Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
1669. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the 10% mandatory news coverage protection here is to be maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24953/16]
View answerThe Broadcasting Authority of Ireland was established by the Broadcasting Act 2009 to regulate content across all Irish broadcasting services and, in accordance with section 24 of that Act, the BAI is independent in the performance of its functions.
Section 39 of the Act states that sound broadcasters must devote not less than 20 per cent of broadcasting time to the broadcasting of news and current affairs programmes. Furthermore, section 39(3) of the Act allows the Authority to grant derogations to contractors from the obligation to provide 20 per cent news and current affairs programmes and all such derogations are granted in accordance with the BAI's Broadcasting Services Strategy which is available on the BAI's website at www.bai.ie.
This Strategy requires that any derogation must have regard to the innovative nature of the proposed alternative schedule, the impact of the derogation on the overall quality of news and current affairs output in the relevant area and the contribution the derogation would be likely to make to the diversity and quality of news and current affairs output for the relevant audience.
In the case of national and local broad-format radio services operating on the FM band, for example, the BAI permits a derogation from this obligation between the hours of 1am and 7am. Derogations are also considered in the case of music-driven, youth and niche services.
I have no plans to amend these provisions of the Broadcasting Act.
