Communications Committee to host Forum on Public Service Broadcasting

The Committee is currently considering the future of public service broadcasting in Ireland, in particular what public service broadcasting means in this ever-evolving digital era and the best models to fund it. The Forum in Dublin Castle, the first of its kind hosted by an Oireachtas Committee, will be a creative and open space where participants can explore the challenges in relation to the future funding of public sector broadcasting and share their own ideas to help inform a report the Committee will be presenting to the Minister on the issue.

Among the issues for discussion are:

•    What is public service broadcasting - and what should it be?
•    What are the challenges and opportunities of future funding models?
•    How has the rise of digital impacted public service broadcasting - what are the challenges and opportunities that have arisen?

A broad array of key stakeholders will attend this Forum - from public service broadcasters RTÉ and TG4, to digital era producers/advertisers such as Facebook, Twitter, to independent producers to community radio, policy makers, regulators and legislators, and many more.

Committee Chair Hildegarde Naughton said: “The Committee has already met with major players to provide an overview and update on the current situation in relation to funding public service broadcasting. Following on from that overview, the Committee will host a consultative forum on 7 July 2017 on the future of public service broadcasting where stakeholders will feature. The Forum will provide all participants with an opportunity to examine the public service broadcasting landscape in Ireland, in particular the requisite level of public funding required for stations to fulfil their public service objectives, the future of the licence fee and access to advertising revenue in an ever-evolving digital era.

The forum has been designed through a co-creation process by Connect the Dots whereby stakeholders were engaged with beforehand to give them an opportunity to have a say in the key questions asked at the event - to ensure it is as productive and valuable  as possible. The committee aims not to rehash what has already been said, but rather to spark collaboration and develop possible mechanisms and solutions for resolving the challenges around this topic. The unique setting of the Forum, with participants forming discussion groups, will enable those attending to interact with each other and explore the issues involved.”

Event: Forum on Funding Public Service Broadcasting #FutureBroadcast hosted by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

Date: Friday, 7 July 2017.

Time: 9.30am-3.30pm.

Location: The Hibernia Conference Centre, Dublin Castle.

Purpose of the Forum: The Forum findings will inform a report which will become a policy recommendation for the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment on the overall topic of 'Future Financing of Public Service Broadcasting'.

Format: Session 1 – Redefining public sector broadcasting, and Session 2 – Funding: Challenges & Solutions: There will be around 100 attendees from all sectors related to the challenge spread across 20 tables/discussions groups with one facilitator per table.  Duration: 1-1.5 hours each.

Format: Session 3 - The rise of digital / panel discussion: A panel of 5 will be formed from authoritative figures in the broadcasting / media industry. Attendees and facilitators will pose questions (live) to guide the discussions. Duration: 40-45 minutes.

A limited number of spaces remain at the forum and members of the public who wish to participate in #FutureBroadcast should email futurebroadcast@oireachtas.ie

Further details on the Committee and the #FutureBroadcast can be accessed here: http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/oireachtasbusiness/committees_list/ccae/publicservicebroadcasting/

Spaces at the forum are strictly limited. Media and photographers must be accredited to attend this event. To arrange for accreditation, please contact:

Running order of Forum on Public Sector Broadcasting


Start    End    Duration    Item    Description / Person

9:30    10:05    0:30    Arrival    Registration & coffee

10:05    10:10    0:05    Video Opener    Factory of Thought - to Set the scene

10.10    10.15    0:05    Open & Introduce Minister    Hildegarde Naughton, Committee Chair

10:15    10:25    0:10    Introduction    Denis Naughten - Minister

10.25    10.30    0:05    Short welcome (why this topic matters, why we all care - societal impact)    Deputy Eamon Ryan

10.30    10.40    0:10    Short welcome & overview of Session 1 (content)    Deputy James Lawless – Vice Chair

10:40    10:45    0:05    Introduction to the breakouts     *Connect the Dots - explain how sessions will work

10:45    12:15    1:30    SESSION 1    
THE WHAT: [Re]defining public service broadcasting

12:15    13:00    0:40    Lunch    Summaries of the breakouts (iPad info) on atrium screens // Summary of suggestions from submissions related to Session 2

13:05    13:10    0:05    Overview of Session 2    Deputy Eamon Ryan

13:10    14:40    1:30    SESSION 2    

THE HOW: Funding - Challenges & Solutions

14:45    14:50    0:05    Panel Intro    Intro to panellists (Connect the Dots) + Explanation of tech- Factory of Thought

14:50    15:25    0:35    Discussion with panellists    Discussion on the rise of digital - with Audience 2nd Screen Interactions
Hildegarde Naughton as moderator + background moderator Leon (from Factory of Thought)

15:25    15:30    0:05    close    Hildegarde Naughton Chair


*The Committee has commissioned Connect the Dots (connectthedots.ie), to design the forum