Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh na haíonna ar fad. Tá brón orm nach mbeidh an t-am agam ceist a chur ar gach duine. I will begin with Virgin Media with a question on the importance of media plurality, which it referenced in its submission. It referenced news and current affairs programming and in-depth reportage on range of issue. I will go back to an exchange I had in recent times at the committee with the director general of RTÉ. I and many others believe there is a balance and diversity problem in RTÉ, the main public service broadcaster. I referenced specifically the way in which more socially conservative viewpoints seem to fall outside the Overton window when it comes to coverage of public affairs, current affairs and the general cultural content. I asked the director general whether RTÉ would test for diversity in the organisation in terms of viewpoints and whether it was affecting its output. It is an irony that at this time, when there is all this talk about diversity, very often there seems to be a shortage of diversity in RTÉ on certain issues. It is not paranoia to observe this.

This is feeding into the debate about misinformation and disinformation. While undoubtedly there are international problems that contribute to it, there is an issue of non-information and the exclusion of certain viewpoints. There is a strong distinction between the type of truthful information we can get online compared with what is permitted to be heard, said and discussed on RTÉ. The witnesses presumably want more public service money. They have received approximately €200,000 year over the past two years. It is paltry compared to what RTÉ is getting. It is in the market for other money from the Sound and Vision fund. Do the witnesses reflect on the issue of diversity? I noticed when we were progressing the hate speech legislation that the "Tonight Show" was quicker to the issues then RTÉ. Are the witnesses willing to state here they think they can have a greater pluralism than RTÉ? Would they seek funding on this basis? Could they put it up to the public service broadcaster if they agree with any aspect of the analysis I am putting to them?