Sunshine 106.8 has been re-awarded the niche music-driven Dublin City and County contract from the BAI, keeping the station on-air for at least another 10 years.
The company behind Sunshine, Star Broadcasting Limited, fought off strong competition from Easy FM Ltd. t/a Country FM which proposed a more country-music driven format, and URadio.
The Authority will now proceed to contract negotiations with the successful applicant and further details regarding the award of the contract will be issued in the coming months.
CEO of the station, Sean Ashmore, tells RadioToday.ie that “all of the staff are delighted with the decision of the BAI announced today. The new proposals set out by the station to the Authority pave the way for the service to develop in the coming years and to grow on its already established base”.
Also speaking this afternoon Andy Matthews, Programme Director of the station said that “he couldn’t wait to start the ball rolling on the new and exciting changes that are planned for the evolution of the service. The research has shown a clear gap in the market for the new proposition and we’re looking forward to putting the new developments in place”.
Joe Harrington, General Manager thanked “all the staff that worked so hard on the application and the licence process over the past year”.
Sunshine originally launched in 2001 as Dublin’s Country 106.8FM’ and it wasn’t until 2010 that the Sunshine brand was introduced. The station is now based at North Wall Quay in Dublin 1.
Easy FM Ltd tells RadioToday they will make a statement on the Contract award in due course.
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