Applications sought for radio licence

THE BROADCASTING Commission of Ireland (BCI) is seeking applications from interested parties for a classic rock radio licence for the greater Dublin area.

In an advertisement placed in the national press yesterday, the BCI said it was seeking submissions for a "primarily music driven" station with a "strong emphasis" on classic rock music.

The franchise area for the FM service will be Dublin city and county and the commuter belt.

The classic rock licence was originally expected to be advertised last September but the BCI put it on hold, along with other new licences, to concentrate its energies on progressing digital terrestrial television.

Industry executives estimated yesterday that the classic rock service could earn €1-2 million a year in revenues and gain a market share of up to 4 per cent.

Potential bidders include the backers of Dublin-based alternative rock station Phantom FM; TV3; Cork-based media owner Thomas Crosbie Holdings; Vienna Investments, which is led by Dermot Hanrahan; and Liberty Global, owners of the NTL and UPC cable television operators.

The Martin Block-led 4FM consortium, which recently secured the multi-city licence from the BCI, might also be an applicant, although it is likely to seek to link up with other investors.

It is unclear if UTV or Denis O'Brien's Communicorp, which owns 98FM and youth station Spin in the capital, will apply.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times