In advance of the Local and European Elections and the By-elections in Longford-Westmeath and Dublin West, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (“BAI”) reminds broadcasters of the requirement to comply with the moratorium in place in advance of, and during the day of, voting on these important elections.
The Moratorium is provided for in the BAI Guidelines in Respect of Coverage of Local and European Elections. It includes the prohibition of: on-air references to electioneering; references to issues linked to an election; and, references to the merits or otherwise of an election candidate and/or their policies.
The moratorium will operate from 2pm today (Thursday, 22nd May) until the closing of polling stations at 10pm on Friday 23rd May. A copy of the English language version of the Guidelines can be viewed here. A copy of the Guidelines in Irish can be viewed here.
Separately, the BAI has today published its decisions in respect of complaints submitted by MacGeehin Toale Solicitors on behalf of Councillor Bríd Smith, Ms. Patricia McKenna and Mr. Paul Murphy, MEP. The complaints were in respect of RTÉ One’s Nine O’Clock News on 3rd May 2014. The Compliance Committee has upheld the complaints in part and the decisions of the Committee are available here .
Media Queries to:
Catherine Heaney /Tony Heffernan
DHR Communications
087 2309835 /087 2399508
Note to editors:
The BAI Guidelines in Respect of Coverage of Local and European Elections are provided for, further to Rule 27 of the Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality. A copy of the Code can be found here.
Full details of the complaints process, including contact details for complaints to individual broadcasters is available here.