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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 31 Jan 2017

Vol. 936 No. 3

Media Ownership Bill 2017: First Stage

I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Competition Act 2002 in order to retrospectively and hereinafter protect both diversity of ownership and control of media businesses in the State and the plurality of the media; and to include content in the context of a changed media environment where readership and listenership figures are not adequate measures of potential reach.

The basis of the Bill is the vital place free and pluralistic media have in a vigorous and vibrant democracy. One would have to have been living under a rock to be completely unaware of the increasing fears regarding freedom of the press and the escalation of fake news and dubious facts. One of the safest ways to mitigate against fake news or partisan reporting is to do everything in our power to protect the diversity of ownership in the media landscape. This issue has raised its head for decades. In 1973, the National Union of Journalists expressed concerns with regard to media plurality and various flashpoints have arisen over the years. However, nothing has been done to change the ever increasing concentration of media ownership in an ever declining number of hands.

We are awaiting a decision on whether Independent News and Media, INM, will be allowed to proceed with the acquisition of the Celtic Media Group, a move which would result in INM increasing its substantial dominance of the print media by effectively controlling the bulk of regional newspapers across the island of Ireland. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, in what can only be described as a curious move, approved the acquisition and the Minister has put the question out for public consultation before making a final decision. The reason I describe the BAI's decision as curious is that the media merger guidelines of 2015 make reference to a significant interest test on the notion of the public interest not being served by allowing any one individual or undertaking to hold more than 20% of a stake in the media business. Despite this, the majority shareholder in INM holds in excess of 20% because the guidelines were to be applied for future shareholdings only. It is worth noting that the majority shareholder in INM is also the owner of the Communicorp Group, the company which owns the vast majority of radio stations outside the public service broadcaster.

My experience during the Siteserv controversy and the ensuing media blackout of my speech, with the exception of broadsheet.ie, The Sunday Times and Village magazine, brought home to me the acute need for impartial and fearless media. That someone with such dominance of ownership could also chill other outlets outside his control made a stark point to me. There have been stories from former employees of INM and Communicorp about ownership influence on editorial content and so on. These are the very reasons this issue is of utmost importance.

The Bill seeks to rebalance the media landscape by reconstituting media plurality in Ireland. Media plurality has the potential to be compromised by the ability of some key players and a small but increasing number of others to gain a stake of more than 20% in media businesses. We cannot be complacent in assuming that what has happened in other countries and is currently happening with regard to fake news and powerful interests controlling the public debate could not happen here. It most certainly could unless we take significant and forceful steps to ensure it does not.

Is the Bill being opposed?

Question put and agreed to.

Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time.

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Question put and agreed to.
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