Mr. Jack Byrne:

In light of our status as the last mile of public services media, we should receive a small fixed proportion of the licence fee. With the licence fee issue up for discussion, we feel it is an opportune time to resubmit this proposal. The report also suggests a community media fund and this fund should ensure we can archive the voices and stories of communities, and can continually innovate and engage with youth on these new platforms. We can explore forms of journalism that are both investigative and campaigning. Under the EU's revised audiovisual media services directive, a proportion of the proceeds derived from the content levy should be used to support and expand the social benefit potential of these emerging community media hubs. Specific funding should be targeted to enable hubs to improve equality, diversity and inclusion, EDI, by the proposed establishment of a diversity board in each hub to adequately reflect gender and socioeconomic diversity. The community media fund should also see portions of departmental public service advertising ring-fenced for community media. This form of advertising is more compatible with the ethos of community media.

Collaboration between Departments and community media was evident during the recent Covid-19 pandemic. CRAOL was contracted to translate, record and broadcast Covid-19 advertisements in foreign languages like French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Mandarin, Russian, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi and Portuguese. I almost ran out of fingers. We were able to broadcast to these communities at very little expense to the HSE or the Department. We also did similar recordings for the Central Statistics Office, CSO, in relation to census 2022. I have run out of fingers, but we included the Ukrainian language in that. These are the sorts of cost-effective synergies that will be available to the State thorough a properly funded community media sector. It would ensure community media has the freedom to continue to promote plurality and innovation in the interests of the common good and to reinforce our support for community, creativity and development.