The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is calling on readers and broadcasters in The Avondhu readership area to submit proposals to a public consultation for a revised draft Code of Programme Standards that will apply to all Irish broadcasters.

There are seven guiding principles underpinning the draft code. They are respect for community standards; importance of context; protection from harm; protection of children; respect for persons and groups in society; protection of the public interest; and respect for privacy.

Speaking at the launch of the public consultation CEO of the BAI, Michael O’Keefe, said: “Developing a Code of Programme Standards is a challenging task, not least because there is no absolute, universally shared sense of what standards are or what should be observed. This code, as the Authority sees it, is a service to both broadcasters and audiences in Cork and throughout Ireland.

“It does not attempt to limit the reasonable editorial freedom of any broadcaster. Rather, it recognises the entitlement of the audience to have its deeply held convictions respected, its complexity and diversity recognised and reflected and those who are vulnerable protected.

“I want to emphasise that this is a draft code and we are keen to hear the views of the public and of broadcasters from Munster and the rest of the country before the code is finalised,” Mr O’Keeffe said.

The consultation will remain open until August 22nd. Responses can be submitted online to www.baifuture.ie, where you can download and/or listen to the draft Code and submit your response; by email to programmestandards@bai.ie or by post to: BAI Draft Code of Programme Standards, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, 2-5 Warrington Place, Dublin 2.