Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2023
210. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the inequalities of media support (details supplied) will be addressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54281/23]
View answerA strong and independent media sector is vitally important to our democracy and our society. Within this, radio continues to play a key role, evidenced by the latest JNLR report showing 80% of adults in Ireland tuning in daily. Radio news is a vital and trusted source of information for the public, particularly for local and regional services. The European Broadcasting Union found that it was the most trusted media across many European countries, including Ireland.
Given the importance of the radio sector, at my request Coimisiún na Meán have prepared a Report into the Economic Viability of the Commercial Radio Sector. The report was prepared with a view to:
• inform deliberations on any possible short-term measures that could support the sector;
• gaining an understanding of the dynamics of the current economic environment and its impact on the viability of the sector here;
• examine specific pressures identified in the context of underlying structural factors in the sector, including ownership structures; and,
• inform deliberations by Coimisiún na Meán on the structure of the levy or levies it is expected to introduce in 2024.
I have recently considered the report, and welcome the insights it provides into the sector, and the challenges and opportunities which it identifies. The report contains recommendations which An Coimisiún, as independent regulator, will need to consider further. It would not be appropriate for me to set out any detail on these recommendations until such time as An Coimisiún has undertaken this further consideration, and arranged for publication of the report.
With regard to any possible action regarding the levy payable to Coimisiún na Meán by radio stations in respect of meeting the costs of regulation, this is purely a matter for An Coimisiún and given their statutory independence, I have no role in relation to the levy. I do understand that An Coimisiún, given its sectoral development role, is acutely aware of the issues which the sector is facing.
The Deputy will be aware that the Future of Media Commission recommended introducing a new platform-neutral Media Fund which will provide supports to the wider media sector. Government accepted this proposal, and priority is being given to the development of a Local Democracy Reporting Scheme and a Courts Reporting Scheme for which I secured €6m in Budget 2024. These new schemes will be open to the radio sector, and will support news coverage at local, regional and national levels. A further Media Fund scheme to support News Reporting, will be developed by Coimisiún na Meán in due course as also recommended by the Future of Media commission.
Existing supports for the radio sector have been provided through the Sound and Vision Scheme which is administered by Coimisiún na Meán. Under the current legislation and general exemption for the Scheme from State Aid rules by the European Commission, news and current affairs programming cannot currently be supported through Sound and Vision. However, the Future of Media Commission recommended that this be reviewed, and this will be done next year.
In the meantime, this year I provided additional Exchequer funding for a special radio sector round of Sound and Vision which provided €2.4m in supports. The radio sector also received significant funding from other Sound and Vision rounds announced this year. 35 projects received a total of €543,000 from announcements made in August, while another 67 radio projects received €636,000 from Round 47 which was announced last April. The next round of funding is currently open for applicants and will again provide further supports to the radio sector in creating quality content for Irish audiences right throughout the country.
