‘Dangerous’ to exclusively fund RTE through the Exchequer, says Tanaiste

Micheal Martin has said it would be a “dangerous development” to exclusively fund RTE through the Exchequer.

The Tanaiste said there should be a separate stream of revenue to ensure editorial independence within the state broadcaster and to act as a buffer against any future economic downturns.

The coalition is split on the future of long-term funding of the broadcaster.

Mr Martin said the government is committed to making a decision on a future funding model for RTE before the summer.

The Fianna Fail leader said the government will await the RTE governance reports, which are expected to be published in the coming weeks.

“I’ve been very clear that we have to protect editorial independence of the public service broadcaster and media more generally, because the funding will go to public service content, largest traditionally to RTE, but other media do public service content as well,” Mr Martin told RTE’s Today with Claire Byrne.

“There is a broader agenda for the country if we want to avoid the misinformation and disinformation that’s happening all over the United States and other areas, and indeed here to a certain extent.

“We must invest and support or have mechanisms to support it.”

Mr Martin said there could be a combination or Exchequer and independent funding.

“I definitely think we have to have an independent stream of revenue to ensure editorial independence in the first instance and also as a buffer against economic downturns,” he added.

“There tends to be a view in some quarters, and it’s in the Oireachtas, that we’re going to have fantastic surpluses for the next 20 years.

“I know how difficult the estimates are, you’ve the education minister looking for more money, you have the social protection minister, you’ll have people looking for pension increases in the autumn budget, looking for social protection increases for child benefit and so on.

“If you are exclusively funded by the Exchequer, don’t be naive.

“In a tight situation, if politicians of the day don’t like what RTE is doing or are annoyed about certain programmes or whatever like that, they can say, well, let’s slash 10 million off that, that can happen in the real world.

“I think we need to guard against that. Some people think the easiest thing to do is just give 100% Exchequer. I think that’s a dangerous development.

“I said that to the Media Commission. I met them on this and I said, I don’t think this is a runner because I think you do have to protect the editorial independence of RTE.

“I see what’s happening in Hungary. I see what’s happening in other countries where government influence over media is too much. It’s unhealthy and it’s creating bad situations.”