Senior business figures have been shortlisted by the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) for specialist music radio licences in Dublin.
They include the managing director of IWP, Mr Joe Moran, and Yeoman International's chief executive, Mr Paul Coulson. Groups they back were among four listed yesterday after an IRTC meeting.
They were: Country 106.8FM; Star FM; Jazz FM; and Phantom FM. Each will be invited by the commission to make oral presentations on March 26th and a final decision is expected when it meets on April 30th.
Mr Moran is a member of the Country 106.8 FM group, which is led by Mr Peter Cassidy, a son of the Fianna Fail Senator, Mr Donnie Cassidy. Its other backers include Mr Gerry Murphy and Mr Martin Larkin.
Mr Coulson, who last year expressed tentative interest in acquiring a strategic stake in Eirom, is a member of the Star FM group. It is led by Mr David Harvey, presenter of Crimeline on RTE television, and backed by the broadcaster, Mr Pascal Mooney, and a businessman Mr Hugh Brown.
Jazz FM is supported by Mr Niall Fortune, of the Eddie Rockets hamburger restaurant chain. Phantom FM is an "alternative" music station.
These groups were chosen from nine applicants. Those rejected yesterday by the commission include FM 106.8 the City, backed by TV3, and X106.8, backed by a member of the Rolling Stones, Mr Ron Wood. Among other groups rejected yesterday were Classic Rock 106.8FM and zer0106.8.
The commission listed Solas AM and a station backed by a group styling itself "people into God" for a licence to broadcast religious programming on the AM band.
