Coimisiún na Meán

Author: Aoife Molloy

Sound & Vision 4 – Upcoming Funding Rounds Announced 

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Coimisiún na Meán has announced details of upcoming funding rounds under the Sound & Vision 4 Scheme.   

Round 53 – Sound & Vision ‘Open’ Round  

Round 53 opened on 9 April for broadcasters and independent producers to support the production of culturally valuable broadcast content, including content in the Irish language. This round closes at noon on Thursday, 30 May 2024. Funding decisions are envisaged to be available in August 2024. 

**NEW**Round 54 – Sound & Vision – Special Round to support the production of content focused on the voice of immigrant and new Irish Communities 

Round 54 will open on 27 June for broadcasters and independent producers to support the production of culturally valuable broadcast content, including content in the Irish language focused on the voice of immigrant and new Irish Communities. This round will close at noon on Thursday, 8 August 2024. Funding decisions are envisaged to be available in November 2024. This round has up to €2 million euros available and is financed by additional exchequer funding secured by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD. 

Round 55 – Sound & Vision ‘Open’ Round 

Round 55 will open on 15 October for broadcasters and independent producers to support the production of culturally valuable broadcast content, including content in the Irish language. This round closes at noon on Thursday, 28 November 2024. Funding decisions are envisaged to be available by late February 2025. 

Relevant Guidelines and Application Forms for each round will be published on the Coimisiún na Meán website on the round opening date.  Webinars will also be held for prospective applicants.  All applications must be submitted via www.cnamonline.ie    

Sound & Vision 4 Opening Date Applicant Webinar Closing Date Decisions Expected 
Round 53 Tuesday 
9th April 2024 		Tuesday 16th April 2024 Thursday 
30th May 
12 noon 		Late August 2024 
Round 54 Thursday  27th June 2024 Tuesday 2nd July 2024 Thursday  8th August 12noon Late October 2024 
Round 55 Tuesday 
15th October 2024 		Tuesday 
22nd October 2024 		Thursday 
28th November 
12 noon 		Late February 2025 

For any Sound & Vision specific enquiries please contact: info@cnam.ie 

Coimisiún na Meán publishes updated guidelines for broadcast  coverage of elections

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Coimisiún na Meán has today (30.04.24) published its Guidelines in Respect of Broadcast Coverage of Elections. The Guidelines provide direction and advice to broadcasters as to how fairness, objectivity and impartiality can be achieved in their coverage of elections.

The Guidelines are being published in advance of the European and Local Elections and the election for a directly elected Mayor of Limerick, scheduled to take place on 7th June next. The Guidelines come into effect from Tuesday 7th May 2024 and apply to coverage of the elections until the closing of polling stations on 7th June 2024.

The Guidelines highlight different approaches that may be taken to the allocation of airtime for coverage of candidates and political parties as well as the risks of ‘deepfakes’. Existing provisions are retained which relate to the management of conflicts of interest, the prohibition on political advertising and coverage of opinion polls.

Other matters addressed include on-air contributions via social media and a prohibition on broadcasters and presenters encouraging listeners or viewers to vote in support of or against any particular outcome in the elections. The Guidelines also encourage broadcasters to include a range of voices and opinions in their coverage, including a mix of views representing social, gender and cultural diversity.

Speaking about the publication of the Guidelines, Coimisiún na Meán’s Media Development Commissioner, Rónán Ó Domhnaill said: “Broadcasters play an important and valuable role in communicating information about elections to the Irish public. This is achieved via accurate, fair, objective and impartial coverage.

“The Guidelines retain the moratorium on election coverage. This requires broadcasters to limit coverage of the elections from 2pm on the day prior to an election or referendum and remains in place until the closing of the polls on the day of the election or referendum (10pm).

“When the statutory review of the Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs, which provides the basis for the Guidelines, was undertaken in 2022, there was a clear call from industry stakeholders for the moratorium to be removed, while public stakeholders had mixed views about its retention or removal.  Having regard to these findings, Coimisiún na Meán has committed to carrying out a review of the broadcast moratorium in the second half of this year, including the undertaking of a public consultation. It is intended to complete this review and publish updated Guidelines dealing with the moratorium in Quarter 4 2024, if warranted by the review.’’

  • The Guidelines in Respect of Coverage of Elections are available for download here. 
  • The Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality is available to download here. 

Coimisiún na Meán seeks expressions of interest for sound broadcasting services

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Coimisiún na Meán (“the Commission”) today (21.03.24) placed a public notice in a national paper seeking expressions of interests from parties interested in securing a sound broadcasting contract (“Contract”) for the provision of the service/s listed below.  

Munster

  • South East Region comprising Waterford City and County, South Tipperary, and Counties Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford – Music-driven regional service for the 15 – 34 age group 

The Contract, currently held by WKW FM Limited and broadcasting as Beat 102-103, is due to expire on 30 March 2025. 

Guide and Form

  • County Kerry – Broad-format local service 

The Contract, currently held by Raidió Chiarraí Teoranta and broadcasting as Radio Kerry, is due to expire on 9 April 2025.  

Guide and Form 

  • Cork City and County – two services to be operated under a single contract, as follows: 
  1. Broad-format local service, broadcasting as C103 
  2. Music-driven local service for the 25-44 age group, broadcasting as Cork’s 96FM 

The Contract, currently held by County Media Limited and broadcasting the above services, is due to expire on 30 April 2025.  

Guide and Form 


Connaught-Ulster 

  • North Donegal – Broad-format local service 

The Contract, currently held by Donegal Highland Radio Limited and broadcasting as Highland Radio, is due to expire on 30 March 2025. 

Guide and Form 

  • County Sligo, South Donegal and North Leitrim – Broad-format local service  

The Contract, currently held by North West Broadcasting Limited and broadcasting as Ocean FM, is due to expire on 30 March 2025. 

Guide and Form


Leinster, excluding Dublin City and County 

  • Counties Kilkenny and Carlow – Broad-format local service 

The Contract, currently held by C.K. Broadcasting Limited and broadcasting as KCLR 96FM, is due to expire on 21 April 2025. 

Guide and Form 

  • Counties Laois, Offaly and Westmeath – Broad-format local service   

The Contract, currently held by Midlands Community Radio Services Limited and broadcasting as Midlands 103, is due to expire on 30 March 2025.  

Guide and Form 


Dublin City and County 

  • Dublin City and County – Music-driven local service for the 15 – 34 age group 

The Contract, currently held by Bauer Audio Ireland Limited acting as a general partner of Bauer Audio Ireland LP and broadcasting as Spin103.8, is due to expire on 5 April 2025. 

Guide and Form 

  • Dublin City and County – Niche music-driven local service  

The Contract, currently held by Star Broadcasting Limited and broadcasting as Sunshine 106.8, is due to expire on 30 March 2025. 

Guide and Form

Interested parties should carefully read the Commission’s relevant Guide for Expressions of Interest and then complete in full the Expression of Interest form for the relevant service or services. The guides and forms for the above sound broadcasting services are available at the links above  or on request from the Commission’s offices (email: licensing@cnam.ie or call 01 644 1200).   

New applicants should also reference the Indicative Guide for Competitive Licensing here.  

Parties interested in submitting expressions of interest to the Commission should do so by 12 noon on Monday, 20 May 2024. 

Coimisiún na Meán designates Video-Sharing Platform Services 

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Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s new body for regulating broadcasters, on-demand services, and online media, and supporting media development, has today (09.01.24) published details of the designation of ten services as named video-sharing platform services.  

The designation process for these services was completed during December 2023. 

The designated services are: 

The draft Online Safety Code, which is currently subject to public consultation, can be applied to these services. The finalised Code will form part of Ireland’s overall online safety framework. This framework will make a range of online services legally accountable for how they keep people safe online. This framework is based on the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, the EU Digital Services Act and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation. 

ENDS 

Media contact: Joanne Ahern / Síona Cahill, DHR Communications, Tel: 087-9881837 / 087 -7530255 

All other queries: Coimisiún na Meán, 01-6441200. 

About Coimisiún na Meán: 

Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland’s new commission for regulating broadcasters, on-demand services and online media, and supporting media development. Established in March 2023 under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, it builds on the work of its predecessor, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It is responsible for ensuring and maintaining a thriving and diverse media landscape in Ireland that facilitates a mix of voices, opinions and sources of news and current affairs, as well as a safe online environment. 

Its responsibilities are to: 

  • Oversee the funding of and support the development of the wider media sector in Ireland. 
  • Oversee the regulation of broadcasting and video-on-demand services. 
  • Develop and enforce the Irish regulatory regime for online safety. 

About Designation: 

Under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, Coimisiún na Meán is responsible for regulating video-sharing platforms which have their EU base in Ireland.  

By law, Coimisiún na Meán is required to designate video-sharing platform services, the provider of which is under the jurisdiction of the State, as a category of services to which an online safety code may be applied. Notice of this designation was published on 14 August 2023 and the designation took effect on 11 September 2023. Coimisiún na Meán must also designate as a named service any relevant online service that appears to be a VSPS where the provider of the service is under the jurisdiction of the State.  

Sound & Vision Broadcasting Funding Scheme Round 52 Open

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Round 52 of the Sound & Vision Broadcasting Funding Scheme is open for Applications. Up to €750,000 is available for Social Benefit projects for community radio and television.

Round 52 – Guide for Applicants

Round 52 – Application Form

All applications must be submitted via www.cnamonline.ie   

An Coimisiún will run a Zoom webinar for prospective applicants at 12.00 Noon on Thursday, the 11th of January. Please register here for the applicant webinar.

The Round will close at 12 noon on Thursday, 8th February 2024. 

ENDS 

Latest JNLR figures released 

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The latest JNLR/Ipsos MRBI report into radio listening is published today (09.11.23).  

On behalf of the JNLR Committee, a media release and summary information tables are available to download here. 

ENDS 

Please note: 

Media queries regarding individual programme or station performance should be directed to IPSOS MRBI or the relevant broadcaster. 

European Commission services sign administrative arrangements with Irish and French media regulators to support enforcement of Digital Services Act  

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The European Commission services have signed administrative arrangements with the media regulators of Ireland (Coimisiún na Meán) and France (Autorité de regulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique, Arcom), to support its supervisory and enforcement powers under the Digital Services Act (DSA). These arrangements aim at developing expertise and capabilities and follow the Commission Recommendation to Member States for coordinating their response to the spread and amplification of illegal content on Very Large Online Platforms and Very Large Online Search Engines, ahead of the deadline for Member States to play their role in the enforcement of the DSA.  

The DSA sets landmark rules to shape a secure and trusted online environment in the EU. Ensuring closer cooperation with Member States and national regulatory authorities has become even more crucial to achieve this in the current context of conflict and uncertainty, particularly with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and now with the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel. 

These bilateral arrangements will allow the Commission services and relevant national authorities to exchange information, data, good practices, methodologies, technical systems and tools. Effective cooperation will facilitate the Commission’s assessment of systemic risks, the identification of emerging ones, including risks related to the spread and amplification of illegal content, as well as other systemic risks under the DSA, such as the spreading of disinformation or the protection of minors.   

The arrangements will be of particular importance until the establishment of the Board of Digital Services Coordinators, which is due for February 2023 and will be composed of independent Digital Service Coordinators of the Member States. Once the Board is operational, these arrangements will continue to provide an added value to organise the practical relationships between Commission services and national authorities in full compliance with the DSA. 

Next steps 

The Commission service responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the DSA, the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT) is in discussions with other national regulators and EU bodies to sign similar administrative arrangements to support it in its assessment of systemic and emerging issues under the DSA. The Commission will announce them in due time. 

Background 

At the end of August 2023, the DSA became legally enforceable for designated Very Large Online Platforms and Very Large Online Search Engines. The DSA aims at empowering and protecting users online, among other things by requiring the designated services to assess and mitigate their systemic risks and to provide robust content moderation tools. 

The designated platforms have now completed the first annual risk assessment exercise to examine risks such as how illegal content might be disseminated through their services. The DSA requires Very Large Online Platforms and Very Large Online Search Engines to adopt mitigation measures that are tailored to the specific systemic risks identified. Very Large Online Platforms have to assess the risks their systems pose, including systemic risks about illegal content and for protecting public interests. 

The Member States are obliged to designate their Digital Services Coordinators and other national competent authorities responsible for the monitoring and enforcement of the Digital Services Act by 17 February 2024. Nonetheless, the effective monitoring and enforcement of this Regulation by the Commission in relation to those designated Very Large Online Platforms and Very Large Online Search Engines already requires the assistance of and active cooperation with a wide range of relevant national entities. 

For More Information 

Commission recommends Member States to fast-track DSA governance 

EU Official Journal text on the DSA 

Digital Services Act Q&A 

Digital Services Act fact page 

Quotes 

Jeremy Godfrey, Executive Chair, Coimisiún na Meán  

Thirteen of the nineteen very large online platforms and search engines have their EU headquarters in Ireland. This means Coimisiún na Meán will have a special role, working in tandem with the European Commission as we use the Digital Service Act to ensure a safer online world.  We look forward to collaborating with the European Commission and other national regulators to address urgent issues and to develop our shared expertise as we prepare to play our part in enforcing the DSA.  

John Evans, Digital Services Commissioner, Coimisiún na Meán  

Signing this agreement is an important step in our preparations to be Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator. Working with the European Commission and other regulators will be hugely beneficial to us as we continue to grow our organisation.