Communicorp has radio and digital assets in Ireland, the UK and Bulgaria

Communicorp Media has renewed its contract to provide a network news service to 28 local independent radio stations across the country.

The new contract is the second renewal of the deal since it was initiated in 2009.

Communicorp, which is controlled by businessman Denis O'Brien, counts radio stations Newstalk, Today FM, 98FM and Spin among its Irish assets.

The network news service provides local radio stations with national and international news content and a continuous supply of sport, business and entertainment stories across the day.

Local radio stations are also provided with a selection of news stories which allows them to merge the national news stories with their local news output.

Adrian Serle, Communicorp Media Group CEO, said he is "delighted" Communicorp is able to continue its long-standing agreement with all independent stations across Ireland by signing a new long-term contract. "At a time when fake news and untrustworthy, unregulated news sources are rife, radio remains rock solid, as a dependable, credible and reliable news and information provider at every moment of every day - and Communicorp Media is a market-leading example of exactly that," he said.

The network news service reaches 2,452,000 people each day, or 65pc of the population, with the UTV group of stations (Wireless) joining the network in 2014.

Sinead Spain, group head of news at Communicorp Media, said the independent radio sector has a strong track record in providing quality public service broadcasting.

"The network feed will deliver trusted news and information service to the highest journalistic standards to supplement each stations output," said Ms Spain.

The circumstances surrounding the planned but aborted acquisition of Newstalk by Independent News and Media has formed part of a bid by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement to have High Court inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of Ireland's largest publisher.

Mr O'Brien is the largest single shareholder in INM which publishes the Irish Indepenent.

INM is challenging the decision by the ODCE to have inspectors appointed.

Irish Independent