Bob Geldof made a plea (via video) at the Slugger Awards for a fair deal in Northern Ireland for the provision of local news in the digital age.
“You’re all aware, I think, finally what’s been going on with new media in Northern Ireland and basically what’s been going on is that the old media have managed to get a lock out on any new funding coming into Northern Ireland for finding out what sort of local news or new ways of delivering it that maybe possible.”
“Below the Radar … is a superb production company, a Northern Irish production company is part of the Ten Alps group [founded by Geldof] and they wanted to go with the Belfast Telegraph; they wanted to contest the option for auction for delivering local news in NI.
“And we found out that somehow not only us, but everyone else who wanted to compete had been excluded and it’s preposterous – it seems to be ok that England, Wales and Scotland will get millions of pounds flowing their way to test out new ways and new media for delivering local news but not Northern Ireland. It’s like it’s ok for NI to be the also-ran in the UK, not to get money for new companies, or new ways for delivering new media.”
See what Geldof had to say on the Below the Radar web site
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