Written evidence from RTÉ
RTÉ welcomes the opportunity to make
a submission to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee inquiry
into Television Broadcasting in Northern Ireland.
THE ROLE
OF PUBLIC
SERVICE BROADCASTING
RTÉ believes that Public Service Broadcasting
(PSB) is central to the democratic, cultural and economic well-being
of a nation, and this is especially true for small nations. In
a recent address concerning the nature and further of PSB in Europe,
to the Cleraun Media Forum 2009, Helen Shaw, Athena Media and
formerly of RTÉ, stated that:
The Commission's Amsterdam Protocol on Public
Broadcasting defines PBS's key role as "disseminating information",
defines it within the "democratic, social and cultural needs"
of the members states and "the need to preserve media plurality".[22]
That remains at the core of the PBS identity—to provide
trustworthy information which safeguards a plural democracy.
But PBS, largely through the influence of Lord
Reith, has also come to mean cultural goods, arts, music, sports
and entertainment which have ensured strong content brands across
Europe from NRK in Norway to RAI in Italy, brands which are distinctly
different in form and shape, but which are now seen as a core
part of the society.
Addressing the same conference Blair Jenkins
of the Scottish Broadcasting Commission emphasised the role of
PSB as being "even more important in the digital age than
it has been in the era of analogue broadcasting"[23]
while speaking of Scotland, as a devolved nation of the UK, in
the context of the 2009 Digital Britain Report.
On 13 November 2008, Ofcom's Public Service
Broadcasting Conference in Belfast—Towards a Sustainable
Future—provided Briefing Notes which stated the
following:
There is a degree of plurality in the media
landscape in Northern Ireland not found elsewhere in the UK and
cross-border broadcasting may offer scope for new commercial partnerships
with a public service dimension.
RTÉ is on record to have stated that
it is eager to play its part in supporting plurality in Northern
Ireland and would be glad to see provision made for the carriage
of its services to all the communities of Northern Ireland. In
addition, RTÉ has been active in supporting the independent
production sector in Northern Ireland and would envisage continuing
that support in the future. RTÉ further notes the discussion
concerning the provision of indigenous language provision in Northern
Ireland, and refers to Ofcom's Second Public Service Broadcasting
Review, Phase One: The Digital Opportunity Consultation document,
which stated that Ofcom recognised "the importance of
obtaining secure and widespread distribution for TG4 in Northern
Ireland and the prospects for similar distribution of RTÉ"
(Section 9.101).
Policy issues of social inclusion, media pluralism
and media literacy are paramount to the ethos of PSB, in Ireland
as in the UK and elsewhere. These are the hallmarks of a democratic
digital society where all citizens have access to information
and knowledge.
With regard to Indigenous Language Programming
in Northern Ireland, also an integral aspect of PSB, Ofcom posed
the following question in its Second Public Service Broadcasting
Review, Phase One: The Digital Opportunity Consultation document:
What about Irish language and Ulster Scots
programming?
Indigenous language broadcasting is an important
part of the UK's PSB landscape and there are formal obligations
regarding broadcasting in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish arising
from both the European Charter for Minority Languages and existing
UK legislation. In the case of Northern Ireland, the Good Friday
Agreement commits the Government to making TG4 available
in Northern Ireland, and Ofcom has already pointed the way for
TG4 to become available on Freeview in Northern Ireland after
digital switchover in 2012. The Agreement commits the Government
to supporting Irish language production in Northern Ireland as
well. Ofcom has also recognised that Ulster Scots is important
to audiences in Northern Ireland.
We welcome the proposals from BBC Northern Ireland
to increase the amount of Irish language and Ulster Scots programming.
However, there are perceived concerns at the lack of a consistent
approach to government funding for indigenous languages in Northern
Ireland in the long term.
In its Response to that Consultation RTÉ
is on record as having stated the following:
In this regard, RTÉ fully supports the
provision of TG4 services in Northern Ireland. While language
is only one part of a complex set of identities, nevertheless
the significance of the various indigenous languages of Northern
Ireland cannot be over-emphasised in this particular context.
RTÉ wishes to re-state that RTÉ
has a statutory obligation to broadcast in the Irish language
as the first national language of Ireland. RTÉ currently
operates an all-Irish radio service, RTÉ Raidió
na Gaeltachta; provides an annual subvention of one hour's programming
per day to TG4; as well as investing in specific home-produced
and acquired Irish language programming in television and radio
schedules. The RTÉ website also publishes Irish language
material online. RTÉ services, therefore, are bilingual.
RTÉ has been pleased to work with the independent sector
in Northern Ireland and to assist in submissions to the Irish
Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF) also.[24]
Therefore RTÉ, as Ireland's primary PSB,
fully supports the important role of PSB for people living in
Northern Ireland, and if RTÉ can assist by extending its
services to Northern Ireland, it would be very glad to do so.
Ofcom is on record as stating that RTÉ has a unique contribution
to make regarding the plurality of television services in Northern
Ireland.
DIGITAL SWITCHOVER
As the UK roll-out of its digital switchover
strategy continues, the switchover for Northern Ireland is scheduled
to happen during 2012.[25]
To date no definite date has been set by the Irish Government
although both 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2012 have
been mentioned in Government documents.
Arising from the RRC '06 International
Frequency Spectrum Co-ordination conference, bilateral meetings
are continuing between the Republic of Ireland and the UK: issues
of co-ordination across the border with Northern Ireland are primary
in these ongoing discussions.
With regard to digital switchover in Northern
Ireland, it is likely that RTÉ services in Northern Ireland
will be lost to many viewers there who will be affected when the
switchover happens in 2012. This will have a significant impact
on the cultural diversity of the television landscape in Northern
Ireland. For this reason RTÉ is interested to engage with
the UK Government to see if some way of legitimately providing
free-to-air RTÉ services in Northern Ireland could be considered
for the future.
The advent of the free-to-air Digital Terrestrial
Television (DTT) platform in Britain and Northern Ireland, and
soon in the Republic of Ireland, provides a unique opportunity
for broadcasters to contribute to the further establishment of
peace and reconciliation and play a part in supporting the normalization
of Northern Irish, and indeed Irish, society by allowing for the
full expression of "all traditions and identities on the
island" free-to-air in both jurisdictions.
During 2008, RTÉ was happy to respond
to Ofcom's Second Public Service Broadcasting Review, Phase
Two: Preparing for the digital future Consultation in December.
In June 2008 RTÉ also responded to Ofcom's Second
Public Service Broadcasting Review, Phase One: The Digital Opportunity
Consultation, with specific reference to the provision of RTÉ
services in Northern Ireland; as well as the importance of cross-border
collaboration and co-ordination of spectrum frequency planning
and DTT deployment. The Ofcom Second Public Service Broadcasting
Review specifically referred to RTÉ and its services
under a number of headings, and while the major focus concerned
the provision of free-to-air Irish language television services,
the Consultation document also opened a wider debate concerning
the distribution of RTÉ services in Northern Ireland.
THE ROLE
OF LOCAL
NEWS
Regional consumption patterns, evident in every
society, are strongly apparent in Ireland notwithstanding the
small size of the island and the relatively small population.
News services, whether in print or broadcast media, evidence particularly
strong geographical allegiances. RTÉ's schedule always
has featured scheduled News programmes as an anchor in the programmes
schedule and this will continue to be the case. News audiences
are consistently high, spiking upwards around major national and
regional events. In this context the experience is that regional
and local interests are a very strong driver of news services.
Within the analogue environment, linear news broadcasting features
regional contributions to optimum effect within general bulletins.
However within the fully digital environment the opportunity to
opt out/in to regional and local services will greatly increase,
allowing viewers the chance to enhance their local experience
via the national service.
Within this environment it is undoubted that
regional factors will drive greater demand and uptake for cross-Border
offerings; viewers in Donegal/Derry, in Monaghan/Armagh to take
just two examples, will experience shared interest in events,
stories and cultural and sporting activities taking place within
the broader common neighbourhood. It is predictable that plurality
and the demand for access to a pluralist offering will increase.
Finally, it is to be noted that Ofcom, in their
submission to DCAL[26]
regarding the importance of local news stated the following:
Ofcom's research, as part of the Review of Public
Service Broadcasting, shows that people in Northern Ireland value
local news and current affairs programming more than any other
region of the UK. Strong audience demand and competition has led
to both BBC and UTV providing news and current affairs coverage
that is perceived to be of a high quality here.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
AND OTHER
PROGRAMMING
Current Affairs programming is an evident element
of the RTÉ programme offering which can be of direct relevance
to the Northern Ireland viewership. Surveyed viewing figures in
January 2009 showed two editions of Prime Time, the main
RTÉ current affairs vehicle, among the 20 most watched
RTÉ programmes in Northern Ireland. Given the political
axes operating between Dublin, London and Belfast in respect of
Northern Ireland's political affairs, the view from Dublin on
aspects of Northern events is not simply an alternative editorial
view but represents a material perspective. RTÉ's coverage
of Northern Irish events is naturally related to the changing
news agenda and to the fluctuating political cycle, but coverage
of party political activity and of policing and related matters
is and will remain a recurring element of RTÉ Current Affairs
coverage. RTÉ's recent investment in its Northern Ireland
studios and continued staff presence in Belfast is a strong indicator
of commitment.
Beyond the harder political agenda, subject
matter of material interest in Northern Ireland includes coverage
of cross-border shopping; health service co-operation; transport
infrastructure; smuggling; joint tourism initiatives and other
recurring stories. The Northern Ireland business community has
also, across the period of the Republic's economic growth up to
recent times, paid increasing attention to reportage and coverage
of business affairs in Dublin and as seen from Dublin. The perspective
on Eurozone activity offered via RTÉ in Dublin is additional
to what might be obtained from a UK-based broadcaster.
Outside Current Affairs, RTÉ programming
clearly already has established appeal within the population of
Northern Ireland. Major international sporting events on RTÉ
such as Republic of Ireland soccer and GAA will draw sizeable
audiences in Northern Ireland. Six Nations Rugby, though also
provided on BBC, earned 9% audience share on RTÉ Two in
March. Outside these special events, scheduled regular programming
is of evident appeal. Viewer share figures for The Late Late
Show on Friday nights, registering 14.6% in January 09 and
14.2% in March are, sizeable minority audiences within the overall
Northern Ireland audience. The All-Ireland Talent Show,
an entertainment series with a competitive regional dynamic including
Ulster, also earned good audiences near the 9% mark.
The simplest conclusion to be drawn from these
figures is that a minor but significant portion of the Northern
Ireland population is already choosing RTÉ services, based
on less than complete access to the population. Spontaneous plurality
is already in evidence.
THE PLACE
OF BROADCASTING
IN A
DEVOLVED NATION
OF THE
UK
Therefore it is evident that the role of broadcasting
is ever increasing within the devolved nations and region of the
UK. RTÉ is glad that its services can be enjoyed by people
within Northern Ireland, and RTÉ is therefore very glad
to engage in this debate.
18 December 2009.
22 http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/AEC22B86-DE99-4A48-8B1F-525D504CEDBA/0/1ProtocolonPublicServiceBroadcasting_Amsterdam_Protocol.pdf
(May 1999); see http://www.cleraun.com/download/PSB_a_bright_newfuture.pdf Back
23
http://www.cleraun.com/download/A_new_vision_for_public_service_broadcasting_in_Scotland.pdf Back
24
RTÉ submission to Ofcom's Second Public Service Broadcasting
Review, Phase Two: Preparing for the digital future-4 December
2008 Back
25
http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/ Back
26
http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/CCE_DCAL.pdf Back
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