Broadcasting Commission of Ireland OK with Broadcasting Authority of Ireland

[BGonaSTICK]

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) has today warmly welcomed the publication of the Broadcasting Bill, 2008.  The Bill provides for the establishment of a new broadcasting regulator for all broadcasters licensed in the state, to be called the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).

The BAI will perform the existing functions of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and the Broadcasting Complaints Commission as well as undertaking a range of new regulatory functions, particularly with regard to the oversight of public service broadcasters.  The Bill also provides for the continuation of RTÉ and TG4 as corporate bodies.

Speaking about the publication of the Bill, the Chairperson of the BCI, Conor Maguire said “From the Commission’s perspective, this is a significant development with regard to the regulation of broadcasting services in Ireland.  The concept of a single content regulator has been mooted since the publication of the findings of the Forum on Broadcasting in 2002, so it is to be particularly welcomed that the Bill published today holds true to that idea, following extensive consultation in the intervening years.”

The Board of the BCI will now consider the Broadcasting Bill 2008 at its next meeting and will issue a formal response with regard to the contents of the Bill at that time.

Source: BCI