A new report from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media has called for regular arts bulletins to be included in the news services of all Irish public service broadcasters. The report says that art bulletins should be used to inform the public about events, developments and achievements across all art forms, similar to the way news programmes include sports bulletins.

The Report on Future Business Model Plans and Long-Term Vision for the Media Sector, which was published this week, is in response to the Future of Media Commission’s 2022 report and is the result of fourteen public hearings and thirteen written submissions from a range of organisations.

The recommendation regarding arts bulletins was originally put forward by the National Campaign for the Arts (NCFA) in its submission to the Committee. The NCFA also called for increased coverage of the arts and culture across all media.

The Committee’s Chair, Niamh Smyth TD, says in her introduction that ‘the information we receive from our media outlets is vital to the choices that shape our lives.’ The report recommends that Coimisiún na Meán – the new regulatory authority for Irish media – ‘undertake work in relation to the development of arts broadcasting and promotion, such as it is due to undertake in respect of sports broadcasting’. This work should include:

having regular arts bulletins as part of the news service of public service broadcasters, akin to existing regular sports bulletins, to inform the public of developments and achievements across all artforms at both local and national level, drawing attention to the launch and exhibition of new artistic, literary and musical works and upcoming performances.

The Committee’s report follows the publication of a new five-year RTÉ strategy that was launched last week and which makes little mention of any plans for music or the arts.

The members of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media are Niamh Smyth TD, Fianna Fáil (Cathaoirleach); Senator Malcolm Byrne, Fianna Fáil (Leas-Chathaoirleach); Chris Andrews TD, Sinn Féin; Ciaran Cannon TD, Fine Gael; Peter Fitzpatrick TD, Independent; Brendan Griffin TD, Fine Gael; Mattie McGrath TD, Independent; Imelda Munster TD, Sinn Féin; Christopher O’Sullivan TD, Fianna Fáil; Michael Ring TD, Fine Gael; Senator Micheál Carrigy, Fine Gael; Senator Shane Cassells, Fianna Fáil; Senator Annie Hoey, Labour Party; and Senator Fintan Warfield, Sinn Féin.

To download the full report, see below.

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