Good news on the double for TV3 this week. On Monday, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland shortlisted the Ballymount- based television station for the multicity radio licence.

The champagne bottles had barely run dry before struggling Channel 6 signed on the dotted line with TV3's sales house, as we predicted just a fortnight ago. From January 1st, TV3 will sell ads for Channel 6 in addition to Living TV, a British entertainment channel that earns about €4 million a year from Irish advertisers.

Channel 6 head of sales Daragh Byrne will join TV3 to take charge of business development. Ironically, Byrne joined Channel 6 in late 2005 from TV3 where he was sales manager.

Adding Channel 6 to its stable means that TV3's gross annual advertising sales will be about €80 million in 2008, according to ad agencies. It now has 50 sales staff, including four in London.

There should be more to come. The station is believed to be in talks with UK Gold, a joint venture between Virgin Media and the BBC, on selling ads here.

TV3 is enjoying a good run of late. In September, it recorded a 10 per cent lift in its audiences, helped by coverage of Ireland's Rugby World Cup matches.

Recently filed accounts show that pretax profits last year rose by 85 per cent to €8.7 million.

TV3 is also planning to make a strong pitch for coveted live GAA rights later this month.