View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
March 11, 2004updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Dublin licences cut back to just two new radio stations

By Press Gazette

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has decided to restrict the issuing of new radio licences for Dublin to two because of concerns about the viability of the existing stations in the capital’s highly competitive climate.

In advertising for an alternative rock service for the city and county, as well as a multicultured ethnic station, the BCI said it was seeking to add diversity to the radio market.

It had been anticipated that four new stations would be commissioned from the 60 groupings which have made submissions but the restriction to two has been hailed as realistic.

Several newspaper groups are among the applicants. These include Thomas Crosbie Holdings, owner of the Irish Examiner and the Sunday Business Post, and, most surprisingly, Irish Press plc, former owners of the defunct Burgh Quay publications.

Chairman Eamon de Valera has advocated a music-based radio station “supplemented by and mixed with talk elements’.’ One group expressing interest in a multicultural service, called Metro Eireann, is headed by journalist Chinedu Onyejelem.

It offers “a unique blend of music, art, news and information” directed at `the “rich, multicultural make-up of Dublin”.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The Scottish Media Group is also among the applicants for one of the new licences.

By Des Cryan in Dublin

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network