Latest Broadcasting Complaints Decisions Published

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has today (16.02.2023) published its recent broadcasting complaints decisions.

At its meeting held in September 2022, the Compliance Committee of the BAI considered and rejected six complaints.

Further to the provisions of Section 48(10) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 and BAI Complaints Policy Document 2020 and considering the personal and sensitive nature of some of the complaints, the Committee agreed not to publish four of the complaint decisions. The remaining two complaints related to the following broadcast:

• RTÉ Radio 1: Morning Ireland: 15.06.2022.

Separately, the Executive Complaints Forum of the BAI considered and rejected four complaints in meetings held in September and October 2022. 

Details of published decisions are available to download here.

ENDS

FOR MEDIA QUERIES, CONTACT: Joanne Ahern, DHR Communications, Tel: 087-9881837

For all other queries, contact the BAI at 01-6441200 or info@bai.ie

Note to Editors

Under the Broadcasting Act 2009, viewers and listeners can complain about broadcasting content, which they believe is not in keeping with the BAI’s broadcasting codes and rules. In line with the BAI’s complaints handling process, the viewer or listener should direct their complaint to the broadcaster in the first instance. This must be done within 30 days of the date of the broadcast.

If a viewer or listener is not satisfied with the response from the broadcaster, or if the broadcaster does not respond within the timeframe specified in their Code of Practice for Complaints Handling (usually 21 days after receipt of complaint), the viewer or listener can refer the complaint to the BAI for consideration.

In assessing complaints, and having regard to its codes and rules, the BAI considers the material submitted by the relevant parties together with the broadcast material. Complaints are assessed at Executive level and/or by the Compliance Committee of the Authority.

When a complaint has been adjudicated upon:

• A copy of the decision is sent to the complainant and the broadcaster before its publication.
• Where a complaint is upheld in whole or in part, the broadcaster concerned will broadcast the Compliance Committee’s decision, if the Compliance Committee believes it appropriate to do so. This could include the name of the person who made the complaint. This will be done at a time and manner suitably similar or close to the timing of the original broadcast which prompted the complaint. The only exception to this will be a situation where the Compliance Committee considers it inappropriate to broadcast the decision.
• Where a complaint is deemed resolved or rejected, the Compliance Committee is satisfied that the matter has been dealt with and that no further action is required.
• The decisions of the BAI are distributed to the media and posted to the BAI’s website, unless it considers it inappropriate to do so.
• When the BAI has considered the matter and issued its determination, that is the end of the process.
• The decisions deal with the issue of whether a programme or a commercial communication did or did not comply with the relevant legal requirements and the relevant broadcasting codes or rules. The decisions do not constitute endorsement or support for the views of either parties to the complaint nor will they address every aspect of a complaint submission.