Oireachtas committee to recommend increased State funding for RTÉ and other media

The Oireachtas media committee is chaired by Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Oireachtas media committee is to recommend increased state funding for RTÉ and other media outlets but the retention of commercial revenue streams.

In a report due to be launched later this week, the committee, which looked at RTÉ in the contest of broader funding for media, will also recommend the creation of "community media hubs" to support film-making, media production and training.

After multiple public hearings with current and former senior members of RTÉ, the committee has identified a number of issues across the areas of public service media funding, the status of community and regional content, digital development as well disinformation and misinformation.

Members of RTÉ will again appear before the committee on Tuesday before the report is published on Wednesday

Funding linked to 'public service objectives'

Senators and TDs have found that funding should be given out on a multi-annual basis and this will be awarded to media who set out how they will provide "high-level public service objectives".

The committee will also recommend that increased public funding sources be made available to Ireland’s statutory national broadcasters so they are "empowered to fully deliver on their public service remit, and particularly, in this regard, the provision of content catering to minority interest or interests".

Commercial funding

However, the committee, which is chaired by Fianna Fáil's Niamh Smyth, has accepted that advertising and other commercial funding is critically important to radio, television and other media as a form of income.

The report will therefore recommend that the dual funding model be retained subject to the development of appropriate safeguards and protocols to ensure that public service objectives are not undermined by commercial sponsorship of and advertising on public service programming; that there is full transparency on the usage of all forms of funding; and that public service media funding is not inappropriately used to support commercial content thereby distorting market conditions unfavourably.

Proposal to abolish TV licence

A proposal originally put forward by senator Malcom Byrne suggests the abolition of the television license fee and the funding of public service broadcasting and quality Irish content through exchequer funding.

To ensure independence, financial support would be provided through a fund that would be managed by Coimisiún na Meán.

The report also suggests that the rollout of a content levy to support Irish content creation should be expedited. This would apply to streamers.

Supports for Irish language broadcasting, sport and the encouragement of equality across the sector are also contained in the report.