RTÉ must cover events from a variety of viewpoints and not just a Dublin perspective, according to its new draft charter.
The station must be inclusive and "reflect the lives and concerns of all social strata in Ireland", the document says. In its programming and editorial content, RTÉ must also "strive to resist gender stereotyping".
The Minister for Communications, Mr Dermot Ahern, yesterday published the draft public service broadcasting charter, aimed at making the station more accountable to its licence-payers.
It is one of the measures agreed when the licence fee was increased to €150 last December. The public has been invited to make submissions on how the station operates.
The draft charter says RTÉ news reporting and public affairs coverage shall be "undertaken from a variety of perspectives . . . events should not be assessed and reported from a Dublin perspective alone".
Programmes should reflect "regional diversity" and include "a significant range and proportion of indigenous programming made outside the greater Dublin area". The station must also "reflect the democratic, social and cultural values of Irish society and the need to preserve media pluralism".
No editorial or programming bias is to be shown "in terms of gender, age, disability, race, sexual orientation, religion or membership of a minority community".
RTÉ must consider the "needs of those with a physical, sensory or intellectual disability", taking measures to increase the "accessibility and relevance of programming to such audience".
It is to ensure children are "respected as young citizens with a valued contribution to make and a voice of their own".
Its programming must acknowledge "the strong influencing powers of broadcasting, particularly on children and young people".
Moreover, RTÉ must "actively support" the use of Irish language in everyday life through the production of suitable programming. It is committed to respecting the sanctity of an individual's private life, "unless a compelling public interest demands otherwise".
Mr Ahern said: "The introduction of this charter is a key element in my ongoing programme of public sector broadcasting reform."
RTÉ must be accountable to the licence-payer for the service provided, he added. "The consultation process will afford the general public the means to have an input into the composition of the charter."
In addition to setting out RTÉ's guiding principles, the charter also explains the obligations placed on RTÉ by EU legislation.
These include that RTÉ ensure at least 50 per cent of its television programming - excluding news, sports events and games - is reserved for European works.