Dáil debates
Thursday, 13 July 2023
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Broadcasting Sector
11:00 am
Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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58. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the review of public service broadcasting will examine the role of advertising and programme sponsorship on influencing public opinion with respect to climate action; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34707/23]
Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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Will the review of public service broadcasting examine the role of advertising and programme sponsorship on influencing public opinion with respect to climate change, and will the Minister make a statement on the matter?
Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The independent examination of RTÉ, which I announced last week, will be composed of two reviews, namely, a review of governance and culture, and a review of contractor fees, human resources and other matters. While the terms of reference of the review of governance and culture of RTÉ does not explicitly reference climate change, it does provide for an assessment of the impact of RTÉ's commercial income activities on its public service remit. This aspect would be expected to address the impact of sponsorship, product placement and advertising on delivering a service that has the character of a public service, as provided for in section 114 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. If any findings of the review indicate any such editorial influence was exercised, including in respect of climate action, they will be referred to Coimisiún na Meán for investigation.
I agree we need strong regulatory rules on sponsorship and product placement. I recently brought the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 though the Oireachtas, which put the regulation of video-on-demand services such as the RTÉ Player on a statutory footing for the first time.
Following the passage of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, section 46N of the Broadcasting Act now provides that Coimisiún na Meán may make media service codes which are binding on broadcasting and video-on-demand services, such as RTÉ television and the RTÉ Player. Furthermore, section 7(4)(c) of the Broadcasting Act provides that Coimisiún na Meán will have regard to climate change and environmental sustainability in the performance of its functions. Coimisiún na Meán has indicated that a consultation on the new media codes will be undertaken this quarter. This will be an opportunity to suggest amendments to the codes, including to the general commercial communications code.
I have also taken action to support programming in relation to climate action. Under the Climate Action Plan 2021, my Department and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications allocated €2.5 million each for a total of €5 million to the sound and vision scheme to promote media content which raises awareness of climate change and promotes action and behavioural change to combat it. That funding was awarded in December 2022 and will support ten radio projects and 15 television projects.
11:10 am
Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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I commend the Minister on the speed and effectiveness with which she has handled the crisis we are seeing in public service broadcasting. She has played a strong leadership role and she is continuing to play that strong leadership role with the answer she has just given me. That is very welcome news. The influence of advertising sponsorship and product placement is at the very front of the Minister’s mind when it comes to public service broadcasting. As she and all Members of the House will know, money buys influence. An incredible amount of money is spent on advertising every year. The whole point of advertising is to influence public opinion and consumer decisions. We cannot afford confusion among the public when it comes to climate action and what the right consumer decisions are with regard to climate action. That is why we need very strong oversight of advertising and programme sponsorship in this area.
Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I agree. That is why I think it is about the examination and whatever findings come out from that. It is also about what Coimisiún na Meán is doing, and we have strengthened its remit through the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act. As I said, Coimisiún na Meán has indicated in the work programme it published last week that it will be consulting on the making of media service codes this quarter with a view to bringing them in before the end of the year. Section 7(4)(c) of the Broadcasting Act provides that Coimisiún na Meán will have regard to climate change and environmental sustainability in the performance of its functions, and it will be no surprise to the Deputy that this is something I will be seeking as well. I will ask my officials to engage further with Coimisiún na Meán with regard to the making of the new media service codes and rules, including in regard to advertising, sponsorship, product placement rules and climate change.
Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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That is very good news. As I understand the Minister, the public will have an opportunity to contribute to the consultation on the Coimisiún na Meán code. With respect to advertising and regulation, we do this all the time and we have done it for very good reason, particularly in the area of public health and most notably with respect to regulating cigarettes and alcohol. There is a strong climate reason to regulate and to have very strong oversight of how money is spent on advertising, programme sponsorship and product placement with respect to climate, but it is not just with respect to climate. When I think about cars, there is actually a public health argument there as well. With respect to car advertising, which is strongly linked to climate change, we need to move from a car-oriented society to one that is not. Separate to the climate argument, there is also a public health argument. All of these things need to be looked at very seriously. I again commend the Minister on the leadership she is showing in the matter.
Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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As I said, given the examination I announced last week, I believe the terms of reference of the review of governance and culture provide for that assessment of the impact of RTÉ’s commercial income. I believe this aspect might be expected to address the impact of sponsorship, product placement and advertising on delivering a service that has the character of a public service. Confronting the climate crisis is one of the primary challenges facing our society.
As Ireland's media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán is independent in the exercise of its functions and this is a requirement of European law through Article 30 of the revised audiovisual media services directive. It is neither appropriate nor legally permissible for me to direct Coimisiún na Meán as regards the content of its media service code, but it will be consulting in regard to the making of the code with a view to bringing in its new media service code before the end of the year.