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*In the case of the radio service, [[Century Radio]], it went bankrupt within months, issues surrounding the then Minister for Justice and Communications [[Ray Burke (Irish politician)|Ray Burke]] were also raised as he sought to deregulate the system. In 1997 Radio Ireland won the contract for Ireland's commercial national Radio service, now [[Today FM]]. Meanwhile, the selected contractor for the television service [[TV3 (Ireland)|TV3]], took eight years to find a backer before it finally went on air.
*The Broadcasting Act, 2001<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/act/pub/0004/index.html|title=Broadcasting Act, 2001|publisher=|accessdate=26 June 2016}}</ref> gave the Commission its most recent past name and increased its powers. It can now issue contracts for broadcasting via cable, satellite, and most recently DTT under a different model from 2001 [[Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007]], and can also develop codes in relation to various broadcasting activities. The first, a code on children's advertising, has proved highly controversial. Under the Broadcasting Act 2009<ref>http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2008/2908/b2908s.pdf</ref> the Commission has been abolished and its powers transferred to the new Broadcasting Authority of Ireland's Contract Awards Committee. The BAI incorporates the role of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission for Ireland and also the regulatory powers of the [[RTÉ Board|RTÉ Authority]] and [[TG4|Teilifís na Gaeilge]], these now having simply corporate governance and strategic roles, losing their self-regulatory roles. While the contract award process will not be radically altered, the Authority will now have powers to fine stations rather than having to remove their contracts.
*The Commission also operated the Broadcasting Funding Scheme or Sound & Vision which distributes 5% of the collected TV licence to projects on film, TV and radio and under the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, this will continue, including increased requirements for spend on indigenous programming. This is further to the Broadcasting (Funding) Act 2003. So far over €30 Million euro has been invested into the audio visual sector in Ireland as a result of the scheme, enabling 280 projects to be funded and broadcast in peak listener/viewer times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bci.ie/broadcast_funding_scheme/index.html|title=BCI Tech News
=== Previous Role of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI)===
The BCI was responsible for arranging the provision of television and radio services in addition to those provided by [[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]] (RTÉ). In addition, it was responsible for developing codes on advertising and other matters, which apply both its own stations and those of RTÉ.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bci.ie|title=BCI Tech News|publisher=|accessdate=26 June 2016}}</ref> Its role has expanded following the statutory instrument signed by Minister Eamonn Ryan on 24 September 2009 to include Analogue terrestrial television switchoff in Ireland (aerial/transmitter system) and licensing the more channel spacious digital terrestrial television channel licensing that it will undertake once the commercial DTT contract is concluded with the current consortium.<ref name="dcenr.gov.ie">{{cite web |url=http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/Minister+Ryan+establishes+Broadcasting+Authority+of+Ireland.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2009-10-07 |
====Contract method under the BCI====
*The BCI awarded television and radio programme contracts (typically called "licences", though the actual broadcasting licences are really issued by [[Commission for Communications Regulation|ComReg]]) by a "beauty contest" system.
*Typically the Authority will decide on the area and type of service to be provided. It then asks for expressions of interest, which will then lead to an actual contest for the contract. Each bidder for the contract submits a detailed business plan and programming proposals to the Authority, which then selects a preferred bidder.
*It will then conduct further negotiations before issuing the contract. However, the previous Commission had limited ability to enforce contracts once issued. It could issue stations warnings or ultimately threaten them with the loss of contract, but this is regarded as a "nuclear option" and is often very unpopular with the stations' listenership. More often, it would try to negotiate with the station in order to influence its programming. Only in one instance - [[Radio Limerick One]] - was a station's contract terminated midway through its run. In three further cases - [[North West Radio]], [[Radio Kilkenny]], and [[Carlow Kildare Radio]] - the stations contract was awarded to a different company at the end of its term. These decisions proved very politically unpopular and have led to calls for the BCI to automatically renew contracts unless there have been stated misbehaviour. However, as Independent Local Radio stations typically have a monopoly, this would mean no new enterants could ever enter the market.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bci.ie/news_information/news_archive.html|title=BCI Tech News
=== Transition to Broadcasting Authority of Ireland ===
{{Main article|Broadcasting Act 2009}}
Under the [[Broadcasting Act 2009]]<ref>[http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/bills28/bills/2008/2908/document1.htm Broadcasting Bill 2008 (Seanad)]</ref><ref>http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/bills28/bills/2008/2908/b29d08s.pdf</ref><ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/Major+changes+heralded+in+broadcasting+as+new+laws+enacted.htm|title=Major changes heralded in broadcasting as new laws enacted|publisher=Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources|date=15 July 2009|
|title=Minister Ryan discusses the Broadcasting Act (|publisher=Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources/Youtube.com|date=15 July 2009}}</ref> the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI)
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