NUJ concern at impact of delayed reform of public service broadcasting
Statement by Séamus Dooley, NUJ Irish Secretary.
The Irish Secretary of the National Union of Journalists Séamus Dooley has warned that "the necessary and welcome external investigation into the management and administrative culture at RTÉ" should not be used as a reason to further delay the wider reform of public service broadcasting in Ireland.
In a statement ahead of this week’s meeting of the Oireachtas committee on media he urged public representatives to “resist the temptation to deliver a punishment beating to RTÉ which could harm independent producers, national and regional media outlets including TG4 and to employees in the broadcasting sector.”
He added:
“I fully understand the annoyance and frustration felt across the country at this week’s revelations regarding the undisclosed payments to Ryan Tubridy. That anger is felt by NUJ members across the country.
"From an NUJ perspective, we welcome the external review announced by the Minister and look forward to the terms of reference. However, we have a concern about the timescale and the apparent intention not to proceed with the implementation of a new public service broadcasting model in Ireland until that investigation is completed.
“A lengthy investigation should not inflict harm on the sector or add to uncertainty. That would not be in the public interest.
"I was deeply disappointed by the tone adopted by the Minister of State Patrick O'Donovan on the RTÉ This Week programme. He seemed to think that reform of the licence fee is some sort of favour to RTÉ rather than a necessary measure to enhance public service broadcasting in Ireland. He displayed a woeful ignorance of the current funding model of public serving broadcasting.
“That review is already behind schedule and followed a 12-month delay in publishing the Report of the Future of Media Commission. If the promised reform is paused for a lengthy period, it will do serious damage to public service broadcasting in Ireland beyond RTÉ.
“The wider financial crisis in RTÉ has its origins in the failure to reform the licence fee, including the collection system. Staff have endured pain because of that failure. There needs to be a balance between addressing the corporate governance failures in RTÉ and ensuring that those who serve the public through their work are given the resources to do so.
"NUJ members working across the public service broadcasting sector should not have to suffer because of the actions of as yet unidentified individuals who have broken the trust of the Irish people.
"At the heart of RTÉ is a dedicated team of people who were not involved or awareness of what transpired this week.”