As the controversy surrounding the involvement of EMI Records in a compilation album with Phantom FM continues to rage, hotpress has confirmed that the label was previously linked with the pirate broadcaster in one of their bids for a licence.

Among those listed as participants in the Phantom consortium that applied for the Dublin FM Special Interest Music Driven Service in 2001 was EMI A&R scout, Thomas Black, who was questioned extensively at the hearings as to the basis of his involvement, according to sources.

While it is not clear how intimate the relationship of EMI personnel with the station is, industry sources have been highly critical of the fact that, in effect, the record company has invested a substantial sum of money in a project which is designed to benefit the pirate station.

“It is absolutely outrageous that any of the major record companies would get involved in this way,” one record company boss told hotpress. “The PPI is pursuing a campaign to prevent piracy on a worldwide basis. And yet, here in Ireland, you have EMI flagrantly supporting a pirate. I’d be very surprised if the licensed stations didn’t take action by cutting back severely on plays for EMI artists – and certainly the developing ones, who wouldn’t be regarded as box office.”

Despite repeated attempts, hotpress was unable to contact PPI Chief Executive and Irish Recorded Music Association spokesman Dick Doyle. Doyle has been placed in a somewhat invidious position having on one hand turned down a Phantom FM offer to pay the PPI royalties, and on the other representing an IRMA Board that includes the man ultimately responsible for the Phantom link-up, EMI Chief Executive Willie Kavanagh.

What is clear is that Phantom FM – which provides a service that is highly valued by its listenership in the Dublin area in particular – is in a no-win situation in relation to the attack from the licensed outfits.

Initially representatives of the station spoke extensively to hotpress, in response to the story in our last issue, mounting an impassioned defence of their position. However, they subsequently requested that the contents of the conversation should be kept private – on the basis of legal advice, which they had been given. hotpress is happy to comply in good faith, with this request.