Coimisiún na Meán spent two years examining five-minute radio segment before investigation

The media regulator spent more than two years examining a complaint about a five-minute local radio item on “men cutting rhododendron flowers in the woods” before starting a formal investigation into the broadcast. The Coimisiún na Meán (CnaM) inquiry into the Tipp FM clip in August 2024 is one of two separate radio investigations started this week under sweeping new powers to enforce broadcasting law.The investigation followed a complaint about a listener’s email – read out on air – about “groups of foreign men travelling to the woods, sometimes in large groups, and cutting large amounts of rhododendrons”. Tipp FM – based in Clonmel, Co Tipperary – declined to comment on the investigation. READ MOREThe second investigation is into broadcasts by South East Radio almost three years ago – in December 2023. It followed complaints from Wexford County Council and its former chief executive Tom Enright about statements broadcast “in relation to an off-air incident”. South East Radio, based in Wexford, was not available for comment on the investigation. The two complaints have been with CnaM for years under an escalating three-stage process, the latter two of which are not subject to any legal deadlines. [ X launches fresh court challenges against Coimisiún na MeánOpens in new window ]They were subject first to preliminary scrutiny by CnaM commissioners at the top of the regulator’s organisation, who then referred them to an internal “authorised person”. The Tipp FM case went to the “authorised person” in December 2024, the South East Radio case in January 2025. After lengthy examination, the “authorised person” has now referred the files for separate investigation by an “authorised officer” within CnaM.The CnaM website says consideration of a complaint “should take place within 60 working days” of the date it is received. However, the regulator said the referral to the authorised person “concludes the decision-making process that must take place within the 60-working-day window”.No timeframe is set out in law for an authorised person’s examination or for “the following stages of appointing an authorised officer or within which investigations must be commenced or concluded”, it said in reply to questions. “In the case of these two complaints, the referral to an authorised person and then to an authorised officer could not take place until the commission had made its decision on the complaints as part of the new process.”CnaM is best known as the regulator of online tech giants such as Facebook, Instagram and X. When the regulator’s office was established three years ago, it also took on extensive powers to supervise broadcasters and manage complaints. [ Facebook parent Meta launches legal challenge to Coimisiún na Meán investigationsOpens in new window ]CnaM was funded by a €51.6 million industry levy in 2025, in addition to a €6.9 million Oireachtas grant, licensing fees and broadcast fund income. The regulator had 273 staff last year, according to its annual report. The new inquiries into broadcasts by Tipp FM and South East Radio are the first CnaM investigations into radio stations under amendments to the Broadcasting Act of 2009. The regulator can impose fines of up to 10 per cent of a company’s turnover – or €20 million – if it is found to have violated broadcasting law or regulations.At issue on Tipp FM is whether it breached the code of programme standards and the code of fairness, objectivity and impartiality in news and current affairs. At issue on South East Radio is whether it breached the code of fairness, objectivity and impartiality in news and current affairs, as well as sections of the Broadcasting Act on news and current affairs.CnaM declined to disclose the terms of investigation. It also declined to name the authorised officer, or set out whether draft conclusions would be handed down before conclusions were finalised. CnaM said: “These investigations are handled by the same team that runs investigations into potential breaches of online safety rules. There are currently six open investigations by Coimisiún na Meán regarding online safety issues.”