Newstalk applies for national licence

NEWSTALK 106, the loss-making Dublin radio station owned by Denis O’Brien, is the only applicant for the quasi-national speech broadcasting licence.

The deadline for applications to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) passed last night. It is understood Newstalk is the only party interested.

The station has been a critical success but has failed to capture a large audience share. The quasi-national licence would allow Newstalk to broadcast to all major population areas.

The move would be an immediate boost to the station. The latest accounts for Newstalk, whose line-up in cludes Eamon Dunphy and rugby pundit George Hook, show its retained losses swelled to more than €11 million at the end of 2004.

A national launch would cost the station millions, but give it access to lucrative advertising accounts held by RTÉ and Today FM.

Meanwhile, it also emerged that Today FM will face no challenges to its licence. Its licence expires next year and despite speculation several media groups were interested in challenging it, no rivals emerged.

The BCI board meets next Monday, but it will be weeks before an announcement on whether to hand Newstalk the quasi-national licence will be made. The board can decide to award either licence without oral hearings or can withdraw the licence from offer.

It is widely expected that the two licences will be awarded in March.