THE CONTEMPORARY BROADCASTING

ENVIRONMENT FOR CHURCHES

Michael O’KeeffeChief ExecutiveBCI

INTRODUCTION

• Background

• Regulatory Functions of the BCI

• Broadcasting Environment for Churches

LEGISLATION

• Radio and Television Act 1988– IRTC

• Broadcasting Act 2001– BCI

• Broadcasting (Funding) Act 2003

• Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007

• Broadcasting Bill (BAI) – 2008 ?

CURRENT REGULATORY FUNCTIONS

• Licensing – Radio and Television

• Broadcasting Standards – Codes and Rules

• Compliance and Monitoring – General / Programming

• Training and Development

• Funding Support for Programmes

• Research and Information

• Engineering

TYPES OF SERVICES CURRENTLY LICENSED

• National Radio

• Regional Radio

• Local Commercial

• Special Interest Commercial

• Community and Community of Interest

• Institutional

• Temporary

KEY LICENSING PRINCIPLES

• Diversity of Services

• Efficient Use of Spectrum

• Viability

LICENSING

• Increase range of commercial (3 year plan)

• Expand community sector

• New television services – cable, MMD, satellite

LICENSING (2007 Act)

• Digital Terrestrial Television - DTT

• Digital Audio Broadcasting - DAB

STANDARDS – CODES AND RULES

• Children’s Advertising Code

• Access Rules

• Code of Programme Standards

• General Advertising Code

• Minuteage Rules

• Fairness, Balance, Impartiality

STANDARDS - PROCESS

• Phased Approach to Introduction of Codes

• Public Consultation

• Workshops/Seminars with Broadcasters Advertisers

• Guidelines at Implementation

COMPLIANCE FUNCTION

• New Compliance Policy 2006

• Annual Performance Reviews

• Monitor Programme Recordings

• Guidance to Stations

• General Contractual Obligations

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

• Desire to develop a training culture with a view to improving standards

• BCI to work strategically in partnership with industry

RESEARCH

• To undertake and produce research to support policy development in all broadcasting-related areas of the Commission’s work

• To co-ordinate and manage the commissioning of external research projects

• To monitor broadcasting-related research developments at a national and international level

INFORMATION FUNCTION

• General point of contact for press, industry and general public queries

• Management and co-ordination of BCI publications and events

• BCI website

• Administers BCI’s Freedom of Information requests

ENGINEERING

• Frequency Planning

• Licensing

• Compliance

• Technical Interface

BROADCASTING (FUNDING) SCHEME

• Production of new radio and TV programmes – 5% of license fee

• Irish culture, heritage, experience, adult literacy, Irish language

• First round launched November ’05

• €40M allocated in four rounds

• 175 TV programmes; 231 radio programmes

BROADCASTING ACT 2008 ?

• Establishment of BAI

• Regulation of all Content

BROADCASTING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHURCHES

• Licensing

• Standards

LICENSING

• Quasi-National Service• Primarily Medium Wave and FM Fill-in

Frequencies• Spirit Radio

- 70:30 Music:Speech

- Donations/Advertising Funding Model

- Commence Broadcasting 2009

LICENSING – OTHER

• FM Service in Cork • Special Event Licences• Limited Opportunities on FM• Programming within Local Radio Stations • DAB may offer greater potential

CODE OF PROGRAMME STANDARDS

• Objectives

- Responsible Broadcasting

- Acknowledge Diversity of Tastes and Interests • Principles

- General Community Standards

- Context is Key Factor• Rules

- Eight in Total

- Persons and Groups in Society

PERSONS AND GROUPS IN SOCIETY

“Broadcasters shall take measures to prevent undue offence in the treatment of religious views, beliefs or images during programme material. This is not intended to prevent the critical scrutiny of religion.”

STANDARDS – GENERAL ADVERTISING CODE

• Objectives, Principles, Rules

• Religious Advertising

• Political Advertising

• Trocaire Issue

STANDARDS – CODE ON FAIRNESS, BALANCE AND IMPARTIALITY

• Currently being developed

• Research, consultation, implementation

BROADCASTING COMPLAINTS

COMMISSION (BCC)

• Separate Role to BCI

• Provision of Secretariat

• BCI Codes used as Benchmark to Assess Complaints

CONCLUDING REMARKS

• Information on all of the Functions on Website• www.bci.ie• Resource Centre

Thank You