It is vital that the Irish public have a readily available, reliable source of information on COVID 19 and the measures being put in place to tackle the crisis, and the radio sector has played a valuable role in this regard. At my request, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) agreed to waive levy payments for the independent radio sector in quarters 1 and 2 2020, which will save the sector €1m. This waiver covers all independent radio at national, regional and local level including community radio. The BAI are reporting to me on the impact of these measures and the financial state of the commercial radio sector.
I welcome last week’s announcement by the BAI of the awarding of Sound and Vision funding to 32 independent commercial radio stations. This €2.5m round of funding recognises the financial pressures that commercial radio stations are facing as a result of falling advertising revenue. They play a key role in sharing reliable information on Covid 19 and bringing local communities together as we continue to manage the pandemic. The funding will enable the stations to continue their valuable role in raising awareness and supporting the communities they serve.
I have also requested a separate funding round of €750,000 for community radio stations which will be progressed by the BAI over the summer with another round in the autumn for commercial television and public service broadcasters including public service radio.
