Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Future of Media Commission, the report of which was published in July 2022, was tasked with considering how changing trends in media consumption were affecting media in Ireland and how future funding of public service media could be made secure and sustainable.

The commission identified a long-term and sustained shift in the pattern of media consumption towards online platforms and through devices such as phones and laptops rather than traditional TV sets. This analysis is informing current media policy.

A key recommendation of the commission's report was putting in place a regulatory framework for media to ensure that it is fit for the new age of media consumption. Last December, the Online Safety and Media Regulation, OSMR, Act was enacted, which the Deputy was instrumental in developing. In March of this year, Coimisiún na Meán was formally established as the new media regulator. Deputy Dillon will know from his contributions as a member of the committee that there was incredible work done by the committee on the OSMR Act.

As as well conferring powers on Coimisiún na Meán to protect people online, an coimisiún also has a media development function which will ensure our media landscape remains pluralistic, independent and sustainable as the manner in how media is consumed continues to evolve.

One critical recommendation was for the establishment of a new media fund, through which a wider range of media outlets and platforms could be supported in the provision of public service content. While in the longer term this fund will require legislative change, in the interim, as I said earlier, I have secured €6 million in the budget to establish the fund on an administrative basis.

Priority is being given to the development of the local democracy reporting and courts reporting schemes. Detailed design and administration of these schemes is the responsibility of Coimisiún na Meán. My Department has been engaging with the European Commission on potential state aid implications, but the intention is for the schemes to be rolled out next year.

In addition, the media fund will in due course include a new digital transformation scheme, which recognises that media organisations may require assistance to innovate and transition to the digital information environment.

Coimisiún na Meán will also be an important resource for researching future patterns of media consumption and ensuring, in collaboration with my Department, that the regulatory and development framework is fit for purpose in the years ahead.

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