RTÉ Radio 1 Extra is a
digital radio station produced by the
Irish public-service broadcasting service Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ).
History
Initially launched on 1 December 2008 as
RTÉ Choice alongside five other new digital channels – with one of which, also called RTÉ Radio 1 Extra but differently formatted (see below), it was merged in May 2013 – the channel offers a continuous service of what it describes as "quality speech from home and abroad". This is made up of programming from international English-language broadcasters such as the
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
,
NPR, and a number of others, together with time-shifted elements from the schedule of RTÉ's flagship station
RTÉ Radio 1, plus those variations from the main Radio 1 FM schedule (chiefly church services on Sunday mornings and extended live coverage of sporting events) which are currently broadcast on Radio 1's
longwave (LW) frequency. If Radio 1's LW service is withdrawn, these special programmes will be available only on Radio 1 Extra.
On 6 November 2019, RTÉ management announced that, as part of a major cost-saving program, all its digital radio stations would be closed, including RTÉ Radio 1 Extra. However on 2 March 2021 it was revealed by RTÉ that the broadcaster would close its
DAB radio network while retaining its digital radio services, including RTÉ Radio 1 Extra.
The channel repeated
RTÉ Radio 1's
epic 30-hour broadcast of the full text of
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (born James Augusta Joyce; 2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influentia ...
's novel ''
Ulysses'' for the first time in 38 years on 16 June 2020, beginning at 8 am. The decision to repeat the broadcast was partly influenced by the quarantine introduced in Ireland to limit the spread of the
Covid-19 virus.
On March 1st 2025, RTÉ Radio 1 Extra ceased rebroadcasting foreign content and reverted to the original programming model that preceded the merger with RTÉ Choice.
Earlier incarnation
From December 2008 until May 2013 the name RTÉ Radio 1 Extra referred to what was essentially a digital relay of the whole of RTÉ Radio 1's LW schedule (that is to say, the RTÉ Radio 1 FM schedule with variations for religious and sports programming). Until January 2013 this service was also available in the UK from the Astra 28.2°E satellite.
An official report into future broadcasting policy, published by RTÉ in January 2013,
Official report: ''RTÉ today, tomorrow''
/ref> recommended the merger of RTÉ Choice and RTÉ Radio 1 Extra, and this was duly effected in May 2013 with the merged channel carrying the name RTÉ Radio 1 Extra although chiefly continuing the programming content of RTÉ Choice.
As of March 1st 2025, RTÉ Radio 1 Extra seems to have reverted to this model of programming.
See also
*RTÉ Radio
RTÉ Radio is a division and service of Irish public broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), which broadcasts four analogue channels and five digital channels across Ireland.
Founded in January 1926 as 2RN, was the first broadcaster in ...
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rte Radio 1 Extra
Radio stations established in 2008
Digital-only radio stations
News and talk radio stations in Ireland
Radio 1 Extra