Coimisiún na Meán launch consultation on revised Broadcasting Codes and Rules

Updates to Broadcasting Codes and Rules required to meet Ireland’s obligations under the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD)

Coimisiún na Meán has today (04.09.2024) launched a consultation on revised Broadcasting Codes and Rules for radio and television broadcasters. The Codes and Rules are required to be updated to comply with the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD).

The AVMSD provides for minimum standards and obligations that media service providers must adhere to in a variety of areas, including child safety, the accessibility of their services, and the prohibition of content that incites hatred.

Aoife MacEvilly, Broadcasting and Video-on-Demand Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán said: “Ensuring that the Codes and Rules which apply to broadcasters in Ireland are kept up to date with EU regulations is crucial in guaranteeing a thriving and safe media landscape for Irish audiences. Coimisiún na Meán has today opened a consultation on revised Codes and Rules which contain updated obligations for Irish broadcasters and which recognise a new complaints procedure for members of the public where they believe that a broadcaster has failed to comply with a Code or Rule. In the future, An Coimisiún intends to conduct a further review of our Codes and Rules to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of Irish audiences, and our changing media landscape.’’

The revised Broadcasting Codes and Rules which are being consulted on are:

• General Commercial Communications Code (draft) – which sets out rules for broadcasters on commercial communications including advertisements, sponsorships and product placement.

• Children’s Commercial Communications Code (draft) – which sets out additional rules for commercial communications directed at children and is aimed at protecting audiences under 18 years of age.

• Code of Programme Standards (draft) – which sets out principles applying to editorialcontent with a view to minimising harm or undue offence.
  
• Rules on Advertising and Teleshopping (draft) – which sets limits on the level of advertising and teleshopping that broadcasters may have as part of their services. The proposal is to divide this Code into two new sets of Codes and Rules, incorporating requirements relating to advertising, teleshopping, signal integrity and information, and advertising rules for radio broadcasters.

• Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs (draft)– which provides principles for broadcasters to apply in order to achieve fairness, objectivity and impartiality in news and current affairs coverage.

• Short News Reporting Code (draft) – which allows for short news extracts of events broadcast that are of interest to the public to be used by other broadcasters for the purposes of news reporting.

The consultation will run from 4th September 2024 until the 3rd of October 2024 and the consultation document can be found on our website.

• Consultation document: Draft Media Service Codes and Rules