Minister launches TV licence review

Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey today announced the commencement of an independent review of the impact of the television licence fee on all broadcasters.

The decision that the review would be undertaken was a condition of last December's Government decision to increase the cost of a television licence by €2 for 2004.

The team to undertake the review will be headed up by a London based firm, Europe Economics, with expertise in economics and competition policy along with Irish based firms Curtin/Dorgan Associates and PWC.

"While the review will examine the impact of the licence fee in general on other broadcasters it will primarily focus on what impact, if any, it has on the radio and television advertising markets," said Minister Noel Dempsey.