One More Thing:As the Competition Authority and Communicorp work out how Denis O'Brien should sell FM104 as part of his €200 million takeover of Emap's Irish radio stations, an unexpected suitor for the Dublin station could be waiting in the wings.
Liberty Global (LGI), parent company of NTL and Chorus and an investor in David Harvey's City Channel, is believed to be eyeing the Dublin radio station whenever it comes to market.
The Colorado-based listed company has an investment arm called LGI Ventures that seeks out investments to complement its existing television operations.
Radio clearly fits the bill and LGI has been looking at potential early-stage investments in central and eastern Europe. It is also thought to be keen on snapping up big radio franchises, which is why FM104 is on its radar.
The competition for FM104 will be stiff. UTV, TV3, the Dermot Hanrahan-led Vienna Investments and The Irish Times Ltd were all underbidders for Emap's Irish radio assets and are likely to go again when the highly profitable Dublin station hits the market.
The likely €45 million-plus price tag will not be for the faint-hearted.
LGI has deep pockets. Its UPC subsidiary - which owns NTL and Chorus - is investing €300 million on upgrading its TV cable network here to provide broadband and telephone services.
Its Chellomedia division has invested an initial €2 million in City Channel, which produces local TV programming on a shoe-string budget. Its schedule includes Adrian Kennedy's late-night, phone-in show on FM104.
The firm plans to launch similar channels in Europe, with the first station - called City Seven - set to hit the airwaves in Budapest next February. Others could follow in Prague and Warsaw, where LGI has cable TV assets.
