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Irish Times: ‘growing unease’ over RTE move

Noreen Bowden — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:05:24 +0000

The Irish Times is reporting that ‘growing unease’ among TDs and Senators over RTE’s decision to shut down its medium wave service on March 24. It says there will be a meeting between the Oireachtas Committee on Communications and RTE in the next few weeks over the issue.

The report quotes several politicians citing their concerns, including Senator Denis O’Donovan, a former TD for Cork South West. The report says:

“As somebody who lived abroad in the 1970s in London, working my way through college, I remember the importance of the service for emigrants,” he said.

“To listen to the broadcast of a GAA match was hugely important for emigrants.”

He said many of those who would be most affected were now silent because they were unaware it was going to happen.

Mr O’Donovan said while a young generation might be adept with modern technology, there was still a significant number of people who relied on the medium wave service. “These are people of modest means who who might also be living in remote areas. They have been using this service for years and years,” he said.

“I would call on RTÉ to reverse this decision. The closure of this service will not save a great deal of money, and if it can make people’s lives happier at home and abroad, why not continue with it?”

Read the entire article (subscription required).

Belfast Telegraph says RTE should listen to North

Noreen Bowden — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:51:37 +0000

The Belfast Telegraph has weighed in on the continuing controversy over RTE’s move to shut down its medium wave service – a move that will affect those in the North as well as emigrants in Britain and beyond.

In its editorial, titled “RTE should listen to this signal”, the newspaper says that the RTE should be expanding its offerings to the North, not cutting them. It adds:

Although RTE is discomfited by the negative publicity over the ending of medium wave radio transmissions, the company must be privately pleased that so many of its listeners are concerned.

See the entire article.

Irish News highlights medium-wave shutdown in North

Noreen Bowden — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:33:54 +0000

The Irish News, a newspaper based in the North, has been running substantial coverage of the recent announcement by RTE that it will be shutting down its medium wave service.

On its first day of coverage run nearly six pages of articles on the RTE shutdown of medium wave. The coverage includes a front-page article, an editorial, and four pages of articles on inside pages.

Thanks to the Irish News for allowing us to link to the PDF versions of the following articles:

Update: February 13

Reader comments: Move sparks waves of controversy.
Give us the power to rule on broadcasting, say MLAs.

Update: February 15

RTE committed to entire island

Update: February 16

Alliance concern at RTE move

Update: March 3

RTE radio to move frequency in battle for listeners

Visit the Irish News at IrishNews.com.

Dail and Stormont committees to examine RTE move

Noreen Bowden — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:34:11 +0000

In a front page story, the Irish News reports today that the issue of RTE’s medium-wave shutdown will be examined at Dail and Stormont committees. The paper notes that Sinn Fein, the SDLP, Fine Gael and Labour have all their concerns over the shutdown, which is scheduled for March 24.

RTE has pledged to find a way to extend its FM coverage throughout the North before the end of its MW transmission.

There have been no reports on any plans to address the loss faced by emigrant communities.

Read the entire article on the Irish News (subscription required).
See Spirit in the sky on medium wave.
See also Labour joins opposition to RTE plan.
Watch the video: RTE FM Switchoff

Labour Party questions RTE medium-wave shutdown

Noreen Bowden — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:57:49 +0000

The Labour Party is calling on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications to ask RTE to explain its decision to eliminate its medium wave broadcast.

The party’s communication spokesperson Liz McManus said that the shutdown was in violation of the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, because it will cut off one of the traditional cross-border links.

Ms McManus also highlights the situation of the Irish abroad:

This decision also affects Irish emigrants, particularly those who were forced to leave during harder times, and they must be given assistance to manage this change and keep their radios tuned in to our national broadcaster. They must not be left behind during this modernisation programme by RTE.

Ms McManus proposes a possible solution: Postpone the switchoff until there is a digital alternative.

There are many who would have preferred RTE to have postponed the switch off until it begins broadcasting in digital. Medium wave should be recognized as an integral tool in the strategy toward digital radio.

She concludes:

I will be asking the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications to invite RTE to come in to discuss this matter in full. I will also be writing to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on this matter.

This matter should also be debated by the Committee established by the Oireachtas to oversee progress on the Good Friday Agreement. Denying people in Northern Ireland access to our national broadcaster service is a step backwards. Denying emigrants in Britain the same access compounds an injustice to many of them who were forced to leave out of economic necessity

Read the entire press release from Liz McManus.

Edit: Liz McManus also brought up the issue in the Dail during the Order of Business on the 12th. From the transcript:

Deputy Liz McManus: I am not sure whether the Taoiseach is aware that in Northern Ireland there is considerable concern at the fact that next month RTE intends to close down the medium wave radio service. This seems to fly in the face of the Good Friday Agreement, that people who have been able to access RTE radio all their lives will no longer be able to do so.
Will the Taoiseach ensure that the Broadcasting Bill is brought forward? In the meantime, because this affects people in Northern Ireland and our emigrants in Britain, who in many cases will also lose a service, will he ensure that RTE does not close down this service until the Broadcasting Bill is debated and that we can ensure there is consistency? For example, the FM signal is so weak on parts of the Falls Road that people simply will not be able to get RTE radio. This is a matter for debate in this House and for the committee on the progress of the Good Friday Agreement, as well as the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

An Ceann Comhairle: It is a matter for the House but not on the Order of Business. The Taoiseach to reply on the Broadcasting Bill.

The Taoiseach: The Broadcasting Bill will be before the House shortly.

Blog roundup: RTE medium wave move

Noreen Bowden — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:26:07 +0000

The controversy over RTE’s decision to shut down medium wave – a move that will affect Irish emigrants in Britain and beyond, as well as people in the North – has been reflected in a variety of blog postings around the Internet. Here are some of them, from a variety of sources, including political parties, media commentators and others.

Ean press release on RTE medium wave shutdown

Noreen Bowden — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:43:41 +0000

Ean has issued a press release on the shutdown of RTE medium wave services, which will affect those who listen to Radio 1 on MW radio. The move will hit listeners in Britain, Northern France and the Benelux countries.

Here is the text of the release:

On March 24, RTE will cease broadcasting on medium wave, cutting off Radio One to those who listen to it on MW radio. This is a move that will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable among the listening audience.

While RTE points to the fact that there are numerous other options for listeners available, including FM, longwave and non-radio technologies such as the internet, there are wider implications that will affect many sectors:

· Senior citizens – who value medium wave’s reliability and ease of use over FM’s sound quality. It is easier to tune in – the FM dial is cluttered with stations, and tuning in can be a distraction. Medium wave reception is stable and predictable. Those who need to purchase long-wave receivers will incur an additional cost.

· Emigrants – Medium wave reaches Britain, Northern France and the Benelux countries. Those listening to Radio One on MW radio will have to buy new long-wave receivers, which will be a burden on the vulnerable elderly among the emigrants. Additionally, there are some areas where medium wave is a stronger signal than the longwave station, due to interference with the long wave signal.

· Northern Ireland – parts of Northern Ireland rely on medium wave because the FM signal is too weak to reach them. Cutting service contradicts the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement.

· People with limited vision – the FM dial is cluttered with stations. Tuning RTE in on MW is simple.

· People on the move – medium wave stays on the same spot on the dial. FM requires retuning as one travels through the country, which is the type of distraction that has been a proven factor in car accidents.

· RTE has been producing separate programming for medium wave, such as sports programmes and events and the Sunday Mass. Religious services will move to longwave, requiring the purchase of an additional receiver for those who do not have them. This will be a further restriction for those on the move, as pocket-sized long-wave sets are rare on the market.

FM, medium wave, and longwave are complementary services: some people choose medium wave over FM because they live in areas where they do not get good FM reception. Additionally, some programming is not carried on FM, so people will be required to switchover to longwave. For many, a switchover to longwave will require the purchase of a new radio – a burden that will fall disproportionately on the elderly and most vulnerable, who are the most likely to rely on medium wave to begin with. Additionally, those listeners who want to convert their car radios to longwave will have to incur the installation costs.

In addition, new digital technology will soon render our existing longwave receivers obsolete. RTE has installed a longwave DRM transmitter and tested it in August, transmitting digital longwave across the UK and Europe. This is a welcome move, but the switchover to digital radio on longwave will render current longwave radios obsolete. Those who purchase longwave sets now will have to buy another radio when RTE cuts the existing longwave signal and sends out a digital signal in its place.

Ean Director Noreen Bowden says, “This issue is particularly important for our older emigrants, who value RTE’s services as a powerful link with home. At the very least, they should be given assistance with the switchover before services are cut off – although we would like to see the move postponed until RTE begins broadcasting in digital, which will give near-FM quality across all of Ireland, across most of Britain, and into near Europe, using much less power. This will be a boon not just to older emigrants, but to anyone travelling abroad – business people and holiday-makers as well as long-term residents.”

RTE move affects emigrants in Britain, beyond

Noreen Bowden — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:20:37 +0000

RTE has announced that it will shut down its medium wave service on March 24th. This means that those who listen to RTE Radio 1 on the AM dial will no longer have that option. RTE suggests that listeners can turn to FM or longwave.

RTE says that less than 10% of their listeners listen on medium wave, and suggests that those who do listen “largely based on habit rather than necessity”. Presumably this 10% figure is based on listenership figures for the Republic of Ireland, and does not take into account those who listen in the North and in Britain, where the FM option does not exist.

Ean is concerned about the effect of this move on emigrants, particularly those in Britain, where the most vulnerable elderly are likely to be disproportionately affected. The medium wave signal also reaches Northern France and the Benelux countries, and interference on the long-wave signal means that for some people, Radio 1 comes in better on the AM dial.

RTE has pledged to assist the vulnerable elderly in Ireland who may have been depending on the AM service all their lives with vouchers to reduce the cost. They are not, however, offering similar assistance to the vulnerable among the emigrant communities, who are likely to be disproportionately affected by the move.

Will the loss of Radio 1 on medium wave affect you? Do you have an opinion on this issue? Ean is eager to hear it. Drop a line to Noreen Bowden at noreen@ean.ie, or use the comment feature below.