Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

The other issue I wish to discuss is the question of balance. It is primarily for the RTE Authority and, beyond that, the new broadcasting authority to ensure that balance is provided. Generally speaking, this should not be the role of Governments or politicians or parties. There are people who ring journalists and broadcasting channels regularly to complain of bias of this or that sort. I have always tried to restrain myself from the temptation to do that. I do not like the idea of pressure on broadcasters but I believe that in certain situations there is a need for responsibility. One can argue in the case of popular phone-in shows that they give people the chance to let off a lot of steam and that they provide a valuable safety valve in a democracy. In the type of financial situation that we have been in over the past few weeks I believe it is important that the broadcast media are not used to spread what may be a self-fulfilling panic. If one broadcasts the fears of somebody who says he or she is taking money out of this place or that place and afterwards many other people go and do just that, it can be said that the person was right because of subsequent actions. There is a serious danger of exacerbating a situation. We all know cases——

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