Roinn Cumarsáide, Fuinnimh agus Acmhainní Nádúrtha Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Submissions to Public Consultation on New RTÉ Service Proposals Publication Date: 23rd February 2011 Contents Page 1 Submissions ...........................................................................................................4 2 Professor Paolo Bartoloni ......................................................................................5 3 Seo O'Catháin........................................................................................................6 4 Comhluadar..........................................................................................................12 5 Community Television Association.....................................................................14 6 Conradh na Gaeilge..............................................................................................17 7 David Costigan.....................................................................................................19 8 EIRCOM..............................................................................................................20 9 FIG .......................................................................................................................22 10 Football Association of Ireland......................................................................26 11 French Teachers Association of Ireland ........................................................27 12 Gael Linn.......................................................................................................28 13 Éamonn Geoghegan.......................................................................................29 14 Houses of the Oireachtas, Joint Administration Committee..........................33 15 ICTU ..............................................................................................................34 16 Magnet Networks Limited.............................................................................37 17 Grant Masterson.............................................................................................39 18 Alan Mc.........................................................................................................40 19 Stephanie McGovern.....................................................................................41 20 National Disability Authority ........................................................................42 21 National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI)..........................................................51 22 Doireann O'Callaghan....................................................................................57 23 RTÉ Audience Council..................................................................................58 24 Dr Maria Scott ...............................................................................................59 25 Screen Producers Ireland ...............................................................................60 2 26 Sky .................................................................................................................63 27 Mairéad Seery................................................................................................68 28 Shane Smith ...................................................................................................69 29 TV3 ................................................................................................................70 30 UPC................................................................................................................85 3 1 Submissions 29 responses were received to the public consultation on New RTE service proposals. This document details these responses. Information marked as confidential is blocked out. 4 2 Professor Paolo Bartoloni Ireland is now a multilingual country, and there is a very real need to give due recognition to the presence of other cultures and nationalities in the Republic. There is also a need to address the linguistic needs of Irish citizens in an ever more competitive global job market, and in the context of the acceptance of Ireland’s responsibilities as an EU Member State. The policy of the EU (Barcelona, 2002) is that every citizen should be able to speak his/her mother tongue plus two other languages. This means that all Irish people should be proficient in at least one other language as well as English and Irish. (1) I do agree that the proposed additional / enhanced services will provide further value to the Irish public, if news in languages other than English and Irish is given some space on the proposed RTE News Now channel. (3) On condition that a range of languages be represented on the News Now channel, then I believe that the new services could indeed be (3.2) a factor for social cohesion and integration of all individuals, groups and communities, (3.3) a source of impartial and independent information and comment, and of innovatory and varied content which complies with high ethical and quality standards, (3.4) a forum for pluralistic public discussion and a means of promoting broader democratic participation of individuals, and (3.5) an active contributor to European audiovisual creation and production and greater appreciation and dissemination of the diversity of national and European cultural heritage. (5) On condition that a range of languages be represented on the News Now channel, then I believe that the new channels/services will contribute to meeting the democratic, cultural, linguistic, educational and social needs of Irish society and of individual groups within Irish society. 5 3 Seo O'Catháin Please find enclosed my views in relation to the RTÉ New Service Proposals Consultation.I saw the link at http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056090029, althought I periodically check the Dept website. Therefor it may be a good place to add info regarding consultations in the future. Here are my views in relation to the Consultation. I would have liked to have given it more time and to provide references but time beat me to it. 1. Do you agree that these additional / enhanced services will provide further value to the Irish public and additional support for the adoption of DTT in Ireland? Please support your response; In general I do somewhat agree that these services will provide value to the Irish public although I would prefer to see some of these service proposals altered. RTÉ News Now has the potential to be useful to the Irish business and to the public in situations such as extreme weather conditions etc.. Additional and enhanced services will provide better value to the Irish public for the television license fee because they will offer more content and better picture quality and additional features such as EPG. Beyond that there is more potential were other features to be native to saorview such as programme communities, IP integration. There is no mention of this in proposals, it seems tried and tested is proposed rather than any new ground that would enhance the platform itself. Saorview has an advantage in the advent of emerging add-ons to DTT such as that provided by Yourview (formerly Project Canvas)-youview.co.uk. I don't see RTÉ proposals factoring in such innovations to make the platform as strong as possible and there is time I feel to do so. Critical to this will be the marketing of these additional and enhanced services and whether there is enough dynamism and creativity in capturing the imagination as whether Saorview will be become an important platform or whether it becomes a minor part of the TV viewing landscape in the Republic of Ireland in my view. I would feel that the current proposed additional or enhanced services however may fall short on early adoption because of for example the lack of a parliament and Film Channel which could have come under RTÉ's emberalla much like TG4 previously was. Were these proposed then I would be much more sure of early adoption of DTT. However ASO will probably ensure DTT adoption through the process of necessity on the part of viewers who want to receive RTE without going the subscription route. 2. For each service, please indicate whether you consider the service assists RTÉ in pursuing its public service objects as detailed in Section 114 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 (Annex 1). Please provide reasons for your responses. I consider that the services proposed somewhat fulfill public service objects as specified in Section 114 of the Broadcasting Act. However I have concerns as to whether RTÉ News Now will sufficiently fulfill 114 (L) as proposed though I note the 6 two phases for this channel. Unlike the proposed Oireachas Channel, RTÉ News can provide commentary and help keep viewers abreast of legislative and other developments beyond that of the very brief Oireachtas Report and this is what digital television offers, greater capacity for more services of benefit and relevance to viewers. Other News broadcasters such as Sky News and BBC News Channels provide templates for how such a channel can deliver on public service objects. I think the look of RTÉ News now in test format as it is currently would need to be abit more standard along the lines of BBC or Sky News channels so that they are easier to look at. Currently the sidebar at the the right is disproportionate in size to the overall picture. Modification to double ticker at the bottom would provide better viewer experience so that the picture is expanded at the side and the RTÉ News placeholder