U105: Tuned In to Giving Back

Peter McVerry, station manager of U105, the Belfastbased commercial radio station, talks to Emma Deighan about the station’s heightened commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives.

Since it launched onto the airwaves in 2005, U105 has been making significant strides in its commitment to CSR with a growing host of initiatives reflective of the society Northern Ireland has become, Station Manager Peter McVerry says.

With a heavyweight collective of high-profile presenters including former weatherman Frank Mitchell, and veteran DJs Carolyn Stewart and Maurice Jay among others, the station is well positioned to highlight causes, generate funds and support marginalised communities here. And it has executed that moral role well since 2005.

Peter has been at the helm of many of those drives, including the Christmas ‘Stuff A Bus’ campaign, a £1m fundraising effort for the NI Hospice and 15 years of sponsoring one of the province’s most culturally diverse events.

“U105 has been actively involved in various CSR initiatives that reflect the issues and concerns of today’s Northern Ireland,” the radio manager begins.

“For example, we partnered with Translink to support the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul for the ‘Stuff A Bus’ campaign, where we collected toys to fill a bus for those in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted the appeal to a virtual format.

“We have also been a proud media partner of the culturally diverse Mela festival since its inception, providing increasing support as the event grows and that’s because Mela represents the new, modern Northern Ireland we live in, and we aim to encourage and support that culturally diverse society.”

U105 is also a long-term media partner for the Road Safety Awards, in a move to create better awareness of the dangers posed to the public here and amid the increasing number of road-related fatalities.

“We also support The Belfast Children’s Festival as we believe it’s essential for a local station to be at the heart of what’s happening in our community.

“Our commitment to the All-Ireland Sustainability Awards, more recently, as a media partner is another example of showcasing best practices and it allows us to review our own processes as well as share tips on what can be done with our listeners in their homes and businesses,” he continues.

U105’s CSR programme is deeply ingrained in the community and actively supports various causes not just off air, but on it.

“U105’s speech programming plays a crucial role in engaging with our listeners and highlighting contemporary issues,” Peter continues.

“The three-hour Frank Mitchell speech programme, for instance, provides a platform to discuss topics that matter to our audience five days a week. Our 60/40 music/speech format is unique for a commercial radio station in Northern Ireland and allows us the opportunity to address both local and national issues that affect our community.”

As a source of news and entertainment, it was only natural that the station would play a prominent role in the Good Friday Agreement’s 25th anniversary.

Peter talks about the broadcast of an event to mark the anniversary, rescheduling and relocating the Frank Mitchell show to Queen’s University for three days with more than 12 hours of live broadcast of dedicated and comprehensive coverage as well as interviews with high-profile dignitaries and instrumental players in the original signing of the agreement.

He says the programming was “a celebration of how far we’ve come and where we are now and it’s an example of how we don’t just report on and discuss negative things here, but the positives too, focusing on the opportunities”.

“When considering new initiatives, we look for causes that align with what’s impacting Northern Ireland at that particular time. Often, we receive approaches from organisations or individuals who highlight issues of significance. For example, our partnership with NI Hospice and the Children’s Hospice was a resounding success. Through our listeners, we raised £1 million, which contributed to the capital build of the new hospice at Somerton Road. This cause resonated deeply with our listeners, as almost every family in Northern Ireland has been impacted by cancer or palliative care.”

Pushing for donations is not always the focus of U105’s extracurricular work, Peter points out.

He says awareness is equally as essential. “We aim to showcase the strengths of Northern Ireland and address both negative and positive topics that are relevant to our society.”

And those messages are reaching further with digital allowing U105 to air anytime anywhere.

“The digital platforms have been instrumental in expanding our reach and connecting with a wider audience. With the ability to stream online and broadcast on DAB, U105 now reaches all four corners of Northern Ireland.

“During the pandemic, our listenership grew significantly, as people turned to radio for updates and a sense of connection. The legacy of that period is still seen in our listener figures today,” adds Peter.

Recent RAJAR figures for U105 are among the station’s best, with a weekly audience of 256,000.

Peter says the station’s commitment to social issues doesn’t end at its office doors at City Quays.

“We have various measures in place to support our staff’s well-being too, for example, we provide access to the Headspace app, offer four volunteering days per year, and have a dedicated Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Our commitment to employee well-being extends to our sister companies, Tibus and

Zesty, which collectively employ around 60 people.”

He says being part of a wider group with stations in the UK and Ireland allows it to pool resources and run impactful campaigns for societal good.

A poignant example is its group-wide ‘Call This Out’ drive to encourage listeners to highlight misogyny and male violence towards women in the wake of the Aisling Murphy murder in County Offaly. This campaign was reignited following the murder of Natalie McNally in Lurgan.

“We do this because it’s important to our listeners and it’s reflective of what is happening here.”

Meanwhile, the station’s affiliated companies in that wider group are the brawn of The Times, Sunday Times, The Sun, TalkSport and Talk Radio as well as Virgin Radio.

News UK, which owns U105, is the UK arm of the business but Wireless Ireland is the ROI element. U105 sits in the Goldilocks zone allowing it to benefit from both jurisdictions’ strengths.

Looking at focus points in the future, Peter anticipates sustainability coming under the spotlight more in its CSR efforts.

He talks of presenter Frank Mitchell’s environmental champion journey including the documenting of his thriceweekly trips to work on an e-bike.

He adds: “We are always on the lookout for new causes and new ideas, and very open to groups contacting us.

“It’s also important to note that we as a station are now receivable across the whole of Northern Ireland. We’re so much more active in places like the North West and Newry area and we want organisations across NI to know that and know that we are here to support them.”

And in a challenging landscape where radio now competes with growing mediums/services like podcasts and music streaming services, U105 will be at the forefront of pushing a bill at Westminster to make the industry a more even playing field.