TCH group get radio licence

A CONSORTIUM featuring Thomas Crosbie Holdings (TCH) and the Irish Times has been awarded the country’s latest multi-city music radio licence.

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) yesterday awarded the 10-year easy listening music licence to Choice Broadcasting Ltd, which will trade as 4FM when it hits the airwaves towards the end of this year.

The consortium is made up of five investors. Four hold stakes of 22.25% — Irish Examiner/Sunday Business Post publisher TCH; Bay Broadcasting, Fox Radio (which is led by former Lite FM executives Martin Block and Al Dunne) and former FM104 executive Dermot Hanrahan’s Vienna Investments. The Irish Times holds a 10% stakeholding, while Choice’s chairwoman — solicitor Dr Mary Redmond holds a 1% share. The consortium beat TV3 to the licence.