Commercial Radio Licensing – Fast-Track process

The Broadcasting Authority has today (25.10.22) announced a commercial radio licensing update. On the 22nd of September 2022, the Contract Awards Committee of the BAI announced its intention to invoke the fast-track licensing process for the following sound broadcasting contracts:

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 S.E.R.B Radio 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 County 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 Bauer Media Audio Ireland Limited and broadcasting as 98FM, is due to expire on 31 October 2023.

A public notification was placed in the national press and on the BAI website.

The public notification stated that any person, other than the incumbents, interested in providing the named sound broadcasting service for the specified franchise areas was required to submit in writing that he/she wished to apply for the award of the contract (“Statement of Intent”), and to deposit the sum of €20,000.00 with the BAI by the stated closing date. The closing dates for the receipt of such submissions was 20th October 2022.

No Statements of Intent for any of the specified franchise areas, were received by the BAI by the specified closing date.

The Contract Awards Committee now intends to proceed with the Fast Track application process for the services listed above and will shortly begin to invite fast-track proposals from the incumbents, pursuant to Section 67(6) of the Broadcasting Act 2009.

ENDS