Sir, – Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte and his officials refer to the proposed replacement for the TV licence as a public service broadcasting charge which is to be payable by all households. The level of the charge it would seem is to be set such as to keep the existing status quo in broadcasting with the national broadcaster in pole position. Many people, rightly, in my mind, are affronted by this and question its probity. However, I believe that in opposing this charge the wrong approach is being taken: should we not first define what public service broadcasting is before a fee is set for it?
News, weather and certain current affairs programmes are clearly public services. However, what about programmes such as CSI, Fair City, EastEnders, Kitchen Hero? Can they be classed as public service? Are the ancillary "services" of RTÉ, such as the various orchestras and choirs, the additional radio stations, also public service? Not to my mind: these are all entertainment services. A more progressive approach would be for core services – news, weather, current affairs and others required by and beneficial to the public – to be clearly identified and segregated from entertainment services.
These services would then be funded by a much-reduced public service broadcasting charge. Everything else should be self-funding via advertising, subscription or sponsorship, the level of which would be defined by market forces, and it would be a case of sink or swim for these entertainment entities. Such an approach would put choice clearly into the hands of the consumer and lessen the effect of what is essentially another tax on the people of Ireland. – Yours, etc,
STEVEN LONG,
Kinvara, Galway.
Sir, – Reading the letters to you from “cavemen” in recent weeks, I have reached the conclusion that our distant cousins must have been a witty lot indeed. – Yours, etc,
PETER PALLAS,
Beech Hill Court,
Donnybrook, Dublin 4.