Presentation to Joint Oireachtas Committee - Communications, Climate Action & Environment 22nd November 2016

Broadcasting in Ireland

What is Public Service Broadcasting? Recognise & categorise Public Service programming You cannot fund what you cannot define! Public Service Broadcasting is: About content not organisational structure; Programmes the market cannot support;  News, speech, sport, access, reflect Irish culture & identity, enable discussion & debate of local, regional & national issues.  

Public Service Broadcasting Obligations RTÉ & TG4 Detailed legislative obligations, set out in 2009 legislation to provide public service content, including commitments for News and Current Affairs; Independent Radio Stations Detailed legislative obligations set out in 2009 legislation to provide public service content, including very specific commitments for News and Current Affairs. Detailed obligations aid down in license contract agreements between broadcaster & regulator

Local Radio Weekday Schedule

Radio..a hugely important Irish media JNLR Results Oct 2016 82% listening to radio daily Average listening 4 hours per day Market Share Any Independent Radio – 68.1% Any RTÉ Radio – 31.9%

Franchise Area Station Name Market Share RTÉ Radio1 Clare Clare FM 48.4% 16.3% Louth Meath LMFM 30.2% 26.6% Laois Offaly Westmeath Midlands 103 33.8% 24% Carlow Kilkenny KCLR 96FM 32.5% 21.5% Wexford South East Radio 39.5% 22.3% Wicklow East Coast FM 23.5% 24.8% Limerick Limerick’s Live 95FM 32.9% 19.8% Tipperary Tipp FM 36.2% 22.4% Waterford WLR FM 38.8% 18.4% Kildare Kfm 27.3% Kerry Radio Kerry 51.4% 19.6% Galway Galway Bay FM 29% 15.8% Mayo Midwest Radio 53.1% 13.6% Roscommon Longford Leitrim Cavan Monaghan Shannonside/Northern Sound 49.7% 14.8% Sligo South Donegal Ocean FM 35.8% 17.2% Donegal North Highland Radio 58.1% 9.9%

Put in context - Carlow Kilkenny - 10am-12pm Weekdays

Spot the difference Seán O’Rourke Pat Kenny RTÉ Radio 1 Newstalk Minister Katherine Zappone on childcare proposals Debate on best childcare options for families Diarmuid Ferriter on the history of birth control in Ireland Unilever pull products from UK shelves, could that happen in Ireland? 75 years of culinary arts training in DIT Elaine Mernagh, Ireland Refugee Solidary having returned from Calais Teresa Heeney on childcare proposals Debate on the Repeal of the 8th Amendment & its discussion by the Citizens Assembly History of Teachers Strikes US Presidential Election New book on Countess Markievicz Q&A wit Resident Vet Advice on security in the home

Threats to Public Service Broadcasting Market not able to support PSB content Radio Stations not able to continue providing resource levels required to continue with the current levels of PSB Erosion of Irish culture and identify Lack of social connection, reduction in sharing of local news, culture, social inclusion etc     Negative impact on democracy

Funding BAI Strategic Objective - Sectoral Sustainability - more ads for independent radio. This is not the answer Independent radio stations are closing (TXFM) and radio stations are cutting news & talk programmes due to lack of funding. Solutions have to be industry focused and cannot benefit one sector of the broadcasting industry while negatively impact on another sector    Time to act now to protect what we have and love - before we lose what makes independent radio unique

Actions Required Recognise the challenges facing Irish broadcast radio; Follow up on promise to scrap the BAI levy; Acknowledge that RTÉ is not the only Public Service Broadcaster Devise a transparent, value for money funding model that meets the needs of the audience Fund public service commitments on independent radio; Ensure diversity and an alternative view; Reflect local, regional and national identity, concerns; Information & coverage of events, issues; Reflect and support Irish culture; Incentive public service programming.

Fund for PSB on Independent Radio Support 20% news, current affairs & talk programme commitments set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009; Prospective, independently audited and assessed, measurable, with a focus on employment, digital and innovation. Programming content would include: News, sport and information bulletins; Key political discourse; Irish language and Culture Education – media literacy & links to educational institutions Reflect the lives of the listeners;

Appalling Vista Erosion of influence and use of media Lowest common denominator / click bait Local flavour lost No local or regional identity on radio Loss of diversity and plurality on the airwaves Our news comes from Google & Facebook! Negative impact on democracy especially at local level; Consolidation of stations – “A Heart in Every Town” 25 years of work by broadcasters, regulators and Government wasted & a return to a pre 1989 broadcasting landscape

And finally.... We have: A funding crisis; An editorial crisis; Readily available solutions. What’s missing...... the will to actually do something