Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Government policy is to encourage and support a diverse media that serves all the people. Public service broadcasting is provided for by Part 7 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. The Act sets out the principal objects of the public service broadcasting corporations, RTE and TG4. These statutory objects and requirements encapsulate national policy in terms of public service broadcasting.

Licence fee funding for public service broadcasting provides an independent and reliable income, which allows the two public service broadcasters to meet their public service objectives with a high level of editorial independence. Under the dual funding model, RTE is statutorily obliged to use its commercial revenues to further subsidise its public service obligations. Commercial broadcasters, while bringing choice and competition to the market, are privately owned and funded companies that have entered the market on the basis of a commercial proposition.

All public, community and independent commercial broadcasters can access public funding from the broadcasting funding scheme, which encourages programming on Irish culture, heritage, adult literacy and global issues. Funded by 7% of net TV licence fee receipts, Sound & Vision II funded 477 projects, worth over €3.6 million, from commercial radio stations. This represented 40% of the total radio allocation. By contrast, allocations to public service broadcasting stations in the same period were worth less than €1.6 million, or 18% of the total allocated.

I fully recognise the contribution that the commercial sector makes to broadcasting in Ireland, but the question of further distribution of public funds to independent commercial broadcasters, beyond the supports that already exist, would constitute a major change to broadcasting policy, would have to be justified, and would of course require legislation. The net effect of such a move would be to reduce the amount of funding available to all other broadcasters, community and public.

It is my intention to put forward a number of proposals for amending the current regulatory framework for advertising. In regard to commercial radio advertising, I propose to give the BAI oversight and control of the amount of advertising minutes allowed to such broadcasters. I will also bring forward amendments to ensure that the BAI’s reviews of public service broadcasting funding will always take account of the impact of its recommendations on the broader advertising market. I believe that these proposed changes, along with others I intend bringing forward in respect of licence fee collection and the database, will lead to a more sustainable advertising regulatory framework for all broadcasters, which in the context of an improving economy should assist in delivering a viable future for everyone in the sector.

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