Written answers
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
Broadcasting Services
9:00 pm
Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context
Question 546: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if, in view of the announcement that RTÃ will be free to air in the North of Ireland and BBC in the South of Ireland, this arrangement will include their respective Internet players, RTÃ Player in the North of Ireland and the BBC iPlayer in the South of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7611/10]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context
The Memorandum of Understanding that I signed with my UK counterpart, Secretary of State Ben Bradshaw, MP, on 1 February 2010 deals with broadcast services and related radio spectrum issues in the context of the provision of digital terrestrial services on the island of Ireland.
The Memorandum aims to facilitate the widespread availability of RTÃ in Northern Ireland and BBC in the south. It is my intention that RTÃ services will be available on a 'free-to-air' basis throughout the island of Ireland. The manner in which BBC services will be provided will, in the first instance, be a matter for the BBC.
The Memorandum does not encompass the provision of public broadcast services on other platforms, such as the Internet, and the availability of the BBC iPlayer services in Ireland is a commercial matter for the BBC.
In regard to the availability of the RTÃ Player, I can confirm that, on 12 January 2010, RTÃ became one of the first broadcasters in the world to launch a comprehensive international online TV catch-up service when it made its Internet-based RTÃ Player service available on a worldwide basis.
A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding is available on www.dcenr.ie.
No comments