Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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35. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she is taking to facilitate a national policy debate on the issue of the financial health of the Irish media further to the review of the strategic communications unit by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36126/20]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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72. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she is taking to support a thriving independent Irish media further to the review of the strategic communications unit by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36127/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 72 together.

Well-functioning media systems, and in particular public service broadcasting, deliver four important public services to Irish society;

- To inform, educate and entertain the Irish public with regard to matters of Irish culture, identity, sport, language and other matters inherent to Ireland and the Irish people;

- To ensure that the public has access to high quality, impartial, independent journalism, reporting on matters of local, regional, national, European and international importance in a balanced way and which contributes to democratic discourse;

- To bring the nation and diaspora together at moments of great national importance;

- To ensure that creative Irish talent gets the opportunity to have their work reach audiences in Ireland and, where possible, further afield

The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, in recognition of the importance of a sustainable Irish media sector, provided for the establishment of the Future of Media Commission, which is tasked with considering the future of print, broadcast, and online media in a platform agnostic fashion.

On 29 September 2020 the Government agreed the terms of reference and membership of the Future of Media Commission. The Commission is chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, former President of Dublin City University, and includes experts in public service media, independent journalism, social media, new technology platforms, media economics, culture, language, creative content, governance and international best practice.

The goals of the Independent Commission are to:

- Identify what the Irish experience has been in delivering the above aims through public service broadcasters, other broadcasters, print and online media at a local, regional and national level and the challenges created for these media by new global platforms and changing audience preferences in relation to how content is delivered;

- Consider the extent to which the current models of delivery are the appropriate ones the next 10 years;

- Review best practice in other comparable jurisdictions, particularly across the European Economic Area in terms of providing future-proofed models for meeting the above four public services in light of changing audience expectations, in particular the preferences and behaviours of younger audiences

The Commission is tasked with:

- proposing how those public service aims should be delivered in Ireland over the next ten years;

- how this should contribute to supporting Ireland’s cultural and creative sectors;

- how this work can be funded in a way that is sustainable, gives greater security of funding, ensures independent editorial oversight and delivers value for money to the public;

- making recommendations on RTE’s role, financing and structure within this framework;

- How this is overseen and regulated, having regard to our EU obligations including the requirements of the revised Audio-visual Media Services Directive.

The Members of the Future of Media Commission are:

- Chair of the Commission, Professor Brian MacCraith, former President of Dublin City University

- Sinéad Burke, Director of Tilting the Lens, writer and academic active in social media, and member of the Council of State

- Alan Rusbridger, Chair of the Steering Committee of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, and former Editor-in-Chief of Guardian News and Media

- Lynette Fay, freelance broadcaster (broadcasting as Gaeilge and in English on BBC Radio Ulster) with an academic background in applied communications

- Nuala O’Connor, co-founder of South Wind Blows, writer and documentary filmmaker in the areas of music and the Arts

- Gillian Doyle, Professor of Media Economics (Theatre, Film and Television Studies), University of Glasgow

- Mark Little, CEO and co-Founder of Kinzen. Founder of social news agency, Storyful

- Stephen McNamara, Director of Communications, Irish Rugby Football Union

- Dr Finola Doyle-O’Neill, Broadcast Historian, University College Cork

- Siobhan Holliman. Deputy Editor of The Tuam Herald and Press Council member

The Commission held their first two meetings on 29th October and 12th November. Their deliberations will be informed by strong engagement with stakeholders and the public. The Commission will report in 9 months.