The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has defended its decision to uphold complaints of bias on the issue of same-sex marriage after journalist Una Mullally accused the BAI of stifling debate on the issue.
BAI Chief Executive Michael O’Keeffe wrote in the Irish Times that Mullally’s representation of the BAI’s regulations was “demonstrably false”, and said that the authority had no position on the question of same-sex marriage. O’Keeffe said that the BAI upheld complaints Newstalk’sBreakfast Show and RTÉ’s Mooney programme because they violated guidelines on impartiality and fairness.
In response to Mullally’s statment that, in seeking to promote her new book, “I have been told by national radio stations that in order to discuss this history book, there must be someone present who opposes rights for gay people”, Mr O’Keeffe wrote that “The BAI has, at no time issued any direction requiring that broadcasters must automatically ‘balance’ a discussion with an opposing view. Neither has the authority, at any stage, made a ‘ruling on marriage equality.’”
“In setting out its guidance on the principle of fairness” he continued “the BAI has indicated it will be necessary for a broadcaster to consider the range of ways in which fairness is achieved and to ensure active consideration is given to the achievement of fairness whether through the selection of contributors, the time allocated to a news and current affairs issue, the scope of the debate, the structure of the programme or the role of the presenter.”
In relation to the complaint made against Newstalk, regarding Breakfast Show presenter Chris O’Donohue expressing support for the Yes side in the upcoming referendum on same-sex marriage, Mr O’Keeffe said that the authority’s code “also recognises the vital role played by programme presenters. This role is conditional on a presenter acting fairly, objectively and impartially. The rule also precludes presenters articulating a partisan position on a matter of current affairs. The rationale for this approach is to guard against a presenter using their programme to pursue an agenda, regardless of the subject matter.”
Mr O’Keeffe said that while there was no automatic requirement for internal balance within a given programme, “The requirement for fairness, objectivity and impartiality in news and current affairs has been in place for many decades.”
He concluded, “The challenge for Irish broadcasters is to continue to show they can cover news and current affairs in line with existing regulations without compromising their duty to inform the public in a fair, objective and impartial manner.”