North West Radio, which has broadcast in the Sligo, south Donegal and north Leitrim area for the past 13 years has taken a High Court challenge to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland's decision to grant the renewal of the licence to North West Broadcasting Ltd, trading as Ocean FM Radio.
Mr James O'Reilly SC, for NWR , told Mr Justice O'Neill 20 jobs were at stake.
In an affidavit, Mr Paul Claffey, managing director of NWR, said the franchise area had a small population spread and was one of the most difficult franchise areas in the State to serve. NWR's broadcast policy had succeeded against the odds and it now found that it had been put out of business by a consortium created for the sole purpose of unseating it.
Mr Justice O'Neill gave NWR leave to seek, in judicial review proceedings, an order quashing the BCI decision of April 29th last awarding the contract to NWBL.