Commercial radio stations across Ireland are set to benefit from a new €3 million fund dedicated to strengthening news reporting.
The funding is part of a wider €10 million package announced by Coimisiún na Meán, which has opened applications for three journalism schemes, including the new News Reporting Scheme.
A total of €4 million will be made available under the scheme, with €3 million ring-fenced for commercial radio broadcasters. The allocation was made by Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, who said the funding recognises the important role radio plays in delivering trusted, high-quality news.
The scheme is being launched on a pilot basis and will be reviewed after one year. It will support the creation of public interest journalism on a platform-neutral basis, focusing on issues under-represented in current news coverage such as rural affairs, transport, sustainability, marginalised groups, social and cultural topics, and the impact of public policy.
Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Media Development Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, said the organisation is committed to supporting “a media landscape that is sustainable, pluralistic, and participative, and one that consumers can trust”.
Applications for the News Reporting Scheme can be submitted by regulated news and current affairs service providers, or by freelance journalists working with a regulated outlet.
Alongside the new initiative, €6 million has also been made available under round two of the Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes. The first round of these schemes, launched last year, supported the creation of more than one hundred new journalism roles.
Minister O’Donovan said the new funding would “enable media outlets to report on news topics that are not substantially covered at present” and enhance coverage of local authorities and the courts. He added: “Commercial radio stations play an invaluable role in community engagement, cohesion and the promotion of social inclusion across the country and provide a crucial public service in the delivery of trusted information.”
Coimisiún na Meán expects applications from both national and regional outlets, with the aim of strengthening news provision for audiences across Ireland.
This story first appeared on Radio Today