BAI may receive extra funds from TV licence receipts, Naughten says

The Broadcast Authority of Ireland (BAI) may be allocated funding from television licence receipts to meet its operating expenses, Minister for Communications Denis Naughten has said.

“The BAI would be given greater scope to grant exemptions, deferrals or reductions in the levy for individual broadcasters or classes of broadcaster,” he added.

He told the Seanad on Tuesday he had also proposed the creation of a new funding scheme that would allow the granting of bursaries to journalists in local or community radio stations.

Mr Naughten said the financial situation for Irish media organisations was now extremely serious with public service broadcasters struggling to meet their objectives under the Broadcasting Act.

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“The BAI’s funding reviews make this clear,” he added. “Failure to act and provide a secure and reliable funding stream will only bring a further decline in the relevance, audiences and viability of our broadcasters.”