Denis O'Brien’s Communicorp Group Limited has purchased the three Irish radio stations owned by Emap plc, it was announced today.

Today FM, FM 104 and Highland Radio owner Emap warned today that tough trading conditions in consumer markets were set to continue into next year.

The owners of Virgin Radio and talkSport were today in talks over a merger thought to be worth around £400m (€588m).

Speculation was mounting today that Ulster TV could be preparing a £300m (€439.7m) move for the media group SMG, which owns Grampian and Scottish TV, Virgin Radio and the Pearl & Dean advertising business.

A market-beating performance by Emap’s UK consumer magazines division ensured the media group posted a 9% rise in annual profits to £223m (€327m) today.

THE CONNACHT Tribune has taken sole control of the Galway Bay FM for a multi-million euro sum.

THE Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) plans to award a licence to run a commercial radio station in the south-west.

THE Competition Authority has sought further information from Johnston Press before it approves the €138 million takeover of the Leinster Leader group.

British publishing group Emap today said performances by titles such as heat, Closer, Match and Zoo had driven an “encouraging” start to its financial year.

SCOTTISH Radio Holdings (SRH) has been taken over in a £391 million (€587m) deal that will see its new owners retain the group’s Irish radio stations, but offload its five local newspapers here to a British regional publisher.

A string of broker upgrades helped put the FTSE 100 Index on course to set another three-year high today.

Media group Emap today said it had agreed a £391m (€587m) deal to take over Scottish Radio Holdings, owner of Today FM and newspapers such as The Kilkenny People and The Longford Leader.

THE Leinster Leader group of newspapers is on the market with a price tag of more than €100 million.

MEDIA group Scottish Radio Holdings (SRH) has rebuffed a takeover attempt by its 27% shareholder Emap.

A surge in shares across the Atlantic helped the FTSE 100 Index close above the 5,000 barrier for the first time since mid-March today.

The oil majors kept the London market afloat today as crude prices continued their upward march.

SCOTTISH Radio Holdings has snapped up Donegal Highland Radio, its third Irish takeover in five years.

Scottish Radio Holdings has reported a 20% hike in first half operating profits before goodwill to £13m (€18.8m) but said current trading in radio was “somewhat lacklustre”.

Ian Guider

Scottish Radio Holdings told its biggest shareholder today that any takeover offer must value it at more than £350m (€509.5m).

Scottish Radio Holdings, owner of the Kilkenny People and Today FM, said yesterday that it expected an 11% rise in group revenues for the first six months of its financial year and added its long-term prospects were attractive.

SCOTTISH Radio Holdings, the parent company of Today FM and a number of Irish media assets, said yesterday that profits had risen by 12.7% in the last 12 months.

THE multi-millionaire businessman Denis O’Brien wants the Government to allow the setting up of a second national commercial radio station.

SCOTTISH Radio Holdings, (SRH) owner of Today FM and the Kilkenny People, expects revenues to increase by close to 15% this year.

TAKEOVER speculation is swirling around the parent company of Today FM, with the British media group EMAP reported to be eyeing a bid.

A group headed by Bob Geldof is among five contenders who will battle it out for the new lucrative rock radio station licence for Dublin, it emerged today.

PRE-TAX profits at the company that runs the Limerick and Leinster Leader newspapers fell by more than half, accounts just filed at the companies office show.

Scottish Radio Holdings, which owns FM 104 and Today FM, said its group operating profit for the six months to the end of March was up 14% to £10.9m (€16m).

Ian Guider

Scottish Radio Holdings (SRH) said trading for the first half of the year will show an estimated increase in group revenues, excluding acquisitions, of 10%, with a 12% rise in radio revenues and an 8% increase in press revenues.

FM104 saw after tax profits increase to €560,000 in the year ended June 2003, up from €300,000 in 2002, documents recently filed with the Companies Office indicate.

Dublin: The takeover of Dublin local music station FM104 cleared its final hurdle yesterday when the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment confirmed she had decided not to raise any concerns over the transaction.

The Competition Authority has given conditional approval for the sale of Dublin radio station FM 104 to Scottish Radio Holdings, which owns TodayFM.

Scottish Radio Holdings (SRH) has reported a 7.7% rise in like-for like sales for the first quarter of the year.

RIVERDANCE duo John McColgan and Moya Doherty waltzed away with nearly €40 million in pay over two years.

The Competition Authority has reportedly launched an investigation into Denis O’Brien’s acquisition of a controlling stake in the Dublin radio station NewsTalk 106.

Scottish Radio Holdings (SRH) earned almost €8m last year from its Irish radio and newspapers interests, which include Today FM, the Kilkenny People and the Tyrone Times.

SCOTTISH Radio Holdings, the media group that owns Today FM, said yesterday that full year profits had fallen by nearly 20%.

The Competition Authority has said it is to launch a further examination of the proposed €30m acquisition of Dublin radio station FM104 by Scottish Radio Holdings (SRH).

TODAY FM owner Scottish Radio Holdings’s Irish businesses are not performing as well as its British assets, where full year sales are expected to rise 18% for the full year.

AT LEAST six first-round bids have been made for the Northern Ireland titles of British newspaper publisher Trinity Mirror.

BRITISH newspaper group Trinity is gearing up to sell it’s Irish published titles sparking an intense bidding war.

Media group Scottish Radio Holdings broadcast an upbeat message today after revenues at its radio and press divisions moved strongly ahead.