Today FM broadcaster Ian Dempsey has been inducted into the PPI (Phonographic Performance Ireland) Radio Awards hall of fame.
Dempsey (52) has been a mainstay of Today FM as the presenter of its morning programme since joining them 15 years ago from 2fm.
He is this year’s only recipient of the award and it was presented to him in front of 700 guests in Kilkenny last night at the PPI awards, the most prestigious awards in Irish radio.
Dempsey said he was surprised at how emotional he felt at being given an outstanding service award for radio. “I’ve been at it a bloody long time,” he said.
Before Pat Kenny's shock move from RTÉ Radio One to Newstalk this summer, Dempsey's move from 2fm to Today FM was the transfer which still reverberates across the radio market.
'Culture shock'
Dempsey confessed it was a "culture shock" moving from RTÉ to the independent sector.
“It was a very good decision,” he said, “It was unusual at the time. Pat Kenny’s move was a fairly big scoop. There are certain things that you get used to when you are in RTÉ. If you need something printed, you can get someone to do it. If you want any printing done, you have to go the local print shop.
"He was probably used to his team being so immense in RTÉ. It might take him a while to get used to it." He paid tribute to his sidekick of many years, Mario Rosenstock, and said their relationship was like a "marriage".
