Bar, Dublin and Earth Disco in Drogheda.
Chris Barry - FM104, Radio Nova (Ireland), Previously hosted phone-in talk shows on 98FM and Capital Radio Rock104/FM104. After "Country Mix", he broadcast on temporary licensed stations 949 The Rock and Real Radio.
Helen Vaughan - Radio Nova 100FM (Ireland) (news) and TV3 news reporter
Noel McCaul - ex-Classic Hits 4FM, died in 2012
Bob Gallico - Radio Nova (Ireland), Energy 103, Century Radio, FM104 and East Coast FM retired, died in 2013
Les Vickers - former RTÉ Radio 1 presenter
Mike Maloney aka Mike Moran - Radio Nova (Ireland), 102.7 Kiss FM Dublin and former 2FM "Moloney After Midnight" and Lite FM presenter. Left for Ocean FM, retired from radio for a few years, came back through temporary licensed stations (Real Radio, Christmas FM} and did a stint with rock station Radio Nova 100FM (Ireland)
Gerry Wilson - former 2FM presenter.
Ian McKeever - PR and a talented mountaineer and adventurer who was killed at Mount Kilimanjaro
Robert Walshe - former PD of Country Mix and former General Manager of Ocean FM
Greg Gaughren - Original Radio Nova (Ireland), Radio Nova 100FM (Ireland). He was with East Coast FM at the same time as "Country Mix" (and former 98FM, Century Radio and Rock104 / FM104 presenter).
Hugh O'Brien - (Rockin' The Bay) Radio Nova (Ireland), former weekend presenter on 2FM, Century Radio and Lite FM. Has always had a day job as a solicitor. Came back to radio through temporary licensed Choice FM and did a stint with rock station Radio Nova 100FM (Ireland) for a year. Has presented on Christmas FM since then.
Mike Ryan - Involved with online country station Easyfm.i.e. Left Country Mix for Ocean FM and then Midlands 103.
Kevin Blessing - Left Country Mix for Ocean FM.
Edel Daly - previously involved with East Coast FM
Pam Wilson
Lynsey Dolan
Ernie Gallagher - Radio Nova 100FM (Ireland). He also did a stint with Lite FM and, prior to "Country Mix", was with Century Radio and East Coast FM.
Denzil Lacey - Imaging Producer, currently working with FM104, formerly with Classic Hits 4FM, RTÉ 2fm, and 98FM.
The station recorded increases in listenership (weekly reach) in every JNLR survey published in 2013, 2014 and 2015 (twelve surveys in succession). The JNLR published on July 27, 2016 recorded the best results for Market Share and Average Quarter Hour (AQH) in the station's 15 year history. Sunshine 106.8 recorded a 5.2% market share in the JNLR published in July 2016, this figure was recorded again in the JNLR published in Oct 2016.
The station recorded a 5% daily reach of 'all adults' in the JNLR on Oct 26th, 2016 (for the period Oct 2015 - Sep 2016). The station has 186,000 listeners per month (monthly reach of 18%) according to JNLR figures published in Oct 2016.
The station currently has a weekly reach of 10% or 102,000 listeners and a 5.8% market share for 35+ adults (7am-7pm) (IPSOS MRBI JNLR Oct 2015 to Sep 2016).
Sunshine 106.8 is the number 1 music station for 45+ adults in the Dublin City & County area based on Market Share in the period 7am to 7pm (Monday to Friday). It is also ranked as the number 3 music station for 35+ adults in the Dublin City & County area based on Market Share in the period 7am to 7pm (Monday to Friday). Source: JNLR period of Oct 2015 to Sep 2016 (Ipsos MRBI JNLR 2016-3, published on Oct 26, 2016).
The station is one of the few independent operations in the Dublin market, with most other stations owned by RTÉ, Communicorp or The Wireless Group (News Int). Its shareholders are Bay Broadcasting Ltd, Broadcast Investments Ltd and other minor shareholders. It has loose shareholder affiliations with Radio Nova (Dublin), East Coast FM (Wicklow), Classic Hits 4FM (Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway) and KFM (Kildare).
The station's national agency sales are handled by IRS+ (Independent Radio Sales).
