Commercial radio licensing – BAI seeks expressions of interest for sound broadcasting services

The Contract Awards Committee of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has today (30.06.22) placed a public notice in a national paper seeking expressions of interests from parties interested in securing a sound broadcasting contract for the provision of one of the following: The guides and forms for the sound broadcasting services are available here.

Munster

• Waterford City and County: Broad-format, local radio service

The Contract, currently held by South East Broadcasting Company Limited and broadcasting as WLR FM, is due to expire on 7 September 2023.

• County Clare: Broad-format, local radio service
  The Contract, currently held by Clare Community Radio Holdings Plc and broadcasting as Clare FM, is due to expire on 9 September 2023.

• County Tipperary: Broad-format, local radio service
  The Contract, currently held by County Tipperary Radio Limited and broadcasting as Tipp FM, is due to expire on 19 November 2023.

• Cork City and County: Music driven, local radio service
  The Contract, currently held by Siteridge Limited and broadcasting as Red FM, is due to expire on 15 January 2024.

Connaught-Ulster

• County Mayo: Broad-format, local radio service
  The Contract, currently held by County Mayo Radio Limited and broadcasting as Midwest Radio, is due to expire on 23 July 2023.

• Galway City and County: Broad-format, local radio service
  The Contract, currently held by Western Community Broadcasting Services Limited and broadcasting as Galway Bay FM, is due to expire on 17 August 2023.

• Counties Cavan, Monaghan, Longford, Roscommon and South Leitrim: two services to be operated under a single contract, as follows:
  1. Counties Cavan and Monaghan: Broad-format, local radio service
  2. Counties Longford, Roscommon and South Leitrim: Broad-format, local radio service

The Contract, currently held by Midland Radio Group Limited and broadcasting as Shannonside/Northern Sound, is due to expire on 15 October 2023.

Leinster, excluding Dublin City and County

• Counties Louth and Meath: Broad-format, local radio service
  The Contract, currently held by Independent Broadcasting Corporation Limited and broadcasting as LMFM, is due to expire on 27 August 2023.

• County Wexford: Broad-format, local radio service
  The Contract, currently held by Corrmuda Limited and broadcasting as South East Radio, is due to expire on 15 October 2023.

• County Wicklow: Broad-format, local radio service
  The Contract, currently held by East Coast Radio Limited and broadcasting as East Coast FM, is due to expire on 25 October 2023.

• County Kildare: Broad-format, local radio service
  The Contract, currently held by Country Kildare FM Radio Limited and broadcasting as KFM, is due to expire on 16 January 2024.

Dublin City and County

• Dublin City and County: Music-driven service (1): Target Audience 15–34-year-olds
  The Contract, currently held by Capital Radio Productions Limited and broadcasting as FM104, is due to expire on 30 October 2023.

• Dublin City and County: Music driven service (2): Target Audience 25–44-year-olds
  The Contract, currently held by Radio Two Thousand Limited and broadcasting as 98FM, is due to expire on 31 October 2023.

Interested parties should carefully read the BAI’s relevant Guide for Expressions of Interest and then complete in full the Expression of Interest form for the relevant service or services. The guides and forms for the above sound broadcasting services are available here or on request from the BAI’s offices (email: licensing@bai.ie or call 01 644 1200).

Parties interested in submitting expressions of interest to the BAI should do so by 12 noon on Monday, 29^th August 2022.

• Correction: The public notice calling for expressions of interest on 30th June 2022 incorrectly listed Corrmuda Limited as the current holder of the contract for South East Radio and Radio Two Thousand Limited as the current holder of the contract for 98FM.  The current holder of the contract for South East Radio is S.E.R.B. Radio Limited and for 98FM is Bauer Media Audio Ireland Limited. 

ENDS