Community TV

Community Television is essentially Television that is owned and controlled by the community and is a tool for Community Development. The principle objectives of Community Television are:

• Empowerment – it enables communities to achieve their social, economic and cultural objectives and to use media to organise for positive social change

• Participation – it encourages individuals and community groups to participate in all aspects of the channel from programme making to running the channel

• Diversity – it extends the range of programmes and celebrates the rich diversity of Cork’s communities and cultures

Background Information

The Broadcasting Act 2001 legislates for the first time for Community Television under its ‘Community Content Contracts’. This is the result of much development and lobbying work by various groups in Ireland but particularly by Community Media Network (CMN) based in Dublin. In November 2002 Frameworks Films submitted an Expression of Interest to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) on behalf of Cork Communities to develop Community Television in Cork. Since then Frameworks has been engaged in a consultation process with the BCI and other groups around Ireland to develop policy for Community Television in Ireland. This process is almost complete and it is hoped that the application process will commence in 2004.