The Irish-language television station TG4 was 10 years old on Tuesday. That it has not just survived but thrived through its first decade will be a source of considerable satisfaction to its staff, its many independent contributors and its viewers. That being said, the 10th anniversary is an appropriate time for stock-taking, assessing whether it is properly fulfilling its mandate and whether it is both efficient and effective.
It was never envisaged that TG4 would be an exclusively Irish station; such a policy might have rendered the viewing figures too low to be counted. However, the extent to which the station has moved into bilingual mode will have surprised its followers and encouraged the cynics. English-language programming, especially films, undoubtedly boosts viewership, but this is a line that the station must tread with care because any further diminution of the first language would call into question the justification for its substantial State funding.
That funding is as critical as ever. TG4 has a 3 per cent audience share, which is a respectable figure in this multi-channel and digital era. However, the viewership figures do not manifest substantial advertising revenue. This currently runs at less than €5 million per annum, an amount that the costs of television production can chew up in a matter of weeks.
The Government grant is running at €28 million per annum and TG4 receives an hour of programming per day from RTÉ, which constitutes a subsidy of close to €10 million. Its funding from State sources is climbing rather than diminishing.
Much is made of the commitment to break the station's connection with RTÉ and to establish it as a wholly-independent company (from next April). This commitment goes back virtually to the station's inception and nearly two years have elapsed since consultants were appointed to draw up a plan. TG4 is very keen on the development and RTÉ is against.
On the face of it, it is difficult to see why or how full independence for TG4 will make the station more efficient or better able to serve its viewers and win new ones. On the other hand, independence will necessitate increased funding. The station has done a credible job in giving Irish a television platform, which is essential in contemporary living. It gives a (modest) living to writers of Irish film and drama scripts but needs to improve the variety of its programming and to spend more resources on enticing younger viewers.
An increase in funding to achieve this end would be unquestionably warranted.