I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 278 together.
I recognise the essential role of the local print media sector as the providers of reliable and relevant local news. The importance of a strong and independent media sector has been highlighted in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The production and publication of newspapers, journals and periodicals and the distribution of those publications has been listed as an essential service.
The sector faces a fall in revenue arising from the pandemic, but also longer term challenges as a result of changing patterns of media consumption, technology and shifts in advertising revenue.
In recognition of these longer term challenges, the Programme for Government provided for the establishment of the Future of Media Commission to consider the future of print, broadcast, and online media in a platform agnostic fashion. The Commission, chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, recently concluded a public consultation to which a number of stakeholders in the print sector have made submissions. The Commission is currently in the process of engaging with key stakeholders in a series of thematic dialogues. I look forward to receiving the Commission's Report on the completion of its work which will inform media policy, including print media, over the next 10 years.
Commercial radio is supported by a statutory scheme provided for under Part 10 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 and largely funded by the television licence. This scheme is limited by statute to audiovisual and sound media and is administered on an independent basis by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. There is no equivalent statutory scheme for the print sector but recommending an approach to the longer term sustainability of media, including the print sector, is among the matters to be considered by the Future of Media Commission. In terms of specific supports for the sector, it is of particular importance in relation to media organisations to avoid any perception of Government interference or influence and the funding of newspapers is therefore a complex issue.
I am however cognisant of the importance of this sector, and the financial issues which it currently faces. The Government has put in place a range of supports for all businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which are available to local newspapers.
Since I assumed formal responsibility for the media sector in September 2020, I have engaged in meeting key stakeholders including Newsbrands, Local Ireland and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). Work is continuing to explore the issues arising, with a follow up meeting between my officials and the NUJ taking place on 3rd February. I had a further meeting with Local Ireland on Wednesday 17th February and I have asked my officials to continue engagement with Local Ireland to further explore the issues facing the sector.
My officials have also raised with the Government Information Service the importance of including the local print sector in Government advertising spend, and I understand that the sector received €3.4m of advertising spend related to COVID-19 in 2020. The sector is also included in the current resilience campaign.
The enactment of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill and the consequent establishment of a Media Commission is a commitment in the Programme for Government. Following Government approval of additional provisions on 8 December 2020, the finalised General Scheme was published and the Department is working closely with the Office of the Attorney General in relation to the drafting of the Bill. The General Scheme was also referred to the relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee for pre-legislative scrutiny which has now commenced.
A free and pluralistic media is an essential component of a democratic society as the over concentration of media ownership into a small number of hands represents a potential harm to media plurality and runs counter to the public interest. In this context, the Competition Act 2002 (as amended) provides that all media mergers must be notified to me and that I must make a determination within 30 working days as to whether or not the proposed media merger may proceed based on an assessment of its impact on the plurality of media in the State. Every Ministerial determination since the establishment of the process has been made within the statutory 30 working day timeline.
The review of the Defamation Act 2009 is a matter for the Minister for Justice.
