The second edition of the Irish Audio Awards was held on March 14, 2024, at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin. During the night, the radio Pride Vibes won the Audio for Change award, which aims to recognise work towards social change by non-profit organizations and charities.

The Irish Audio Awards held its first edition last year. It was launched in 2022 by Radiocentre Ireland, a body of RTÉ and Independent Broadcaster Ireland. The national awards show aims to encourage Irish audio advertising by rewarding content and creativity, as well as celebrating the relationship between Irish radios and their listeners. As audio advertising is a unique medium, Radiocentre Ireland launched the awards to promote and elevate it.

At their latest edition, the award show honoured LGBTQ+ radio station Pride Vibes. During Pride, the pop-up station is available 24/7, providing various programmes to celebrate Pride events, Irish LGBTQ+ life, and the work of the community’s trailblazers and organizations. Pride Vibes aims to make a difference in Ireland, ensuring that it becomes a better place for queer folks by informing, educating, and entertaining people across the country. At the Irish Audio Awards, the project was rewarded for all their efforts.

 

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The online pop-up radio was launched in 2022 by Wireless Ireland to celebrate Pride across Ireland through documentaries, music and talks. In doing so, the station spotlights LGBTQ+ Irish life, culture and pioneers of the community. As the online platform gained momentum, it was able to be broadcasted on FM last year, expanding its reach on the local and national levels.

The voices of Pride Vibes include Vicky Blight, Thomas Crosse, Shivani Dave, and Stephen Byrne. The team provides various programmes from 7 am to midnight to update queer folks all day long on pride festivals in the country, as well as to start conversations on topics related to the community.

GCN is a partner of Pride Vibes alongside other LGBTQ+ local organisations such as Belong To. GCN works with the station to provide information on queer history with the daily segment #Queerstory available on the Pride Vibes website and social media.

 

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Last year, Brian McCarthy, Group Commercial and Operations Director for Wireless Ireland, thanked all the organizations that helped bring the project to life. Highlighting the work being made, he stated:

“We’re honoured to be able to deliver a radio station that speaks to and for the LGBTQIA+ community in Ireland. With estimates of between 6-10% of the population identifying themselves as members, it’s really important that a medium as powerful as audio reflects this in its output.”