RADIO STATIONS Today FM and Newstalk have been notified of serious breaches of contract after they introduced programming changes without prior approval by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).
Both stations are owned by businessman Denis O’Brien’s media firm Communicorp.
Newstalk has been directed to reinstate two recently cancelled programmes, The Irish Times has learned. It is understood that the station has until the end of this month to put two special interest shows – the Irish-language programme Splanc and the arts show Culture Shock – back on the air.
Last November, it emerged that Today FM and Newstalk were to combine some of their resources by “pooling” the services of reporters in the two newsrooms.
The BCI, which had been opposed to the idea of merging the newsrooms, then sought detail of the plan, to assess it against the stations’ commitments in their original contracts.
It is understood that Communicorp, in a submission to the BCI, then sought approval for dropping some Newstalk programmes and some sharing of news arrangements.
As these changes had been introduced without prior approval from the commission, both Newstalk and Today FM were notified of serious breaches of contract. Asked to comment on this yesterday, Today FM chief executive Willie O’Reilly said: “It’s like the Christian thing – you can sin but there can be redemption.”
A Newstalk spokeswoman said the station was in discussions with the BCI about the matter and it would be inappropriate to comment. A response was also sought from Communicorp but no one from the company was available for comment.
It is understood that Communicorp argued that the changes would help to secure the viability of Newstalk in the current economic downturn, also saying the changes would have limited impact on the diversity provided by both stations.
The BCI accepted Communicorp’s arguments relating to some of the changes that had taken place.
It approved the introduction of a shared “pool” of reporters between Today FM and Newstalk and the sharing of correspondents between the stations in all areas except politics.
The removal of the programme Late Night Live from the Newstalk schedule was approved, as was the sharing of off-peak news bulletins. These last two decisions are subject to reassessment and will be reviewed in 12 months by both Newstalk and the BCI.
However, the BCI did not accept that a viability case had been made with regard to the cancellation of Splanc and Culture Shock, which were taken off air towards the end of 2008.
The BCI ruled that the removal of these programmes from Newstalk’s schedule reduced diversity of programming.
Splanc was presented by Daragh Ó Tuama and covered music, current affairs and sport.
Travel writer Fionn Davenport presented Culture Shock, which concentrated on arts, entertainment and popular culture.
