The Independent Broadcasters of Ireland claim broadcasting policy in Ireland is “totally letting down the nation’s independent radio stations and their millions of listeners”.
The IBI is calling for a “level playing-field and for urgent action” amid claims that the State us failing to produce measures to support the needs of radio stations in the sector.
In a statement to Clare FM, the IBI says “broadcasting policy has clearly focussed its attention on providing hundreds of millions of euro of funding to RTE. Zero public funding is being provided to independent radio to support the provision of its core news and current affairs public service broadcasting. This is while RTE is being guaranteed in excess of €720 million in funding over three years (a figure which excludes RTE’s commercially generated revenue). The funding decisions for RTE appear to have been taken without any consideration being given to the effects on the independent sector. Independent stations believe that this situation will lead to serious market distortion”.
“Meanwhile a number of Schemes are being implemented, which quite simply will not work – they are misdirected and impractical, and do not address the issues facing the sector in any meaningful way. The schemes are so unfit-for-purpose that despite intensive work by individual radio stations, they have been unable to find any way in which the schemes can be made work in helping stations meet their existing public service broadcasting obligations. This is because the schemes specifically rule out support for core news and current affairs and only fund “additional” content, they adopt a one-size fits all approach to different media sectors, and they promote precarious employment with no assurance that they will continue”.
“The schemes in their current form are described by the independent sector as “an ill thought-out gig economy solution” which is totally unsuitable for radio”.
“After more than 18 months of seeking changes to make the schemes work for the independent radio sector it was with great disappointment and reluctance that each of the independent individual stations, separately and after intensive efforts, concluded that the design and operation of the Schemes meant it was not possible to make them work. These were decisions by each of the stations which starkly shows how unfit-for-purpose the schemes are”.
Ahead of Budget 2025, the IBI says stations are willing to work with the Media Minister, the Department and the Regulation to “make the necessary changes to schemes” in order to meet the needs of independent stations.
