RTE Audience Council

Elmo

May I ask who are the public reps and how they got the positions?

And I don't mean how did they apply. I know that.

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Announcement of members of the RTÉ Audience Council

RTÉtoday announced the membership of the Audience Council, which will act as an advisory group to the RTÉ Authority.

The 22-member RTÉ Audience Council includes 11 representative members, with a specialist interest in one or more of the key strands of programming; 10 individual members who have a general interest in broadcasting, and one ex-officio ordinary member who is also the Chairperson of the Authority's Programme Sub-Committee.

The representative members are:
Valerie Keegan, IBEC
Oliver Donohue, ICTU
Derek Cunningham, IFA
June Tinsley, INOU
Mary Cloake, The Arts Council
Éimear Fisher, National Children's Office
Eddie Sheehy, The County and City Managers Association
Patrick O'Leary, The Equality Authority
Maolsheachlainn Ó Caollaí, Fóras na Gaeilge
Rev. Dr Alan McCormack, The Irish Council of Churches
Paul McDermott, The Sports Council

The individual members are:
Mary Gallagher Mac Bride, Co Donegal
Pádraig McGinn, Co Leitrim
Adrian P Ó Donnabháin, Co Limerick
Anthony Kelly, Co Kerry
Sheena Walsh McMahon, Co Wicklow
Paul M Kinsella, Co Meath
Ruth Gallagher, Dublin 7
Mark Connolly, Co Dublin
Alison McCullagh, Armagh


Garry Hynes, Member of the RTÉ Authority, Artistic Director, Druid Theatre, is the ex-officio ordinary member.

Date: Thursday 20 November 2003

For further information please contact:
Majella O Doherty,
Group Press Officer & Secretary to the Audience Council
T: 01 2082305/ 087 294 0875

Editor's notes:

The RTÉ Audience Council will interact with:

The general public - via a variety of means including dedicated access type programming on RTÉ Radio 1, public meetings, website, annual report etc.
The Authority - via the ex-officio representation and occasional meetings
The Director-General - who will attend at least one meeting of the Council annually and be available as appropriate.The idea of an Audience Council was first proposed in RTÉ's application for a licence fee increase in November 2002:
"The relationship between the audience and the broadcaster can be very uneven yet good communications between the two are vital for the ongoing development of a truly relevant service. RTÉ is committed to being open to its audience, welcoming all contact, listening to all views, and responding promptly and appropriately. To facilitate communication, and to enhance accountability, RTÉ has decided to establish an Audience Council."

The RTÉ Authority, with appropriate external advice and support, sought applications from members of the public who would like to be appointed as one of the ten individual members. Two of these members are from each of Ireland's EU constituency areas, and two from Northern Ireland.

The final composition of the Audience Council was, under section 21 of the 1960 Act, as amended by section 5 of the 1976 Amendment Act, subject to the consent of the Minister.

As there were insufficient applications from Northern Ireland RTÉ will run a second advertising campaign to invite individuals in Northern Ireland to apply to join the Council.

The Audience Council will have a life span of four years, and will elect a Chairperson annually from among its members.

The members of the Council will participate on a voluntary basis being reimbursed vouched expenses only.
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