One More Thing:TV3 has enlisted the support of Ireland AM presenters Mark Cagney and Aiden Cooney for its bid to win the multi-city commercial radio licence, aimed at over 45s.
The pair would host shows on More FM, according to TV3's detailed submission to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI). The submission will be posted on the regulator's website today along with applications from the four other bidders.
TV3 has also recruited Jane McDonnell, publisher of the Gloss magazine, which is backed by the Irish Times; Tony Brazil, owner of Limerick Travel; hotelier Charlie Sinnott; and Cork native Dr John O'Mahony, chairman of the National Museum of Ireland, to the board of More FM.
TV3 proposes to invest €10.7 million in the station, of which half would be spent before it hits the airwaves. TV3 itself is providing €7.2 million in equity with the balance in long-term debt and a bank overdraft of €500,000.
The station would have a €2 million marketing budget for year one and €850,000 from year two onwards. New studios would be built alongside its existing television facilities in Ballymount and Cork while space would also be allocated at its bases in Limerick and Galway. The fit-out costs are estimated at €506,374.
According to the application, More FM will be predominantly a mix of classic gold, easy listening and smooth music.
At present the over-45s market, which accounts for about 1.4 million of the population, is largely served by Radio One and Lyric FM.
More FM also plans to run its own news service, with 12 journalists. It will have access to TV3's news reporters and archive material. It plans to set aside 23.5 per cent of its daytime output for news, ahead of the BCI requirement. TV3 would hope to go live from September 2008.
TV3 faces stiff competition. Dan Healy's Wilton Radio; Denis O'Brien's Communicorp; and Radio Ireland, which operates Today FM have all submitted bids.
The BCI is expected to draw up a shortlist in September with an oral hearing likely in November.
