Midlands 103, the sole applicant for the Sounds Broadcasting Contract for Counties Laois, Offaly and Westmeath, has been recommended to continue operating.
The Contract Awards Committee of the BAI has said, subject to contract negotiations, Midlands 103 owner Midland Community Radio Services Limited should be allowed to stay on-air after studying the application.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland will make another announcement in due course once negotiations have been completed with the station, ultimately owned by UK-based Tindle Radio Ltd.
The Committee received one application in response to its call for applications published in the national press for the radio service earlier this year to operate the local broad-format sound broadcasting service for the area.
Earlier this year, Tindle Radio sold five of its UK radio stations to Anglia Radio.
Another group, Midlands Broadcasting Company, expressed an interest in the Contract but didn’t make an application.