Coimisiún na Meán

Author: Deborah Molloy

Two journalism schemes worth €5 million open for consultation

Posted on by Deborah Molloy

Local Democracy and Court Reporting Schemes will support both the media sector and high-quality journalism in all counties in Ireland

Coimisiún na Meán is seeking the public’s views on two new journalism schemes which aim to supplement and increase coverage of local authorities and district court hearings. The schemes are being established to ensure that all people have access to news in their own areas and that the news they receive is trustworthy and accurate.  

The Schemes are based on recommendations from the Report of the Future of Media Commission and are being established on an administrative basis thanks to funding secured by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media, Catherine Martin TD.

The new journalism schemes will be open to applications from journalists and media outlets, including broadcast, print and online platforms, in both the Irish and English languages. Coimisiún na Meán will ensure that all content funded under the Schemes is available in both Irish and English on an online portal, where the content will also be archived. 

Commenting on the launch of the consultation on the proposed schemes, Media Development Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, Rónán Ó Domhnaill said: “The €5 million available under these Schemes will ensure that local media can continue to perform its vital role in reporting on matters of public interest and improving access to trusted, quality information. They will support the creation of high-quality public interest journalism in both Irish and English, strengthening plurality, supporting the resilience of the news media sectors and enabling free and open debate on matters of public interest and importance as well as participation in democratic society by informed citizens. I would like to thank Minister Catherine Martin for her support for these Schemes.”

Coimisiún na Meán is now inviting views on the proposed approach to both Schemes as part of a public consultation process. Information on the consultation processes can be found here:

Coimisiún na Meán will finalise and launch the Schemes after the consultation.

Coimisiún na Meán allocates almost €800k in funding to support a range of media activities

Posted on by Deborah Molloy

50 projects supported under Sectoral Learning and Development Programme and Sponsorship Scheme

A creative media programme focusing on young people from under-represented, low income and ethnic minorities (Gorm Media’s Wideshot programme) and a talent development network addressing the lack of gender diversity in the Irish screen industry (X-Pollinator) are among the projects to be funded under Coimisiún na Meán’s Sectoral Learning and Development Programme and Sponsorship Scheme.

Both funding programmes support organisations, networks and representative groups to deliver a range of initiatives, training programmes, events and activities across the media sector. In all, almost €800k has been awarded to 50 projects this year.

Some €550k has been allocated under the Sectoral Learning and Development Programme to enhance media sustainability, creativity and diversity. Nineteen networks, representing commercial and community media; industry specific groups such as producers, animators, and journalists; advocacy organisations for gender, equality and inclusion, and promotion of the Irish language, have secured funding.

The Learning Waves Journalism Graduate Programme will continue to be supported under the Sectoral Learning and Development Programme in 2024. This programme sees 10 journalism graduates from across Ireland awarded an internship in a local commercial radio station. A focus of the 2024 programme will be news content for multiple platforms, scriptwriting for news, court reporting, and the promotion and creating of Irish language content.

Separately, more than €245k in funding has been awarded to 30 applicants under Coimisiún na Meán’s Sponsorship Scheme. This supports media-related events and activities that align with and raise awareness of the role and work of An Coimisiún. Sponsored events include festivals that increase the prominence of culturally relevant audiovisual content for Irish audiences, and award ceremonies highlighting the diverse talent and creativity across the media sector.  Sponsored events focusing on other aspects of Coimisiún na Meán’s remit include a media literacy workshop, the Mental Health Media Awards, and a Children & Young People’s Assembly on Online Bullying.

Commenting, Media Development Commissioner Rónán Ó Domhnaill said: “Coimisiún na Meán is delighted to be in a position to invest more than three-quarters of a million euro in supporting Irish media through the Sectoral Learning and Development Programme and Sponsorship Scheme this year.

The funded projects align with our aim to develop a thriving, diverse and safe media landscape. These are hugely valuable projects that work to enrich our media sphere for viewers and listeners “

Commenting on its funding allocation, Learning Waves Project Manager Teresa Hanratty said: “We are thrilled to have secured funding again this year for our Journalism Graduate Programme. An Coimisiún’s funding and development programmes are of huge importance to the media sector and our award this year enables us to continue our internship programme, providing a pathway for new journalists to gain invaluable experience and also a pipeline of new talent for the independent radio sector. The impact of the programme was recognised by the Institute of Learning and Development at Learning and Development Awards in September 2023 when it was awarded Best Graduate Development Initiative. This award underlines the significant impact this programme has on graduates and stations across the Independent Radio Sector in Ireland.” The full list of successful funding recipients for 2024 under the Coimisiún na Meán Sectoral Learning and Development Programme and Sponsorship Scheme can be found here.

European Commission proceedings against Tik Tok for possible breaches of EU Digital Services Act

Posted on by Deborah Molloy

Coimisiún na Meán is aware that the European Commission has initiated formal proceedings against Tik Tok for possible breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Coimisiún na Meán will provide assistance to the European Commission in this investigation.

Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland’s body for regulating broadcasters, on-demand services, and online media, and supporting media development. On Saturday last (17.02.2024) An Coimisiún welcomed the application of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) which is now fully in force in Ireland. The DSA provides new rules for how online services deal with illegal content or apply their own rules.

Under the DSA, the responsibility for supervising Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines is shared between the European Commission and the regulator of the EU Member State where the service has its EU headquarters. Thirteen out of twenty two Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines designated so far, including Tik Tok, have their EU headquarters in Ireland.

Coimisiún na Meán is working closely with the European Commission and other European regulators and today (19.02.2024) attended the inaugural meeting of the European Digital Services Board. The European Board for Digital Services Board is an independent advisory group formed by the European Commission and Member State Digital Service Coordinators, to ensure that the DSA is applied consistently, and that users across the EU enjoy the same rights, regardless of where the online platforms are established.

The Board will be consulted on the enforcement of the DSA and advise on arising issues related to the DSA and can contribute to guidelines and analysis. It will also assist in the supervision of Very Large Online Platforms and Very Large Online Search Engines and will issue yearly reports on the prominent systemic risks and best practices in mitigating them.

Coimisiún na Meán welcomes application of the EU Digital Services Act

Posted on by Deborah Molloy

New EU rules will apply to online services from the 17th of February 2024.

Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s body for regulating broadcasters, on-demand services, and online media, and supporting media development, has today (16.02.2023) welcomed the imminent application of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) which comes fully into force in Ireland and across the EU from tomorrow (17.02.2024). The DSA provides new rules for how online services deal with illegal content or apply their own rules.

The DSA, Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act 2022 and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation (TCOR) come together to form Coimisiún na Meán’s overall Online Safety Framework. This Framework will make digital services accountable for how they protect people, especially children, from harm online and will be used to enforce rules about how online services deal with illegal or harmful content.

Coimisiún na Meán will open its user contact centre on February 19th 2024.The contact centre will provide advice to users on their rights under the Digital Services Act and gather intelligence that will inform An Coimisiún’s supervisory and enforcement activities. When users spot illegal content online, they should flag it to the platform, and the platform will have a duty to stop it.

Commenting, Executive Chairperson of Coimisiún na Meán, Jeremy Godfrey said: “The DSA will form a key part of Coimisiún na Meán’s Online Safety Framework. We will enforce the DSA, so that platforms are accountable for protecting users online, minimising children’s exposure to harmful content and upholding fundamental rights, including freedom of expression.”  

In addition, the DSA provides a framework for cooperation between the EU Commission and national regulatory authorities across Europe. Coimisiún na Meán is responsible for regulating services which have their EU headquarters in Ireland, and the European Commission plays a role in overseeing the largest platforms and search engines.

The Digital Service Commissioner John Evans said: “The DSA will empower people and civil society groups to hold platforms to account for dealing with illegal content. People should remember when they spot illegal content, to flag it, so the platform can stop it. We will engage with platforms large and small to ensure that they live up to their legal obligations. As Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator, we look forward to working closely with the European Commission and our regulatory counterparts across Europe to ensure that these new rules drive improvements in online safety and ensure that people can continue to enjoy the benefits of being online.”

Coimisiún na Meán publishes guidelines for broadcast coverage of referendums

Posted on by Deborah Molloy

Coimisiún na Meán has today (14.02.24) published its Guidelines in Respect of Broadcast Coverage of Referendums.  The guidelines are published in advance of the referendums on the 39th and 40th Amendments of the Constitution, scheduled to take place on 8th March next. The Guidelines come into immediate effect and apply to coverage of the referendums until the closing of polling stations on 8th March 2024.  

The Guidelines have been developed further to the provisions of the Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs and provide direction and advice to broadcasters as to how fairness, objectivity and impartiality can be achieved in their coverage of referendum campaigns.

Among the matters covered in the Guidelines are the various ways in which fairness, objectivity and impartiality can be achieved, 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, a prohibition on presenters encouraging listeners or viewers to vote in support of or against any particular outcome in the referendums, and the obligation to carry announcements made on behalf of An Coimisiún Toghcháin (the Electoral Commission).

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. As with previous guidelines, a moratorium on coverage will come into effect from 2pm on the day prior to voting and will end following the closure of polling stations on the day of the ballot.

Speaking about the publication of the Guidelines, Broadcasting Commissioner, Celene Craig said: “During the course of the referendum campaigns and right up to the closing of the polls on March 8th, broadcasters must ensure that coverage of the referendums is fair and equitable to all interests. The Guidelines published today include a strong emphasis on how fairness, objectivity and impartiality can be achieved, and how this is broader than a consideration of airtime for campaign groups.

“Coimisiún na Meán is keen to emphasise that this does not include a requirement for artificial balance. The Guidelines also emphasise that audiences may be better served by an approach to coverage that is not purely adversarial, and which places an emphasis on the issues in a referendum.”

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

Sound & Vision 4 – Upcoming Funding Rounds Announced 

Posted on by Deborah Molloy

***Funding round dates have been updated. More details can be found here***

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

Round 53 – Sound & Vision ‘Open’ Round 

Round 53 will open on 9th 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, 30th May 2024. It is envisaged that funding decisions will be available in August 2024.

Round 54 – Sound & Vision ‘Open’ Round

Round 54 will open on 15th 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, 28th November 2024. It is envisaged that funding decisions will 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 for prospective applicants will also be held.  All applications must be submitted via www.cnamonline.ie   

Sound & Vision 4Opening DateApplicant WebinarClosing DateDecisions Expected
Round 53Tuesday
9th April 2024		Tuesday 16th April 2024Thursday
30th May
12 noon		August 2024
Round 54Tuesday
15th October 2024		Tuesday
22nd October 2024		Thursday
28th November
12 noon		Late February 2025

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

Letter to editor regarding age verification and media commentary in relation to draft Online Safety Code

Posted on by Deborah Molloy

Copy of a letter sent to the editor of the Irish Times by Executive Chair Jeremy Godfrey on January 25th.

Karlin Lillington’s technology column of January 25th in the Irish Times badly mischaracterises Coimisiún na Meán’s proposals in relation to age verification by online video-sharing platforms.

She accuses us of proposing to create a porn user register and repeats baseless online claims that people would have to upload their identity documents and facial scans, with porn sites retaining this information for six years. She even suggests that this could be required when people only want to view cat videos.

She rightly says that such a proposal would be bonkers. We agree. Which is why we have neither considered it nor proposed it.

There is ample evidence of the harm caused by children having easy access to online pornography, but measures to reduce this access need to respect the privacy of users and interfere as little as possible with the ability of adults to view content that is lawful.

Coimisiún na Meán is currently consulting on a draft Online Safety Code for video-sharing platforms, including age verification measures. Our proposal is that video-sharing platforms based in Ireland should not knowingly show pornographic content to users, unless they have verified that the user concerned is an adult.

Most platforms in Ireland do not permit pornography, and this proposal will have no implications for them or their users. Even platforms that do permit pornography would need only to verify the age of those users who wish to view it. Users whose interests are limited to cat videos would have no need to verify their age.

We are not proposing to be prescriptive about the age verification technique that platforms must use before showing pornography to users. It is for platforms to choose a technique that ensures children are not normally able to access pornography, and to implement it in a way that complies with the GDPR. Uploading documents and/or a live selfie is one such technique, when accompanied by appropriate privacy protections.

But merely asking a user to declare they are over 18 is not good enough to stop children from accessing pornography. This is a widespread concern across Europe, and applies to adult sites in other Member States. We are therefore working with the European Commission and our counterparts across Europe to ensure that there is a pan-European approach to tackling this issue.

We are committed to improving online safety, as part of a thriving, diverse and safe media landscape. While regulating licensed broadcasters is different to regulating online platforms, the end-goal of ensuring that audiences can access pluralistic, culturally, linguistically and socially relevant content, while being protected from harm, remains the same. We are focused on delivering on our mission for the benefit of everyone in Ireland and across Europe.