Coimisiún na Méan approves additional funding of €2.4m for radio stations

Coimisiún na Méan has approved funding of €2.4 million for the independent commercial radio sector, awarding sums of €35,000-€95,000 to individual radio stations.

The additional funding will be used to produce programmes with community, media literacy, digital transformation and gender, equality, diversity and inclusion themes.

The money was distributed under a special round of the media regulator and development agency’s Sound & Vision scheme, the funding for which was made available by Minister for Media Catherine Martin. All non-RTÉ stations holding radio licences were eligible to apply.

Rónán Ó Domhnaill, media development commissioner at Coimisiún na Méan, thanked the Minister for the provision of the funding and said it would enable the production of “high quality, new and additional programming” on Irish radio.

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“The funding will also assist stations to explore opportunities that increase audience engagement through training and outreach activities, in particular for minorities and newer communities.”

The next funding round of Sound & Vision is now open to independent producers of both radio and television with commissions from Irish broadcasters. Applications will close on December 14th.

A total of €6.9 million is available for distribution under this round, which will be allocated to programmes with a specific focus on gender, equality, diversity and inclusion. There will be a particular focus on programmes focusing on integration and the voices of new Irish communities, the regulator said.

Sound & Vision is usually financed through television licence fee receipts, with 7 per cent of the annual total receipts allocated to the regulator’s broadcasting fund, although the Minister may also make special funding rounds available under the scheme.