Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

Is it possible that as the BCI makes statements about granting more licences and the more competition there allegedly is, the blander the programme content will become? As we flick through the dials on the way home to Meath or Kildare, will we hear virtually the same types of programmes?

Is the Minister concerned that the chairman of the BCI has stated that he may reduce the requirement that news and current affairs must constitute 20% of programming? Should there not be a public service broadcasting requirement on every station?

Are BCI and ComReg not all over the place regarding the spectrum, given that this is such a valuable resource for an island nation? Is it possible that we could utilise it better to benefit the Exchequer as well as everything else? Does the Minister agree that the two regulators are approaching this from different angles?

The Minister referred to digital services. I note that Oftel, the UK regulator, has published many studies on the introduction of digital services. I have one entitled Driving Digital Switchover. We have had nothing in this regard in this country. The Minister appears not to have asked these regulators for anything in this area. Is that something the Minister might act upon during the next few months in this ministry?

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