Communicorp
Encyclopedia
Communicorp is an Irish
media holding company, wholly owned by Denis O'Brien
.
in 1989. The Group’s radio operations launched in Ireland in the same year and followed with stations in the Czech Republic in 1992. Based in Dublin, Ireland, Communicorp has grown rapidly and become a major player in the Irish media market
The company now owns 42 radio station
s in 8 countries across Europe, including in Ireland: 98FM, Newstalk, Spin 1038
and Spin South West
as well as minor holdings in other stations, (including East Coast FM
until February 2008), and opened 2 radio station
s in Jordan in 2008.
Communicorp was the highest bidder for the Irish operations of Emap
, which would have added Today FM
, FM104
and Highland Radio
to their control, but this requires Irish Competition Authority approval. On 8 October 2007, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, who must also approve the transfer of any Independent Local Radio contracts, announced that it would agree to the transfer of control in the cases of Today FM and Highland Radio, but not in the case of FM104. The solution was to sell FM104 to UTV Media immediately upons its acquisition.
Outside of Ireland, Communicorp have stations in seven other countries, including Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Ukraine and Bulgaria, and in Jordan.
On 21 July 2008, a joint bid from Boxer TV Access
and Communicorp, supported by BT Ireland
, were successful in obtaining three digital terrestrial television
multiplex
contracts from the BCI. Boxer DTT Limited withdrew from its agreement to provide a DTT platform on April 20th 2009.
one of Europe's leading interactive advertising agencies and the undisputed leader in the Irish online advertising market.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
media holding company, wholly owned by Denis O'Brien
Denis O'Brien
Denis O'Brien is an Irish businessman with international connections. An Arts graduate of University College Dublin, O'Brien has received a MBA in corporate finance from Boston College in 1982, and was later given an honorary doctorate by University College Dublin.O'Brien has involvement with...
.
Background
Communicorp Group Ltd was formed by Denis O'BrienDenis O'Brien
Denis O'Brien is an Irish businessman with international connections. An Arts graduate of University College Dublin, O'Brien has received a MBA in corporate finance from Boston College in 1982, and was later given an honorary doctorate by University College Dublin.O'Brien has involvement with...
in 1989. The Group’s radio operations launched in Ireland in the same year and followed with stations in the Czech Republic in 1992. Based in Dublin, Ireland, Communicorp has grown rapidly and become a major player in the Irish media market
The company now owns 42 radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s in 8 countries across Europe, including in Ireland: 98FM, Newstalk, Spin 1038
Spin 1038
Spin 1038 is an Independent Local Radio station in Dublin, Ireland. It is owned by Denis O'Brien's Communicorp group and broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. Despite their name, they do not broadcast on the medium wave band , but on 103.8 FM...
and Spin South West
Spin South West
Spin South West is an Irish radio station broadcasting from Raheen in Limerick City to the South West. It launched on 23 July 2007, and holds an Independent Regional Radio contract from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland to broadcast to County Kerry, County Limerick, County Clare, North...
as well as minor holdings in other stations, (including East Coast FM
East Coast FM
East Coast FM is an Irish local radio station broadcasting from Bray, County Wicklow under a sound broadcasting contract from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland...
until February 2008), and opened 2 radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s in Jordan in 2008.
Communicorp was the highest bidder for the Irish operations of Emap
EMAP
Emap Limited is a British media company, specialising in the production of business-to-business magazines, and the organisation of business events and conferences...
, which would have added Today FM
Today FM
Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk...
, FM104
FM104
FM104 is an Independent Local Radio station broadcast across Dublin, Ireland, on the frequency 104.4 MHz. It is operated by Capital Radio Productions Limited , and is a subsidiary of UTV Radio. The station broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland...
and Highland Radio
Highland Radio
Highland Radio is an Irish radio station operating under a licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, and is the licenced local radio service for the County Donegal franchise. It began broadcasting on March 15, 1990, and is currently franchised until 2014. Highland's headquarters are...
to their control, but this requires Irish Competition Authority approval. On 8 October 2007, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, who must also approve the transfer of any Independent Local Radio contracts, announced that it would agree to the transfer of control in the cases of Today FM and Highland Radio, but not in the case of FM104. The solution was to sell FM104 to UTV Media immediately upons its acquisition.
Outside of Ireland, Communicorp have stations in seven other countries, including Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Ukraine and Bulgaria, and in Jordan.
On 21 July 2008, a joint bid from Boxer TV Access
Boxer TV Access
Boxer TV Access is a Swedish company providing pay television channels on the digital terrestrial television network in Sweden. Modeled on the British ITV Digital, it was founded in October 1999. Some channels on the Swedish DTT are free-to-air, but most of the channels require subscription from...
and Communicorp, supported by BT Ireland
BT Ireland
BT Communications Limited is a telecommunications and internet company in Ireland. It is a subsidiary of BT Group plc.-Esat Telecom:The company was founded in 1990 by Denis O'Brien, and was originally known as Esat Telecom...
, were successful in obtaining three digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
multiplex
Multiplex (TV)
A multiplex or mux is a group of TV channels that are mixed together for broadcast over a digital TV channel and separated out again by the receiver...
contracts from the BCI. Boxer DTT Limited withdrew from its agreement to provide a DTT platform on April 20th 2009.
Stations
- Republic of IrelandRepublic of IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
: 98FM, Newstalk, Spin 1038Spin 1038Spin 1038 is an Independent Local Radio station in Dublin, Ireland. It is owned by Denis O'Brien's Communicorp group and broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. Despite their name, they do not broadcast on the medium wave band , but on 103.8 FM...
, Spin South WestSpin South WestSpin South West is an Irish radio station broadcasting from Raheen in Limerick City to the South West. It launched on 23 July 2007, and holds an Independent Regional Radio contract from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland to broadcast to County Kerry, County Limerick, County Clare, North...
, Today FMToday FMRadio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk...
, Highland RadioHighland RadioHighland Radio is an Irish radio station operating under a licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, and is the licenced local radio service for the County Donegal franchise. It began broadcasting on March 15, 1990, and is currently franchised until 2014. Highland's headquarters are... - Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
: Kiss 98, Kiss Hady, Kiss Morava, Kiss Publikum, Kiss Jizni Cechy, Kiss Delta, Kiss Proton, Country Radio, Radio BeatRadio BeatRadio Beat is a Czech radio station, broadcasting from Prague. It plays classic rock. There is thematic program every weekend. There is a program after 7:00 pm Every day...
, Radio Jizera, Radio Spin, Radio 1Radio 1 (Czech Republic)Czech Radio 1 is an alternative radio broadcasting company based in Prague, Czech Republic. It can be tuned at 91.9 MHz in and around the city. Its musical style is unique for Czech radio stations.It was the first private radio station in the country... - HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Juventus Radio, Sztar fM, Radio GaGaRadio GagaRadio Gaga is a comic strip created by the Norwegian humourist «Flis» .The series started in 2001, and is about characters who run a local radio station called Radio Gaga. Although the action takes place in the radio environment, it's mostly about the somewhat eccentric characters, and not so much... - LatviaLatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
: Radio SWH, Radio SWH+, Radio SWH Rock, - EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
: Radio Elmar, Radio Uuno, Radio KukuRadio KukuRadio Kuku is an Estonian radio station. It was the first politically independent privately owned radio station in post-occupation Estonia, established in 1992 by a media businessman and later politician Rein Lang and a founder of the first politically independent newspaper Eesti Ekspress, Hans H...
, Radio 100fmRadio 100FMRadio 100 is a Danish radio channel. The name refers to the fact that the station used to broadcast on 100.0 MHz on the FM spectrum in the Greater Copenhagen Area....
, Dinamit FM (Radio DFM), Radio U-Pop, SPIN FMSpin FMSpin FM is a radio station in the Cayman Islands in the British West Indies. The station is owned by Paramount Media Services. It airs a dance music format. The station often features disc jockeys that also entertain in Cayman Islands nightclubs.... - FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
: Radio SuomiPop, Groove FM, Classic Radio, Metro FMMetro FMMetro FM is a national radio station in South Africa owned by the SABC.- History :The station started broadcasting in October, 1986 as Radio Metro to compete with the now defunct Radio Bop... - UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Nashe Radio Network, NRJ - BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
: BG Radio, Radio 1, Radio 1 Rock (ex. Retro Radio), NRJ, , City Radio, Radio Veronika - JordanJordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
: September 2008 Spin FM and Ayyam FM
ICAN Interactive
Communicorp also have a majority interest in ICANICAN
ICAN has a number of meanings:* International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons*ICan Group, a family of companies in the fields of health insurance, marketing, and medical bill advocacy.*International Communications and Navigation Limited...
one of Europe's leading interactive advertising agencies and the undisputed leader in the Irish online advertising market.