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The interior of the Newstalk newsroom. File photograph: Frank Miller/The Irish Times.

Newstalk has today announced a new deal to provide a news service to the UTV group of radio stations:

It will provide national and international news, business and sports service to Limerick 95FM, LMFM, Cork 96FM, C103FM, Q102 and FM104, it said today.

Newstalk, which is owned by Denis OBriens Communicorp, will now become the largest news supplier in Ireland, with a total audience of 1.7 million listeners daily.

Mr OBrien is Irelands largest owner of private media assets, being the biggest shareholder in the Independent News & Media group, and the owner of Communicorp, the radio business that includes Newstalk, 98FM and TodayFM.

Samus Dooley, Irish Secretary, of the NUJ said the union is gravely concerned with the development.

Newstalk already provides broadcast services to 25 independent local and regional radio stations across the country, with the new addition of the UTV group it will bring the total number to 31, which is the entire independent radio network.

Mr Dooley said the news that the Communcorp group will become the largest supplier of news to the independent radio network posed problems for media diversity in Ireland.

In terms of diversity of news, analysis and opinion we do not believe that the public interest will be best served by further extension of the influence of a dominant player in the Irish media market, Communicorp.

Last year, former Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte said the growing concentration of media ownership in fewer hands is not a desirable situation.

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Newstalk to provide news to UTV radio stations