A major broadcaster and iHeartMedia investor outside the US has made its first move beyond its home UK market with the acquisition of Riviera Radio, a long-established English-language station serving Monaco and the French Riviera.
The deal brings the station back under Global’s umbrella nearly two decades after it was previously part of Capital Radio Group, now one of Global’s core brands.
Riviera Radio is widely known for its coverage of regional events, including the Monaco Grand Prix and Cannes Film Festival. It was sold by Grundy Media and will continue under the leadership of Riviera Radio Managing Director Paul Kavanagh, per the UK’s Radio Today.
For Global Executive President Ashley Tabor-King, the purchase is also personal. Tabor-King began his broadcasting career at Riviera Radio, and the move marks a return to where it all started.
The Riviera deal comes at a moment when Global’s affiliated investment arm, Global Media & Entertainment Investments Trust, is also pursuing FCC approval to restructure its stake in iHeartMedia. The petition, filed by iHeart, outlines changes in legal ownership from one Global entity to another and is expected to pass without challenge, with no comments submitted on the matter of foreign ownership before the deadline.
While the filing doesn’t increase Global’s share in the US radio giant for the time being, it does allow for more operational flexibility in the future.
For Global, the Riviera move signals an openness to international radio expansion – one that could have wider implications if other strategic buys follow. The company already holds dominant market positions across the UK in both broadcast and outdoor media, and its return to the European mainland marks a potential new phase of growth beyond national borders.
