Blast 106 is a volunteer radio station that transmits around the Belfast area and is a station that…read moreshould be brought to the attention of anyone who loves good music. I chanced upon the station in a traffic jam on the way home from the way from university.A great song caught my ear, and I was stunned to encounter another 5 in a row, and with none of the inane rubbish chat most other stations pollute your ears with! The station brings together the student and youth population of Belfast by providing relevant programming.The station is full of excellent music The entire station is run by a passionate group of volunteer presenters, producers, journalists and technicians, and this love of music shines through on every show. I wish this station the best of luck as it continues to grow and hopefully assert itself as one of Northern Irealands Most popular radio stations!

This quirky wee station is only very recently daring to break into the pop music market with an…read morearray of songs that aren't in the top 40. How very bold of you?! Who do you think you are that you can play music that isn't playing in the M Club on a Tuesday Night? It is a waft of fresh air into what is ultimately a pretty small minded market. Radio stations all follow each other and play as many X Factor winners as possible (which is tough going if you can find a Steve Brookstein album). Blast tries to be marginally more diverse and for that I say yes well done. You would never catch Radio one playing MGMT and Lionel Richie back to back would you? That's because most haven't ever heard of Lionel Richie. He's the one from those crisp ads. The one that didn't play football. I can't help that people love trashy pop music so it is inevitable that they have to litter the airwaves with the same repetitive rubbish that everyone else does. But at least they are trying their hand at being a bit different. Not quite groundbreaking, but certainly it is a start. Good on ye'

Queen's Radio is a very vibrant and rich station, and I feel that it needs to have a lot more…read moreattention that it currently gets! The station broadcasts on 1134MW in the Belfast area, but your most reliable bet is to listen via the internet! The station is ran by QUB students, and as such operates mainly in term time from September until June, however in summer there are many special broadcasts! The station is ran by people who genuinely care about music and want to try their hand at broadcasting, and the results are refreshingly professional!(That rolls off the tongue...unfortunately thi is written so the impact is lessened!) There is a huge breadth of programming, including a news debating show,a sports talk show where the topical sporting issues of the day are bantered about with the minimal of tired clichés, a show about computer games and of course oodles of music! Personal favourites of mine are the regular Audi Beef sessions where DJs have track battles over certain subjects , and also Wavelength, a show fronted by a charismatic friend of mine called Jamie who fills our lugs with the crème de la crème of alternative music every week! So if you need something to distract you from your homework or give you something interesting to listen to whilst at work or home Queen's Radio can provide something for all tastes, not just students!

And so they should have one. The students have one in Hollyoaks, and Zak had one in Saved by the…read moreBell (points for whoever can remember its name). So should Queen's have their own radio station that can play the music they want and have shows presented by the students. Problem number one. The majority of it is rubbish. I don't want to generalise. And I try not to be so general. But I do tune in regularly and I do know a few people who have worked at the station. But the majority of it is rubbish. They seem to strive to make it a 'cool' music station which plays hip music for some funky cats. Problem number two. 'Cool' music stations aren't particularly interesting. Or for that matter are they particularly good. Yes so I don't mind listening to the Libertines or the Strokes every so often. But when I do some work, the last thing I want is more of the Libertines or the Strokes. Whenever I go to the library, I want to listen to a variety of music and talk. Not the same cool music that I've heard all day. Radio One, for all those that hate it, is still more popular and interesting. So is Radio Two, Cool FM, 2FM... they all have a variety that appeals to a spectrum. Not all students play guitar to Pete Doherty songs. Damn it I want a Girls Aloud hour and I want it now! Queen's Radio has all of the basic ingredients for a good radio station, but it needs a bit of a better direction to go in and it could be as good as KKTY BAYSIDE... (Two points if you got it right)

There comes a time in everyone's life when Radio 1 just doesn't cut it in the mornings. It starts…read moregradually, with you thinking on some Monday mornings that Chris Moyles is just downright annoying. Before you know it, you don't even want to listen to music before work. You may not believe me now, but trust me, the time will come. It happened to me a few years back and I'm OK with that now and the up side is that my knowledge of local politics and current affairs has increased by around a million per cent since I switched from Radio 1 to Radio Ulster with my cornflakes. From 6 - 9 am Monday to Friday, I am educated, updated and informed by the wonderful Mark Carruthers, Connor Bradford and Karen Patterson. I wonder what time they have to get up at and do they wear their PJs in the studio? Anyway, Good Morning presents the local and world news in an interesting and easily digestible format. Business news is analysed and that means I no longer have to panic when someone asks what I think about the latest banking fiasco. Even though it's an early morning programme, politicians and other guests on the programme aren't given an easy ride to start the day; all 3 presenters do an excellent job in grilling guests when they have to. They also do an excellent job of giving traffic updates in real time so you can switch your route if necessary. I love listening to Good Morning Ulster in the car on the school run and drive to work. I learn something every morning and I love that. It means I can tick that box and tidy away my brain cells for the rest of the day.

As sometimes Radio 1 (particularly Chris Moyles) is banned in our house in the morning, Good…read moreMorning Ulster becomes the default station for breakfast eating and tea drinking. I do prefer Radio 1 because at least it is a light-hearted style of presenting which can help you wake up and face another horrible day. But when you put on Good Morning Ulster, everything becomes that bit more dreary and painful. It is a current affairs programme with a 'breakfast show' twinge, but what is severely lacking is any presenter who makes you think "I'm glad they are presenting this show" because what Chris Moyles does is he owns the show and stamps his personality on it. With Good Morning Ulster, the people sound as bored as the listeners, and if it continued much longer, both ends of the radio would fall asleep. Chris Moyles can be loud in the morning, but at least he's not boring.

For me, ATL does a great job of promoting music in and around Northern Ireland. The BBC…read moreintroducing programme with Rory O Connell is good, but saying it is stuck at midnight on a Thursday the ability of it to make in impact on the local community is sevelely limited. Risy is a charismatic and enthusiastic host, and dispite his sometimes questionable taste and un faltering quest to be at the front of every trend, it is clear he has a genuine passion for local bands and this comes through in his show. There is always regular sessions with local bands aswell as extended interviews with local bands( and occasionally visiting stars) which add depth to the programme in addition to the music. The website linked to the show is also an excellent source of new gig and album launch information for local bands and the Belfast area, if only they would sort out the flash on the site because it has made numerous computers I have ran the site on stop working right!

This is pretty much the best radio station you are going to get in Belfast. ATL as its better known…read moreis kind of the MTV for Northern Ireland but without as much commercial rubbish. ATL promotes local bands as well as playing some of the best music currently floating around the airwaves. Presented by the ever-enthusiastic Rigsy, ATL is the one and only stop for Northern Irish music. As well as the radio show, ATL also has a terrific website packed with news and interviews, as well as doing the occasional bit on the telebox, most recently Snow Patrol's record breaking gig in Bangor. It's on 8-10 at night and definately makes a change from the rubbish you hear on Cool FM

Utv is Northern Ireland's version of ITV1, with a few local variations such as the news and…read moreregional programmes. The station hasn't been as prominent as BBC NI has in providing a stepping stone for local TV presenters, in terms of promoting them to the rest of the UK, and thus national TV, but there are a good few presenters who are locally well-known and loved. However, one exception to this would be the example of Eamonn Holmes, who presented 'Good Evening Ulster' in the 1980s on Utv, as well as 'All Mixed Up', a game show broadcast in the 1990s. Since the early 90s, Eamonn has made a name for himself presenting on GMTV, and has since moved on to work for Sky News, as well as This Morning, which he co-presents with his wife. Not bad going Eamonn! One of the interesting elements of Utv is the announcements shown between programmes, usually in the evening. A presenter will inform the viewers of the next programme, and perhaps what is also happening later on that night. Very novel...and apparently Utv is the only station to do this in the UK. Shows on Utv have been many and varied over the years. I recall the likes of 'School Around the Corner', 'McKeever' and 'Kelly', none of which are still in existence. At the moment, most shows are sporting (RPM), local interest shows ('Lesser Spotted Ulster', 'Ultimate Ulster'), or lifestyle programmes ('The 7:30 Show'). Utv has even spread its wings to include a radio station (U105 - a particular favourite of my mum's), as well as internet package (random, I know). Who knows where they'll go from here...

It's hard to disagree with anything the other reviewers have said here. UTV doesn't really do…read moreanything that's hugely entertaining, or informative or, you know, interesting. The news coverage is better on the BBC, the drama output comes from ITV (and we all know how good they are at making good drama...) and the local programming is usually at best boring, and at worse patronising and cringe inducing. But they do have Corrie, so that's something!

The BBC in Northern Ireland has been home to some of the best loved television shows over the years…read morein our wee country, as well as having provided a launching pad for a few of the UK's biggest stars. One of the most popular TV programmes to have come from the BBC is 'Give My Head Peace', a highly comical show which brought humour to touchy subjects such as paramilitary groups, sectarian issues and religious differences. Running for ten years on BBC One, this greatly loved TV show allowed viewers to see the lighthearted side of things and realise just how far Northern Ireland had come in the previous ten years, and indeed the ten year period for which it was shown. 'Spotlight', which infamously shed light on the Iris Robinson ordeal is also a favourite show amongst viewers, as is the political show 'Hearts and Minds'. Two of the most well-known stars to have found their feet on BBC Northern are Christine Bleakley and Rachel Tucker. Christine started her presenting career with her own programme 'Sky High' in 2004, which followed her travelling over Northern Ireland in a helicopter. Today she is famed for being the other half of England's Frank Lampard, as well being one half of the presenting team on the 'One Show'. Rachel Tucker was also given the opportunity to elevate herself further in the spotlight, having come third in the BBC's 'I'd Do Anything' Nancy competition. Alongside Eamonn Holmes, Rachel presented a six week long programme on BBC One NI called 'The Friday Show', which also allowed her to perform each week. She has now launched a fully-fledged musical theatre career, having appeared in 'We Will Rock You', and currently starring in the West End version of 'Wicked' playing the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba. Both Christine Bleakley and Rachel Tucker used BBC NI as a stepping stone to greater careers and nationwide fame. Who knows what other stars may arise from BBC Northern Ireland, or indeed what great TV shows may emerge as well. I, for one, love watching the local TV shows on BBC NI for both these reasons, and so many others do too.

It's just past 10pm on a Thursday night, and I have felt a compulsion to write this review after…read moreflicking over to BBC2 and inadvertantly catching the first 40 seconds or so of some godawful programme called Our William. That was enough. It featured an elderly, well, I think he'd be categorised as a 'comedian', but not in my book. Like pretty much everything BBCNI produces (Derek's Dreams, anyone?), this is patronising unwatchable dross. What is even more insulting about how BBCNI regards its viewers is the scheduling they give to programmes. Many a weekend night I've decided to have a cosy night in, treated myself to a glass of good wine, and turned on BBC1 for something like Have I Got News For You to find something like NI Wags instead. Enough, enough, enough. Stop treating us like culchie idiots, put on something decent, and open a competition or campaign to get some new blood writing some new stuff. Any of my drinking buddies could come up with something vastly superior to this pap.

Waddell Media is a Northern Irish production company that specialises in factual, entertainment and…read morelifestyle programmes broadcast in the UK and Ireland. They are based in Holywood, County Down but have the ambitions of a company from Hollywood California. Waddell Media is responsible for the making of tonight with Craig Doyle (RTE) and Getaways (BBC NI). These two programmes sum up what the people at Waddell Media do, they generally make television programmes aimed at a regional audience. These often play on the regions stereotypes. More recently Waddell Media has been awarded a contract with Channel four television and will produce shows that will be aired after the Channel Four news. The programme they have been commissioned to make is called 4thought. This company is a shining example of what companies in Northern Ireland can achieve if they think outside the box. Waddell Media is bringing much needed revenue to the Media industry in Northern Ireland. They should be held in high esteem for there contributions and there continued growth may see them capture the international media market. Stay tuned for more.....

I visited BBC Blackstaff Studios last week as part of The Belfast Film Festival and I was impressed…read moreby the facilities on offer. From the outside the building looks like any other characterless public sector building in the City but once you're inside the building the grandeur becomes apparent. There's something exciting about getting to go in to television studios, even if you are just going to watch a movie. As you'd expect the building has quite high levels of security with guards and turnstiles on the door so if you don't have the correct credentials you simply won't get in. The movie itself was played in one of the main production studios, which seated around 300 people - it is in these studios that the likes of 'The Nolan Show' and other BBC NI productions are filmed. I think the public should have more access to this building as it is extremely interesting seeing how TV shows are created as someone at the Film Festival said, 'we did pay for it after all'!