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Coverage of the debate on the Lisbon Treaty referendum, where broadcasters were required by law to give equal airtime to the Yes and No sides, showed up both the strengths and the weaknesses of Irish broadcasting, a conference heard today.

Chairman of the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI) Willie O’Reilly said that while there was a great deal of excellent programming, broadcasters were “strait-jacketed” into dividing time equally in a way that did not actually deliver balanced content.