Ms Celene Craig:

On behalf of the BAI, I thank the Acting Chair and members of the committee for the opportunity to meet with it to discuss future business model, plans and the long-term vision for the media sector, both television and film. I am joined by my colleagues Stephanie Comey, assistant CEO, and, virtually, Liam Boyle, senior manager. We hope our contribution will be of assistance to the committee in its deliberations on these important matters.

The BAI is the independent regulator for broadcasting in Ireland, established further to the Broadcasting Act 2009. We give effect to our mission to regulate, foster and support a financially sustainable broadcasting sector through a broad range of activities, such as the licensing, regulation and support of independent and public service broadcasting media in Ireland, and the funding for television and radio archiving and programmes relating to Irish culture, heritage and experience. The BAI’s strategic objectives reflect and give effect to this mission.

In response to the significant challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the BAI provided supports for the sector including the operation of additional Sound and Vision funding rounds and the waiver of the broadcasting levy for the independent radio sector for the first six months of 2020. We continue to focus on financial sustainability across a broad range of activities, including our funding schemes and sectoral learning and development initiatives, and by contributing to debates on the future legislative and regulatory frameworks that will support digital and broadcasting media services.

I will touch briefly on some key BAI activities which I hope are most relevant to today’s discussion. In respect of the Future of Media Commission report, there have been developments today. We welcomed the publication of the report and the publication earlier today of the recommendations and strategy of the implementation group. The report's original recommendations reflected our extensive experience in regulating the performance of public service broadcasters, and in the regulation of the broadcast media more broadly. We engaged extensively in the commission's public consultation process, having prepared a number of submissions across a range of areas relevant to the commission’s remit.

We were pleased to see many of the BAI proposals reflected in the commission’s recommendations. I will touch on some of these areas. They are also referenced in the recommendations and implementation strategy approved today. We welcome the majority of the recommendations in respect of the funding of public service media as part of a framework for ensuring the future sustainability of such media via increased public funding and reform of the television licence fee funding model.

We believe strong public service structures and content are the key to preserving public trust in the media, thereby supporting healthy democratic processes. The BAI notes with concern that the issue of the future sustainability of public service media has not yet been resolved, and it is our view that reformation of the funding model is crucial in ensuring a sustainable future for public service media organisations. This can be achieved only via the realisation of multi-annual funding arrangements, ideally linked to a binding recommendation made by the independent regulator.

In respect of our support for public service content and the wider media sector, the BAI also welcomes the recommendations set out in the Future of Media Commission report, including the proposal to expand the broadcasting funding scheme into a media fund, with increased funding and the creation of a number of additional schemes.