Statutory guidance for local authorities should be developed to prevent “undue pressure” being placed on print or broadcast media, a transparency organisation has said.
The call comes on foot of a Transparency International Ireland (TII) survey of Irish local broadcasters and newspapers.
The survey, based on responses from 18 participants from broadcast and print media, found that 39% of editors and journalists reported unfavourable treatment after covering news that was critical of local Government.
Half of the respondents said they had difficulties accessing information or having their queries answered by local officials.
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The majority of respondents (67 per cent) believe that local Government officials do not welcome media questions or scrutiny, while 45 per cent described their contact with local Government as not “open and welcoming”.
‘Council’s purse’
TII carried out the survey after a Standards in Public Office (Sipo) commission investigation into allegations that Wexford County Council sought to unduly influence Southeast Radio’s coverage of the council.
Sipo found the council’s chief executive had been in effect being “throwing around the weight” of the “council’s purse” and had acted inappropriately in tying his dispute with the radio’s broadcast to matters of public procurement.
Despite this finding from Sipo in January, further media reports later in the year showed the council continuing to try to exert editorial control over the station. The council set out a number of “criteria” it wanted implemented before it would guarantee advertising funding for Southeast Radio. This was ultimately withdrawn after the requests were highlighted by the national media.
“It’s highly unlikely that this is an isolated incident,” the chief executive of TII, John Devitt, said.
Broadcasters and print journalists told TII they were facing threats to their advertising income if they were seen to be critical of some local authorities. Speaking earlier this year, the Taoiseach also said that there could be no connection between advertising sponsorship and editorial control.
‘Media freedoms’
Mr Devitt said guidance for local councils needed to be codified the way it had been in the UK and New Zealand. “It would mean that Sipo would have to have due regards to such guidance in future. It would also remove any ambiguity over the engagement between local authorities and its advertisers that no effort should be made by local authorities or any public bodies to use advertising revenues or public contracts to influence editorial content.”
“We now need action as well as words from central government if we are to uphold media freedoms,” he added.
Despite the significant challenges faced in reporting on local government, the majority of respondents (78 per cent) said they feel free to report on or discuss the performance of local government, even if that reporting might be critical. However, 22 per cent of respondents reported they would be nervous about the consequences of such coverage.
Mr Devitt said local and regional media outlets relied disproportionately on advertising streams from local authorities.
He said the Government should undertake a review of existing concerns with a view to publishing clear statutory guidance and protocols for local authorities so that officials understand what is and what is not acceptable in their interaction with local media.