RTÉ Radio 1 Extra


RTÉ Radio 1 Extra is one of five digital radio channels produced by the Irish public-service broadcasting service Raidió Teilifís Éireann.
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, 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, 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 which are currently broadcast on Radio 1's longwave frequency. Once Radio 1's LW service is withdrawn, these special programmes will be available only on Radio 1 Extra.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.
The channel will repeat RTÉ Radio 1's epic 30-hour broadcast of the full text of James Joyce'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.

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. 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, 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.