BAI seeks expressions of interest for 13 radio contracts

The Contracts for 13 local radio services across Ireland are up for grabs as current agreements expire in the next couple of years.

Anyone interested in applying for the Contracts currently held by WLR FM, Clare FM, Tipp FM, Red FM, Midwest Radio, Galway Bay FM, Shannonside/Northern Sound, LMFM, South East Radio, East Coast FM, KFM, FM104 or 98FM should get in touch with the BAI.

The Contract Awards Committee of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has placed a public notice in a national paper seeking expressions of interests from parties interested in securing any of the sound broadcasting contracts for the provision of services.

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, 29th August 2022.

Here are all the details of the current services:

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.