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

Radio continues to play a key role in our society, as evidenced by the latest JNLR report showing 80% of adults in Ireland tuning in daily. Radio news is a vital and trusted source of information for the public, particularly for local and regional services. Given the importance of the radio sector, at my request Coimisiún na Meán have prepared a report into the economic viability of the commercial radio sector. I welcome the insights which the report provides into the revenues, costs, and profits in the sector over the past number of years, and the challenges and opportunities facing the sector which it identifies, in particular regarding independent local radio stations. Coimisiún na Meán published the report on 3 May 2024 and it is now for an coimisiún to consider how the findings of the report can be incorporated into its approach.

With regard to any possible action regarding the levy payable to Coimisiún na Meán by radio stations in respect of meeting the costs of regulation, this is purely a matter for an coimisiún and given its statutory independence, I have no role in respect of the levy. I understand that an coimisiún, given its sectoral development role, is acutely aware of the issues which the sector is facing.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Future of Media Commission was established to examine the challenges faced by the media sector and the impact on the provision of public service content. The report made a number of recommendations to counter these challenges, including the establishment of a new media fund to provide support for the provision of public service content by the wider media sector at local, regional and national levels on a platform-neutral basis. The commission recommended €30 million be provided. That included the funding made available through the existing broadcasting fund, which amounts to an average of €15 million per annum from TV licence receipts and which supports the Sound and Vision scheme. Since the formation of this Government a further €28.4 million in Exchequer funding has been provided to the scheme, enabling increased investment in public service content for television and radio.

With regard to the wider media fund, I secured €6 million in budget 2024 for new local democracy and courts reporting schemes. These are being prioritised for implementation by Coimisiún na Meán this year. Further details on the timelines for the roll-out of the schemes will be made available by the commission in due course.

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