Under a new distribution of FM radio licenses, a company can have up to three commercial FM frequencies. This is the advice of the Dutch Consumers and Markets Authority (ACM) to the Minister of Economic Affairs Micky Adriaansens. Talpa Network currently has four for Radio 538, Radio 10, Sky Radio and Radio Veronica.
In this way, the competition enforcer wants to prevent one or two parties from dominating the market. That way, there will be enough competition in the radio listening and radio advertising market, according to an ACM advisory on Thursday.
The Ministry of Economy is organizing in 2023 the frequency auction for nine national commercial radio (FM) licenses. Businesses can sign up if they want to buy such a radio frequency and start or continue a radio station on it. Talpa Network (owner of Radio 538 and Radio 10, among others) sees it don’t sit at all and filed an appeal together with BNR and 100%NL. The verdict on this is December 13th.
Meanwhile, ACM advises the Ministry of Economy and Climate Policy on auction conditions affecting competition in the radio and advertising markets. ACM assumes that two of the nine channels up for auction are so-called “classified thematic channels”: news and current affairs and Dutch music.
Channels with clauses are bound by certain rules. For example, Radio Veronica currently has a clause package and got it A fine imposed. According to the Telecom agency, the channel does not respect the rule according to which it broadcasts music 85% of the time between 7:00 and 19:00. The owner Talpa filed an objection to this.
