More local radio stations in Ireland could become eligible for exemptions from the requirement to devote 20% of their output to news and current affairs.
Coimisiún na Meán is considering the change as part of its consultation on a new Broadcasting Services Strategy. Music and youth stations can currently apply for exemptions, but local stations with broad formats cannot. The regulator says eligibility could be extended where it is satisfied that an exemption would benefit listeners.
The consultation goes further by asking whether music and niche services should be considered for complete exemptions from news and current affairs requirements, subject to alternative proposals for their output. No change has been agreed, and the document says core public value commitments would remain part of the licensing framework.
Its radio licensing proposals also include a roadmap towards possible permanent DAB+ licensing. Irish DAB+ services currently operate through trials, and the regulator says any wider licensing framework would need to account for audience demand, technical requirements and the interests of existing and prospective broadcasters.
For FM, Coimisiún na Meán proposes exploring new commercial services aimed at niche interests or particular communities. It also wants to review whether existing local and regional licence areas still reflect population, commuting and audience patterns.
Broadcasting and Video-on-Demand Commissioner Aoife MacEvilly said: “Audience behaviours have evolved; new technologies and distribution methods have emerged; broadcasters operate as multiplatform media providers.”
Responses to the consultation close on 9 November 2026.
