Mr. John Purcell:

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. In our radio station we have had clients since we started 17 years ago and they would not do it unless they got results. I am delighted that the IBI is involved with our colleagues in RTÉ in establishing a new body called Radiocentre Ireland, which is going to provide case studies of the effectiveness. The difficulty is that our revenue situation is very dynamic at the moment. In the first three months of this year it was very difficult. There was a recovery but not back to previous levels. Many stations - not all - for the first six months of this year got benefits from the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, and were able to keep going. The recovery was good from July onwards but we are into unknown territory again now. There are a number of factors. Sometimes businesses just do not open again. Sometimes businesses have gone online and developed the habit of just operating online. It is a complex picture, but I would say very strongly that advertising works.