TG4 to get independence from RTÉ
The Irish-language station currently operates under RTÉ control and is supplied with 365 hours a year of free programming by the public broadcaster.
Communications, Marine and Natural resources Minister Noel Dempsey said he was committed to granting TG4 independence.
“On a recent visit to TG4, I saw at first hand the organisation at work. Less than nine years into its existence, TG4 is widely acknowledged as a success. It has won prestigious prizes and awards at national and international level,” he said.
The Government has appointed the Deloitte and Touche firm as consultants to draw up a plan for the break-up.
Under the Broadcasting Act 2001, it has the power to transfer the assets of TG4 to a new public corporation independent of RTÉ, called Telefís na Gaeilge.
However, RTÉ has expressed concerns that TG4 is underestimating the cost of independence. It puts the value of the programming and services it provides to the channel at €73 million.
The consultants will have to examine whether extra funding for TG4 should be put in place to compensate for this.
TG4 began broadcasting from its headquarters in Baile na hAbhann in Connemara, Galway in 1996 and around 800,000 people now tune into the station every day.
It invests over €15m annually in original programming from the independent production sector and has won the rights to broadcast live coverage of Wimbledon, the Tour de France and even the Dáil debates.
The station employs a core staff of 75 people and provides over seven hours a day of programming in Irish supported by a wide range of material in other languages.
The Department of Communications said it expected TG4 to achieve independence by early 2006.
