SEVEN of the 21 local independent commercial radio stations have been granted a second seven-year contract by the independent Radio and Television Commission.
The process of review has been, under way since July, the seventh anniversary of the granting of licences to what became Dublin's FM 104, then called Capital Radio, and Mid-West Radio, which broadcasts to Sligo, Leitrim, and south Donegal.
So far, Carlow/Kilkenny Radio, Galway Bay, Mid-West Radio, LMFM, FM 104, WLR and Radio Kilkenny have had their contracts renewed.
A further seven are expected to be renewed over the next few weeks. The process will go on until October, when Cork 96 FM and North-West Radio, the last stations to go on air, will be reviewed. The contract for the second Dublin station, 98 FM, is expected to be signed at the end of October.
The review process has led to a rewriting of some clauses, mainly for clarity. It has not led to major changes in programming and content. All stations have had to submit a policy statement, indicating their programming philosophies. In future, when changes to the schedule are being proposed they will be judged against the policy statement.
The most radical change is in industrial relations. A clause insisting on "good practice" in human resources has been included in all contracts, along with a reminder of the constitutional right of employees to join a trade union. The stations must also cooperate with the industrial relations machinery of the State, such as the Labour Court.
Another major difference this time around is that there is no automatic right of renewal after seven years.
The IRTC is clearly leaving its options open, given the huge changes expected over the next number of years. Digital Audio Broadcasting is expected to be introduced in Britain and the Continent within two years. While it will operate alongside analogue transmission for some years, it will mean major changes to how we receive radio and the amount of radio services available.
Ireland's broadcasting environment will be affected as new technologies allow far more services and changes the way radio is transmitted.
The IRTC will need to study the implications of the new technology before committing itself to renewing contracts for the existing stations.
The fate of one station, Radio Limerick, is being decided by the High Court. The IRTC terminated Radio Limerick's contract, saying the station was in of it. The station took out an injunction to retain the licence, pending a judicial review of the decision. A ruling is expected soon.