The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland’s guidelines for the second Lisbon Treaty referendum come into effect today.
Commercial radio and television broadcasters are now required to ensure that the proportion of airtime allocated to opposing sides is fair and undertaken in a transparent manner.
During the first Lisbon referendum broadcasters believed they were obliged to give equal airtime to both sides, the BCI clarified this situation earlier this week.
The clarification was welcomed by Willie O’Reilly, chairman of Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, the representative body for Ireland’s independent commercial radio broadcasters. “It’s an outbreak of common sense”, he said.
However, Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald expressed concern at the change.
"I am alarmed at the report coming from the Broadcasting Commission today which seems to suggest that equal airtime will not be afforded to both sides of the upcoming second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty," she said.
Voting in the second Lisbon Treaty referendum will take place on October 2nd.