Scheme offers broadcasters €12.9m slice of licence fee

COMMERCIAL broadcasters will be now be able to bid for an €12.9 million slice of the licence fee to produce cultural and adult literacy programmes.

The Broadcasting Funding Scheme was launched yesterday to encourage more commercial and state broadcasters to record aspects of the State’s heritage which are disappearing.

The three-year scheme will be financed through the allocation of 5% of the annual television licence fee, which amounted to €8.3m in 2003.