Independent radio in Ireland has played a key role in the delivery of public service broadcasting during the Covid pandemic and this ongoing role needs to be recognised and supported by Government.
That’s the key message to members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht from the organisation representing Ireland’s independent radio stations.
John Purcell, Chair of the IBI took part in yesterday's special session of the Oireachtas Committee with responsibility for Media on the subject of “The Future of Public Service Broadcasting”. The session was also addressed by Adrian Lynch, Director of Audience at RTE and Seamus Dooley, General Secretary of the NUJ.
Speaking to the Committee, John Purcell said that Irish radio, where listenership is currently experiencing record levels, is a unique success story in international media. He said that stations in the independent sector command 68.6% of all time spent listening to Irish radio during prime-time hours.
He thanked the Government for recognising the important role of independent radio as an essential service from the outset of the pandemic and for the temporary support provided to the sector over the Spring and Summer which ensured that the public service broadcasting provided by independent radio could continue.
He said that while the challenges of the pandemic persist, the support from the Government had largely gone. The most recent lockdown has been a further setback for the industry and seen further contraction in business activity most especially in relation to local advertising undertaken by small and medium sized businesses and which has especially impacted local radio stations.
The Committee was told that a massive downturn in commercial revenue due to the pandemic has exacerbated the already severe difficulties facing the independent radio sector due to disruption caused by the exponential growth of largely unregulated online commercial offerings.
Addressing the establishment by the Government of the Commission on the Future of Media, which is scheduled to produce a report next Summer, Purcell said that while the IBI welcomed the initiative and looked forward to engaging with the Commission, the IBI has serious concerns about the timeframe involved to implement necessary change.
He said that his organisation feared that by the time a report was produced, considered and measures to support Irish media debated and passed through the relevant Oireachtas Committees, Dail and Seanad, it will be at least mid - 2022 which may be too late to ensure the survival of many essential services provided by media operators.
Purcell said that the IBI will shortly meet with the Minister with responsibility for Media Reform, Catherine Martin. He said that while he welcomed her recognition of the important role of independent radio, measures to support the future viability of the Irish media sector and the maintenance of many public service functions could not await the outcome of the deliberations of the Commission on Media. He called on the Minister to take further urgent action to support the sector without delay.
