THE island’s state-subsidised broadcaster is to drop its TT-only service after the government refused to devote extra taxpayers’ cash to it.
Manx Radio TT 365 will close on April 26 – just 12 months after it launched.
The project was conceived to provide TT fans worldwide with access year-round to the Manx Radio TT archive.
The station’s press statement reads: ‘It is with deep regret that the service and the associated website have had to be closed.
‘Manx Radio had an agreement in principle for government financial support for this project, however, it has failed to materialise during the financial year 2012/13 and, in the current economic climate, all of Manx Radio’s income is required to maintain our core public service broadcasts on Manx Radio.’
{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/isle-of-man-tt-on-the-airwaves-all-year-round-1-4483782|How we reported the station’s launch last year}
Since launch, 430,000 visits have been made to Manx Radio TT 365 by 165,000 unique visitors from 153 countries.
Visitors from the UK, Isle of Man, Ireland, USA and Australia make up the top five, however, visitors came to the site from as far afield as Brazil, India, Japan, China, United Arab Emirates, South Africa and every European country. Those TT fans spent, on average, 59 minutes and 52 seconds re-living the racing and immersing themselves in the culture and history of the Isle of Man each time they visited the site.
Manx Radio’s managing director, Anthony Pugh, said: ‘Manx Radio TT 365 was an exciting new product devised to bring the TT to life all year round and it certainly achieved that in its short existence.
‘I would like to thank Dan Walker, whose tremendous enthusiasm and hard work brought the project to fruition and delivered first rate entertainment which has been clearly enjoyed by TT fans.’
The coverage for TT fortnight will continue as usual.