All of Ireland’s independent radio stations are taking part in a simultaneous broadcast tomorrow (Monday, 25 November) of the latest mix of “Do They Know It's Christmas?” to mark the 40th anniversary of its release. The broadcast of the song on each radio station across Ireland tomorrow morning at 8.35am will help launch this new version and prompt people to buy it, aiding the charity which benefits.
The Band Aid song released for the first time in 1984, followed by the Live Aid concert, successfully raised massive funds in a response to hunger in the world’s least-developed regions, increasing awareness of famine and poverty. This mix has voices from the original group along with the latest stars.
Participating in the broadcast or “simulcast” tomorrow morning will be WLR FM along with other stations like Cork’s 96FM, Galway Bay FM, Limericks Live 95FM, Newstalk, Radio Kerry, Radio Nova, and Today FM. In addition to the Irish independent stations, RTE Radio in Ireland, and many radio stations right across Britain will be taking part in this broadcast at the same time tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the first time this new mix will be heard by listeners and music fans when they tune into radio stations.
“‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ is an iconic song that has stood the test of time, and I remember as a kid its powerful impact when it was first released in 1984,” said Michael Byrne, CEO of WLR FM. “Forty years later, it’s incredible to see all of Ireland’s independent radio stations come together to launch this new version and support the charity it benefits. We encourage everyone to tune in at 8.35am tomorrow morning, relive the magic of this timeless anthem, and contribute to this important cause.”
“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” came about through the work of Bob Geldof and Midge Ure. The record featuring the world’s top music artists was a response to the extreme suffering of people through famine in Ethiopia. The Irish people gave over £7 million to the Live Aid charity fundraising, proportionately more than other countries. The track is part of people’s Christmas music catalogue, bringing its important message to new generations
The release of the “Do They Know It’s Christmas? – 2024 Ultimate Mix” track is to raise more money for the Band Aid Trust charity, and it can be bought at the following link - https://bandaid.lnk.to/buy.
The Chair of the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, John Purcell commented: “Our independent radio stations are delighted to support this initiative and to launch the latest mix of this iconic track, which did so much over the last 40 years to raise awareness of world hunger, and to gather much-needed funds for charity. This song has been played on our stations so many times over the years, and it still resonates extremely strongly with listeners, particularly at this time of year, when the gap between people living in acute poverty and starvation and those in better-off countries is most starkly seen.”
John Purcell continued: “1984 was before the development of the independent regulated radio sector here. Now, 40 years on, 2.4 million people tune in to independent radio across Ireland every day and we’re delighted to play our part in promoting this good cause this time round.”
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