Today FM
Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100–102 Today FM, is an Irish national commercial FM radio station. Broadcasting since 17 March 1997 (Saint Patrick's Day), it carries music and talk. Purchased by Denis O'Brien's Communicorp in 2007, Today FM holds a licence from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland as far as the year 2027.[1] The station recorded pretax profits of €7.4 million on a turnover of €19.4 million in early 2009, more than twice what it was two years previously.[2]
Today FM broadcasts from studios in Marconi House, Digges Lane, Dublin 2.[3] On 1 June 2021 Bauer Media Audio announced the completion of its acquisition of Communicorp Group in the Republic of Ireland, including Today FM.
The original Independent National Radio franchise holder in the Republic of Ireland was 100-102 Century Radio, which launched in 1989 and closed down abruptly in November 1991 amid heavy financial losses. The Independent Radio and Television Commission did not re-advertise the contract until 1996.
Radio Ireland Limited, originally owned by John McColgan and Moya Doherty (and because of their involvement, dubbed "Radio Riverdance"), won the contract when it was advertised.
In 2002, Scottish Radio Holdings plc acquired Radio Ireland Limited from its shareholders. In June 2005, an agreed takeover offer for that company was made by Emap. Denis 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.[4][5][6] In October 2007, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) approved Communicorp's proposed takeover of Today FM and Highland Radio, but not FM104.[7][8] The deal was completed by January 2008.[9] Due to a Competition Authority decision, Communicorp was required to sell-on FM104, which it did (to UTV Media) immediately upon its acquisition. The takeover closed in April 2008.
In 2008, Today FM moved their studios from their original base at 112 Upper Abbey Street, Dublin, across the Liffey to Marconi House in Digges Lane, Dublin 2, where it shares the building with its Communicorp sister station, Newstalk. The building also housed another Communicorp station, Phantom (later TXFM), until it ceased broadcasting in October 2016. In June 2017 it was announced that the group's other Dublin-based stations, 98FM and Spin 1038, would also be moving into the same premises.[10]
