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On 22 February 2017, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) published its new Strategy Statement 2017-2019. The publication sets out the BAI’s strategic themes and objectives for the forthcoming period, and follows a statutory review of its previous strategy and a public consultation. The Statement sets out five strategic themes, namely: promoting diversity and plurality; achieving excellence and accountability; communicating and influencing; empowering audiences; and enhancing innovation and sectoral sustainability. Under each of these themes, the BAI has a set of objectives and outcomes...

The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) has partially upheld complaints concerning elements of the Irish Cancer Society’s “I want to get Cancer” advertising campaign. The advertisings proved particularly controversial, with 92 complaints submitted under various sections of the ASAI’s Code against the six advertisements, which featured in various media including television and radio. The campaign started with a “teaser” advertisement “where the advertisers were not identified” and the wording “I want to get cancer” featured. The following day the “reveal” adverts appeared and “the...

On 17 February 2017, the Minister for Justice and Equality established a statutory Tribunal of Inquiry to investigate allegations made by Irish police officers under Ireland’s whistleblower law, the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. Of particular importance is the fact that the Tribunal’s terms of reference include investigating certain aspects relating to the Irish media. First, the Tribunal will examine a police officer’s allegation that he was directed “to contact the media to brief them negatively” against a police whistleblower, to brief the media that the officer “was motivated by malice and...

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has upheld a complaint, in part, against the broadcaster 98FM regarding the treatment of a caller who related her story on air regarding her decision to terminate a pregnancy following a diagnosis of a fatal foetal abnormality. The complaint was submitted under the Broadcasting Act 2009: the BAI Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs and the BAI Code of Programme Standards. The complainant, Mrs Jennifer Ryan, stated that she received a call from “Dublin Talks”, a talk and phone-in show, “asking if she would take part...

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has rejected five complaints concerning separate comments made by two contestants on the Rose of Tralee programme broadcast on RTÉ One in August 2016. The Rose of Tralee is a light entertainment television programme featuring young women of Irish descent from around the globe who take part in the competition to be selected as the ‘Rose’ for the coming year. The BAI’s decision was notable for considering the issue of entertainment programmes featuring unplanned discussion of matters of public debate, and its consequence for broadcasters’ duties. The complaints...