Mr. Paul Farrell:

I saw the Senator's piece on the approach to the publisher-broadcaster model from an RTÉ point of view. Generally, from a broadcaster point of view, our model is very much commercially driven. We know roughly what value we will get, based on audience and advertising revenue, and that is what we are prepared to pay for content. Generally, that works out reasonably well. The under-20s world cup has worked really well for us because nobody else was in the market for it and we got good value.

I think the future is about more fragmentation. From a rights holder point of view, I think there will be a hybrid where they manage their own revenues as they do through players. Basketball Ireland and many of the smaller sports do that really well. Broadcasters will have a role to play in that but it will be within commercial confines or what public service funding can drive within that.

Then there will be a hybrid of pay-per-view, premium and streamers who will find new ways to generate revenue. Ultimately, the rights holders will have to decide what the value is - whether they retain the overall envelope they get to support the business or whether the model is going to change as they require more influence or control.