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Media Pluralism

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2013

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Questions (96)

Seán Fleming

Question:

96. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the key points of his recent address at a seminar on media pluralism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20219/13]

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Written answers

The event to which the Deputy refers was organised by the Institute for International and European Affairs and was held on the 22nd of March. It was titled ‘Media Pluralism and Freedom in a Connected Europe’, and provided an opportunity to discuss some important trends that are emerging across Europe in relation to media. Other speakers included Commissioner Neelie Kroes, who is Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for the Digital Agenda and Lord David Puttnam, our Digital Ambassador. Professor Herta Däubler-Gmelin, who was one of the members of EU High Level Group on Media Freedom and Pluralism, and a former German Minister for Justice was also present.

My address focused on the central role of media in society, and particularly around the deeper structural trends emerging from the impact of technological change and the consequent shifts in the economics of media across Europe, and indeed the world. In short, this has involved the rise of a large and diverse online media, a trend which has already posed a profound challenge to print media, a process which is likely to progressively extend into television and audio-visual media over the coming years.

Online media has some very positive aspects and is genuinely important in terms of extending media plurality and as a commercial development. However, it may also fracture and disaggregate audiences and may even ensure that the scale and degree of editorial competence that traditionally existed in newspapers cannot be easily replicated. Conversely, it may well facilitate the rise of multi-national converged media operators, something which may prove a challenge in terms of assuring media plurality in years to come.

The event was an extremely interesting and worthwhile one, and raised a great many issues that will undoubtedly be the subject of discussions in years to come. If the Deputy is looking for further information, the text of my address in on my Department’s website, and I gather that videos of all the presentations are available on the IIEA’s website.

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