Two bidders left in race for rock radio station

THE Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) has confirmed that it has short-listed just two bidders for the licence to run a rock music station in Dublin.

Having reviewed five submissions on Monday, the BCI said it would hear oral submissions from the backers of Phantom FM and Zed FM next month. It rejected the three other bidders, whose backers included Denis O'Brien, UTV and Abrakebabra boss Graeme Beer.

Phantom FM, which is seen as favourite for the hotly contested licence, includes an array of figures from the music and entertainment industry among its backers.

The bid is being led by Denis Desmond, the man behind concert promotion firm MCD, and U2 manager Paul McGuinness. Other members of the consortium include: Frank Gleeson, who owns the Dublin music venues Whelans and The Village; Graham Molloy of Evolution Public Relations; Brian Molloy, a founding director of Today FM; and radio station consultant Paul Kavanagh

Zed FM is fronted by Dermot Hanrahan, former chief executive of Dublin commercial station FM104. The other members of the consortium are former Boomtown Rats frontman Sir Bob Geldof, concert promoter Jim Aiken and the Stokes family, who own the music magazine Hot Press.

Michael O'Keeffe, chief executive of the BCI said in a statement yesterday: “The Commission was particularly pleased with the high level of interest shown in this licence through the submission of five applications. We would like to thank the three unsuccessful applicants who were eliminated at this stage for their interest in the process”.

The oral hearing will take place in a Dublin hotel on October 11 and the BCI's board will make a final decision on the winner in November.