Written answers

Thursday, 11 November 2021

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Covid-19 Pandemic

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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127. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her assessment of the challenges facing local media in a post-Covid-19 environment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55108/21]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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190. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her assessment of the challenges facing local media in a post-Covid environment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55052/21]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 190 together.

The local media sector has faced a fall in revenue arising from the pandemic, but also faces longer term challenges as a result of changing patterns of media consumption, technology and shifts in advertising revenue to online services.  I recognise the essential role that the local media plays and the particular value of local and regional newspapers and radio stations, including community radio, in sharing reliable and relevant local news and bringing communities together.

The Future of Media Commission was tasked with bringing forward recommendations to put media on a sustainable footing over the next decade. It has engaged comprehensively with stakeholders, including local media.   Its work has now been completed.  The report of the Commission has been submitted to An Taoiseach and myself and we are currently considering its contents in advance of bringing the matter to Government, after which the report will be published.

In terms of supports for the local print sector, I understand that at least €4.4 million was spent by Government on regional and local print advertising from March 2020 to date. Recently, my Department's campaign for Cruinniú na nÓg included a spend of €187,000 on local print advertising.

In relation to the local radio sector, I allocated additional funding to the Sound and Vision Scheme administered by the BAI in December 2020. This enabled a specific round of €2.48m  for the independent and local radio sector which was distributed in April 2021. This funding, which is Round 39 of the Sound and Vision 4 scheme, was in addition to a similar funding round of Sound and Vision that took place in 2020, together with a waiver of the broadcasting levy for the first half of that year, which was worth €1m to the sector.

Moreover, Government COVID-related advertising spend provided an additional €1.8m to the sector in Q2 2021 and 11 radio stations availed of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), receiving a total of €0.9m in Q2 of this year.

The BAI will continue to report to me on the financial status of the independent radio sector in the coming months. 

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