Chat radio station NewsTalk 106 was today given the go-ahead to bring its mix of news and current affairs to listeners around the country.
The Dublin-based broadcaster, which has only been on air for four years, has been awarded a 10-year national licence by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland.
Targeting over 25s, big name presenters Eamon Dunphy and George Hook have been secured while the colourful civil rights campaigner Senator David Norris is also being lined up.
The station has said it is committed to bringing more Irish language programming to the airwaves along with shows for immigrant communities while limiting music to three tracks an hour.
NewsTalk bosses have vowed to offer a real alternative and not to mimic state broadcaster RTE nor be a training ground for any of the other major broadcasters.
It is understood 15 new staff will be taken on.
The Denis O'Brien-controlled station broadcasts in Dublin at present, but much of its content is seen as having national appeal and station bosses hope to bring its mix of news, chat and current affairs to audiences around the country by October.
NewsTalk was the only applicant for the quasi-national licence, and it is proposing to invest &
8364;6 million in expanded operations.
Conor J Maguire, BCI chairman, said: "We believe that the NewsTalk 106 quasi-national service is an important addition to the diverse range of radio services broadcasting throughout Ireland. We look forward to concluding contract negotiations at an early date."
The station would expect to get a market share of all Irish adults of 4 per cent initially, rising to 6 per cent by 2011, after only five years on air.
The licence is for quasi-national news/speech service covering 98 per cent of the country. The BCI said the award is subject to the successful outcome of contract negotiations and these are expected to be completed in the coming months.