Communicorp

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Communicorp Group Limited
Limited company
Industry Mass media (radio stations)
Founded 1989 (1989)
Headquarters Dublin, Ireland
Key people
 Denis O'Brien (owner)
Lucy Gaffney (chairperson)
Gervaise Slowey (CEO)
Number of employees
 1000+
Slogan Always on
Website www.communicorp.ie

Communicorp is a media holding company based in Ireland and owned wholly by the Irish billionaire Denis O'Brien.

History

Communicorp Group Ltd was formed by Denis O'Brien in 1989. It launched its radio operations in Ireland that same year and entered the Czech Republic in 1992. It later added stations[which?] in Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary and Ukraine.[1] Based in Dublin, the company now owns 42 radio stations in eight European countries, including Ireland's Newstalk, Today FM, Dublin's 98, SPIN 1038 and SPIN South West. O'Brien owns in its entirety Ireland's independent national radio (all stations apart from those run by state broadcaster RTÉ).[2]

O'Brien's Communicorp was the highest bidder for Emap's Irish operations when that company decided to sell its radio stations, buying FM104, Highland Radio and Today FM on 14 July 2007.[1][3][4] In October 2007, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) approved Communicorp's proposed takeover of Today FM and Highland Radio, but not FM104.[5][6] The deal was completed by January 2008.[7] Due to a Competition Authority decision, Communicorp was required to sell-on FM104, which it did (to UTV Media) immediately upon its acquisition. O'Brien offloaded Highland Radio in mid-2008.[8][9]

It opened two radio stations in Jordan in 2008.

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 20 April 2009.

In September 2012 Communicorp launched their only digital radio station FRQ.fm

On 6 February 2014, Communicorp announced it would be acquiring eight UK stations from Global Radio, subject to review by Ireland's Competition Authority.[10] The stations were required to be sold off by the Competition Commission following Global's acquisition of GMG Radio in 2012. The formation of Communicorp UK on the 1st April 2014, headquartered at Laser House, Manchester, allows Communicorp UK to be operated as a standalone entity.

Stations

Apart from its dominance of the Republic of Ireland's national radio (where it owns all stations apart from state broadcaster RTÉ), Communicorp owns stations in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Jordan, Latvia and Ukraine.[11]

ICAN Interactive

Communicorp also have a majority interest in ICAN an interactive advertising agencies and a leader in the Irish online advertising market.[citation needed]

References

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  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ http://nasimjo.blogspot.com/2008/02/exclusive-radio-news-european-brand.html
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