dctv to close

Infoanon

Reports today that Dublin community television (carried on UPC) is to close on Friday 8th November after its BAI grant was cut by 85%. 5 jobs will be lost.

apollo8

Statement from dctv shutdown in February

http://www.dctv.ie/

Elmo

PQ http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/dail2013111900067?opendocument#WRP02250

409. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Information his views on the recent closure of Dublin Community TV. [49398/13]

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte): Community media is an important and distinct third strand of Irish broadcasting, sitting alongside commercial and public service broadcasting. Community television and radio stations provide a social benefit to the communities they serve, allowing for community access and participation. They are uniquely situated so that the output of each station reflects the special interests and needs of its intended listenership. While I am very disappointed to hear of the difficulties being encountered by DCTV and of the station's impending closure, I understand that the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland remains in a process of engagement with DCTV on this matter.

Hotblack Desiato

The taxpayer should never, ever fund programming available only on pay-TV.

Elmo

ninja900 wrote: »

The taxpayer should never, ever fund programming available only on pay-TV.

I agree and disagree.

The act points to Community TV and Radio for Sound and Vision Funding. Community TV should be available on Soarview IMO.

I would rather see Community TV get funding than Premium Pay TV channels like Setanta. Which the 2009 Act does not allow for.

Elmo

Micheal O'Keeffe on DCTV

I am concerned that DCTV representatives came to us a few weeks before they made the announcement that they were to cease broadcasting to request that we allow them to continue projects we had funded under the sound and vision fund. That would allow them to continue until February and we granted them permission to do so. One of the challenges in funding a company such as DCTV is its funding model appeared to be very much based on securing money from the sound and vision fund and from other schemes. There is a question mark over whether such a model is sustainable because the sound and vision fund is a competitive grant awards scheme and how one can base one's funding to such an extent on securing money from a scheme of that nature is challenging. They have bought time until February to continue with the service. Between now and then, we will explore with them whether there are ways to continue but they need to look at their funding model because one cannot rely on one scheme to be the mainstay of a funding model. There may be potential for that in the future because DCTV has done good work and has broadcast good programmes. We would regret it if they were not with us in the future.

http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/committeetakes/TRJ2013111300009?opendocument

mackersdublin

http://www.dctv.ie/
New statement on it's website after meeting on 19 Dec 2013