THE MANAGEMENT of Power 106 FM and IRIE FM have been given the greenlight by the Broadcasting Commis-sion to operate additional radio channels.
The two radio stations can now move ahead with plans to expand their broadcast services under their existing licences.
Power 106 FM, a Gleaner Company subsidiary, is managed by Independent Radio Company Ltd., while IRIE FM is run by Grove Broadcasting Ltd. Both were licensed in 1991. Like the Radio Jamaica Group, both can now operate multiple radio channels, the commission noted.
"What this means is that we are now able to move ahead with our new station which we are going to position in an area of the market that is very competitive," Newton James, head of Power 106, said. "We are going to have a station we are reasonably sure most Jamaicans will be proud of," he added.
Brian Schmidt, marketing manager at IRIE FM, said: "For us it's just a matter of consolidating our plans." He explained that plans for a new station ZIP 103 were well advanced as the personnel, studio and transmitters were already in place.
Meantime, the local media landscape is likely to be further expanded as the Broadcasting Commission has recommended that four new cable licences be granted for rural Jamaica. It has also recommended that a new licence for broadcast radio be granted. When contacted, Jacqueline Jackson, the Commission's information officer refused to state the type of programming to be offered by the new station.
