BAI seeks register of presenters’ interests

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is to ask the Government to bring in legislation to facilitate the establishment of a register of the financial interests of TV and radio presenters.

The BAI has excluded the proposed register of interests from a new code on fairness and objectivity in the presentation of news and current affairs as a result of concerns raised by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

The BAI said it was not proceeding with its original plans to introduce such a register, whereby individuals with an editorial role in news and current affairs on television and radio would be required to state financial or commercial relationships because of such concerns.

However, the code does include a more general rule on the management of conflicts of interest.

=BAI chairman Bob Collins, launching its Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs yesterday, expressed disappointment that it could not proceed with the register but said it had been identified as “a desirable objective”.

Instead, it will ask Pat Rabbitte, the communications minister, to consider possible legislative changes which would allow the establishment of a register of interests for presenters.

The code requires all current affairs programming to be fair to all interests concerned and presented in an objective and impartial manner. Among its main rules is one which prohibits presenters from stating their own views on a news topic.

Another rule will require television and radio stations to put in place appropriate policies and procedures for handling contributions to shows via social media.

Mr Collins — a former director general of RTÉ — rejected any suggestion the new code was a response to the Prime Time Investigates defamation of Galway priest Fr Kevin Reynolds, or the use of a bogus tweet in The Frontline presidential debate.

Mr Collins said work on the code had been in train for some time but he acknowledged that it dealt with contemporary issues.

A total of 79 submissions were received as part of a consultation process which included contributions from broadcasters, journalists, and members of the public.

A BAI survey found that 47% of respondents said secret recordings which could only be used in exceptional circumstances under the terms of new code were acceptable, while 44% said they were unacceptable.

BAI chief executive Michael O’Keeffe said the authority had tried to balance the right of broadcasters and journalists to present news and current affairs in a stimulating and robust manner with the need to ensure fairness, objectivity, and impartiality.

“Critically the code is designed to promote audience trust in the broadcast media,” said Mr O’Keeffe.

* The new code will come into operation on Jul 1.