A new radio station for Westport, West Coast FM, is expected to start broadcasting in February or March of next year.
At Thursday’s meeting of Westport Town Council, representatives from the new radio station, Michael Kelly and Stephen O’Brien, outlined that the station, which has a potential for 15,000 to 20,000 listeners, will initially broadcast at weekends on the FM band and subsequently on weekdays on the internet.
Initially a 100 day licence will be granted from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, and after the first year it can apply for a full licence.
Seventy five per cent of funding for the initial capital costs for the station is expected to be obtained from LEADER funding, with the remaining 25 per cent to be raised locally. So far, €2,000 has been collected, with €12,000 remaining to be collected.
All town councillors welcomed the “beneficial” radio station and a further discussion of the station will be placed on a future agenda of the council meeting.
