15 There are other problems as well. One of the
reasons journalists from print outlets are invited onto radio programmes is because broadcasting legislations insists on the impartiality of broadcast journalists. Newspaper journalists have no such requirement and so can voice an opinion. It also means the journalist who has secured the story is given full credit by being interviews about his or her story. Séamus Dooley, in his letter to the BAI, raised the important ethical issue of this being a ban on editorial contributors and is based on commercial not editorial considerations. At the same time the letter from TDs say no one should be banned from the airwaves or excluded from public discourse based on who their employer is. The Ryan letter also said the ban puts an “unacceptable constraint on editors”, in other words producers have to see who is banned by the chief executive before inviting someone to contribute to a programme. The controversy raises a number of issues,
such as the degree to which private commercial radio is a public trust, in that licences are granted by a public body with the public interest in the forefront of that decision. It is tempting to call for a ban on contributors, journalists and politicians from appearing on Communicorp radio stations, but it probably wouldn’t work, especially with the prospect of an election. What might be more useful is for a debate, or an inquiry into the media, the role of public service, and the public interest, how far publicly licenced radio can reflect the views of one concern. It might investigate the dissolving boundaries between different elements of media, online, print, broadcast and what impact this is having. It could include ownership. Such an inquiry should also include the ethical context in which the media operates.
Michael Foley is vice chair of the NUJ’s Ethics
Council, where he represents the Republic of Ireland.
Norma Prendiville (right) pictured with Anna Nolan and Nick Rabbitts after she was honoured at City Hall in Limerick for her work as a journalist over almost three decades at the Limerick Leader, and her contribution to the National Union of Journalists.
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