Communicorp

Communicorp Group Limited

Type	Private
Industry	Media
Founded	1989
Headquarters	Dublin, Ireland
Key people	Denis O'Brien: Owner Lucy Gaffney: Chairperson Patrick Halpenny: CEO
Employees	1000+
Website	communicorp.ie

Communicorp is an Irish media holding company, wholly owned by Denis O'Brien.

Background

Communicorp Group Ltd was formed 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 stations 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 stations 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.

Stations

• Republic of Ireland: 98FM, Newstalk, Spin 1038, Spin South West, Today FM, Highland Radio
• Czech Republic: Kiss 98, Kiss Hady, Kiss Morava, Kiss Publikum, Kiss Jizni Cechy, Kiss Delta, Kiss Proton, Country Radio, Radio Beat, Radio Jizera, Radio Spin, Radio 1
• Hungary Juventus Radio, Sztar fM, Radio GaGa
• Latvia: Radio SWH, Radio SWH+, Radio SWH Rock,
• Estonia: Radio Elmar, Radio Uuno, Radio Kuku, Radio 100fm, Dinamit FM (Radio DFM), Radio U-Pop, SPIN FM
• Finland : Radio SuomiPop, Groove FM, Classic Radio, Metro FM
• Ukraine Nashe Radio Network, NRJ
• Bulgaria: BG Radio, Radio 1, Radio 1 Rock (ex. Retro Radio), NRJ, Radio Nova ^{[disambiguation needed ]}, City Radio, Radio Veronika
• Jordan: September 2008 Spin FM and Ayyam FM ^[1]

ICAN Interactive

Communicorp also have a majority interest in ICAN one of Europe's leading interactive advertising agencies and the undisputed leader in the Irish online advertising market.

References

1. ^ n@simjo ©: Exclusive Radio News! European brand "Spin FM" ... SOON IN JORDAN!