The Labour Party has come out strongly against excessive ownership or control of sections of the media by any individual or group.
Delegates at the party's annual conference in Galway last night passed a motion from the constituency council in the Dublin South West constituency of Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte arguing that a monopoly of ownership “involves risks that go beyond those involved in the case of ordinary goods and services”.
The motion said that issues such as the ownership and control of the media, editorial and cultural diversity, plurality of titles, and the position of individual enterprises in the media market generally constituted pressing issues of public policy that must lead to a revision of media merger legislation.
Replying to the motion, Mr Rabbitte said he believed “an active, robust and diverse media sector, both in terms of ownership and content, is a key prerequisite for any modern democratic society”.
They all acknowledged that the management of media mergers was critical. “Our challenge is to adjust our policies and our laws to changing markets, technological and social trends. And to do so in a flexible and appropriate manner, one that reflects the central tenants of preserving both freedom of expression and media plurality.”
Confirming that the Government would bring forward legislation on the matter in September, he said conventional competition analysis, as administered by the Competition Authority, would continue to be important.
But media, he added, was more important than the conventional enterprise to which competition law might be applicable. The media was different.
“The proper functioning of our democratic system depends ultimately on freedom of expression. Any excessive concentration of media ownership or control involves risks that go beyond those involved in the case of ordinary goods and services.”
This, said the Minister, could be clearly seen when looking at the impact of media empires in the neighbouring island. “That is why we need a specific set of tests around concentration of ownership and its potential effects on media plurality.”
The motion called on the Government to legislate for new, media-specific and principle-based criteria to be applied when assessing media mergers, incorporating statutory recognition of media plurality. This included editorial ethos, content and sources, and the diversity of views and cultural interests in Irish society.
