Former RTÉ chief to head broadcast regulator

FORMER RTÉ director general Bob Collins has been appointed chairman of the new Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), which will regulate both commercial and public service broadcasting.

Mr Collins, who is currently chairman of the Equality Commission in the North, was one of five people appointed to the authority by Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan.

Fine Gael communications spokesman Simon Coveney last night questioned the appropriateness of selecting a former head of RTÉ to head an independent body responsible for both commercial and State broadcasting.

“I admire Bob Collins who is a good man who did a good job in RTÉ. This is nothing personal against him, as any former head of RTÉ would seem a strange choice to head up the BAI,” Mr Coveney said.

Mr Ryan announced the appointments yesterday as he formally established the BAI, which will replace the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) and the Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCC).

Irish Timescolumnist John Waters, who served on the board of the BCI, has also been appointed to the new authority.

The Minister’s three other appointments are: Paula Downey, a culture change consultant and partner with Downey Youell Associates; Michelle McShortall, lead designer at Intuition, an e-learning company in Dublin; and Dr Maria Moloney, a solicitor who was formerly Northern Ireland’s representative on the UK’s Independent Television Commission.

The remaining four board members of the new authority will be selected by the Oireachtas committee for communications within the next three months, although Mr Ryan will have the final power of ratification.

MJ Nolan, chairman of the committee, said it would shortly advertise for expressions of interest from the public to sit on the BAI. A shortlist would then be drawn up and potential candidates would be interviewed in public by the committee, the first time for such a procedure.

New members of the RTÉ Authority and the board of TG4 would be selected by the same procedure.

One of the first tasks of the new authority will be to draw up new rules governing the advertising of junk foods on television.

A new code to govern religious advertising is also planned.

Mr Ryan said the new authority was taking on a great task in the regulation of a creative industry.

“The new authority will seek and uphold the highest standards, enhancing trust among viewers and listeners,” the Minister added.