Media Commission must include trade union and regional media representation

Responding to the Government’s announcement of the membership of the Future of Media Commission, Labour Party Media Spokesperson Senator Marie Sherlock said: 

“I am disappointed that the Government appears to have left major gaps in the makeup of the Future of Media Commission. The sustainability and viability of the media in our country is at a critical juncture and this announcement feels like a lost opportunity. 

“My main concern is the level of imbalance in the Commission’s membership. In particular, the lack of trade union representation is worrying when the Commission will no doubt make recommendations affecting the livelihoods of countless journalists and print workers across the country. 

“Also concerning is the absence of any members from Ireland’s regional newspapers and radio stations. We know that local papers and radio stations are among the worst hit by the changing media landscape. Their voice must be heard and their experience considered in charting a sustainable and diverse media landscape for the future. 

“The Government still has time to correct these shortcomings of the Future of Media Commission and ensure a broader and more representative membership. If the Commission moves ahead in its current form, it will be difficult to disagree with the assessment of the National Union of Journalists that this is a profoundly disappointing development.”