But it’s not too far-fetched, surely, to suggest that the principles of public service broadcasting, developed in the middle of the last century in the wake of the collapse of European liberal democracy in the 1930s, might still be relevant in the current moment. Without a strong local public service operator, the chances of seeing drama, documentaries, music or comedy which reflect the lives, experiences and cultures of the people who live in this country will inevitably be drastically reduced, or even erased. One potential reason is the obvious gap between the high-minded aspirations attached to public service broadcasting in the abstract and the banal and often mediocre reality of RTÉ’s actual programming. Add RTÉ’s relentless use of its own programmes for cross-promotion and self-congratulation to the reasons why the public service argument has not so far succeeded. If that decision leads to the effective end of public service broadcasting in Ireland – and it might – it will be a sorry legacy for Mr Bruton and his colleagues to own.

Source: The Irish Times November 08, 2019 13:57 UTC