The media regulator Coimisiún na Meán is seeking to hire a consultant to review the adequacy of public funding provided to RTÉ and TG4 in allowing the broadcasters to fulfill their public service functions.
The regulator commenced a procurement process on Friday, seeking “the services of a consultant(s) to review ... the adequacy, or otherwise, of public funding to enable Public Service Media organisations (”PSMs”) to meet their public service objects”, according to a request for tenders published on the Government’s eTenders website.
The envisioned length of the contract is two years, with the possibility of a two-year extension. The “expected budget” offered for the consultancy services across the four years of the contract is €300,000, with an initial maximum budget of €140,000 for the first two years.
The media regulator is accepting offers of tenders until January 22nd.
According to the request for tenders, consultants will be expected to prepare a report analysing the broadcasters’ performances in 2024 based on annual statement of performance commitments (prepared by the broadcaster as required under the Broadcasting Act) and the broadcasters’ own review of their performances, and to “situate/position this in the context of the wider media and economic landscape”.
The regulator also expects the report to “analyse the effectiveness” of the broadcasters’ performance commitments for 2025, “and their adequacy, or not, in helping the PSMs to fulfill their public objects for 2025″.
The report should also “[p]rovide a comprehensive evaluation of the suitability of both the current and possible future funding and advise on appropriate levels for both PSMs for 2026″.
RTÉ faced considerable scrutiny last year following controversy over governance and spending at the broadcaster.
In July, the Government approved a plan to provide RTÉ with €725 million of funding over three years.
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