Media Law

A new simplified procedure for certain media mergers is to be introduced from next month. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has said the new simplified media merger notification procedure will officially commence on Wednesday 10 April 2024.

Coimisiún na Meán has welcomed the imminent application of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which comes fully into force in Ireland and across the EU from tomorrow. The DSA provides new rules for how online services deal with illegal content or apply their own rules.

William Fry partner David Cullen and associate Roisin Culligan analyse the recent SAG-AFTRA deal for those operating in Ireland, in light of its importance as a location for the entertainment industry. Last year, entertainment industry output was hit by a 118-day strike, until eventually a deal was

Reddit has launched High Court proceedings challenging its designation by Coimisiún na Meán as a video-sharing platform. The media regulator recently announced that Reddit and nine other services had been designated as video-sharing platforms which will be bound by the new online safet

Celene Craig is to stand down as Coimisiún na Meán's broadcasting and video-on-demand commissioner in March, the regulator has announced. Ms Craig, a qualified barrister who has spent more than 30 years in media regulation including as CEO of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland

Northern Ireland's largest newspaper publishers have launched a joint legal challenge to new legislation granting pre-charge anonymity to suspects of sexual offences. Under the Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, which came into force last September, suspec

A new European Board for Media Services is to be established alongside the introduction of new EU rules on editorial independence and media pluralism. The European Parliament and Council last week reached political agreement on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) proposed by the Commission last Se

New restrictions on alcohol advertising on radio and TV are to come into effect in 2025. Under section 19 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, which will come into force from 10 January 2025, alcohol adverts can't be shown on TV from 3am–9pm or broadcast on radio on a weekday from 3pm&ndas

The proposed acquisition of iRadio by European radio group Bauer Media Audio has been cleared by the government. The deal had already been cleared by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) but required additional approval from the government as it is classed as a "media merger" un

A public consultation on the development of a national counter-disinformation strategy has been launched. The Future of the Media Commission recommended the development of such a strategy as part of a more co-ordinated and strategic action to combat the damaging impact of disinformation on Iris

An interim report by Mazars sets out "alarming gaps in internal policies, procedures and controls" at RTÉ, the government has said. Catherine Martin, minister for tourism, culture, arts, Gaeltacht, sport and media, published the report from the forensic accountant appointed to examine the use

Amanda Zahringer has been appointed by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) as the new chair of its review panel. Ms Zahringer has worked as an international corporate lawyer and Big Six law firm partner in London, Madrid and Dublin. She has over 20 years’ experience advising

RTÉ publicly understated the earnings of presenter Ryan Tubridy from 2017 to 2019 in order to keep the figure below €500,000 in each year, a report by Grant Thornton suggests. The public broadcaster's board today published phase two of the second report by Grant Thornton, commissioned by

McCann FitzGerald has been appointed by RTÉ to investigate two controversial voluntary exit schemes operated by the broadcaster. The firm has begun work on the review and is expected to present a completed report to RTÉ bosses in September, The Irish Times reports.

The BBC incurred more than £450,000 in legal costs following actions brought by former Newsline presenter Donna Traynor and Spotlight journalist Lena Ferguson, it has emerged. Ms Traynor contended that she had suffered unlawful discrimination on grounds of age, gender and disability, while Ms