KCR FM considers legal advice over loss licence

Community radio station KCR FM is considering legal advice on a decision by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) to award an FM broadcasting licence in Carlow and Kilkenny to a rival bidder. The 12-year licence was controversially awarded to CK Broadcasting in September.

Last week newly appointed chairman of the Dáil Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Noel O'Flynn, said the BCI would be called before a Dáil committee on the issue and would be asked to set out the criteria for awarding the licence.

There was surprise last month at the failure of Kilkenny Community Communications Co-Operative Society Ltd (KCCCSL) - which runs KCR FM - to win the new licence. It had been trading for 12 years and claims to be the only community-based radio station currently operating in Ireland.

The BCI recently re-drew the licence areas in Leinster to create a licence solely for Kildare, and has brought Carlow and Kilkenny together. It means KCR FM will have to go off air next October.

On Friday the BCI outlined to KCCCSL why its application had been unsuccessful. KCR chief executive Mr Dermot Healy last night said his group was now considering legal advice on the matter. He added KCCCSL will hold a board meeting tonight and, after that meeting, will release a statement.

The BCI told KCCCSL its application was more heavily weighted to the Kilkenny part of the franchise and was not as broadly representative of the Carlow interests compared with the CK Broadcasting application. The BCI was particularly concerned about the lack of emphasis on the Carlow region in KCR's application in terms of board membership and programming.

"In addition, it did not appear to have the same level of experience, expertise and knowledge relevant to the specified local area, as the successful applicant group," the BCI said.

It added the majority of the commission's members were "more convinced" by the programming proposals of CK Broadcasting.

KCR's proposal to borrow €800,000 of the €900,000 needed for the project also concerned the BCI.