Nineteen community broadcasters across Ireland are set to benefit from nearly €750,000 in new funding from Coimisiún na Meán.
The support comes from the latest round of the Sound & Vision scheme, which funds projects that deliver social benefits through programming, training, education and employment.
The funding has been awarded to a mix of radio and television stations serving local communities and communities of interest around the country.
Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Commissioner for Media Development, said the funding would help ensure a “thriving, diverse, creative, safe and trusted media sector” and described community media as “hugely important and growing”.
He added that active participation in community media not only improves representation in broadcast content but also “encourages robust community engagement and provides opportunities to develop new skills”.
Many of the successful projects focus on training and education through accredited courses, workshops and placements. Others promote diversity, inclusion, and support for the Irish language.
Athlone Community Radio will produce a community directory made up of 240 short programmes featuring local groups, while Castlebar Community Radio plans to celebrate 30 years on air with new programming and training.
Claremorris Community Radio will deliver a new initiative called Voices of Claremorris aimed at strengthening local engagement. Cork Community TV will develop educational content in Irish, partnering with community education providers.
Dublin’s Near FM and DCTV will expand training and content production with community groups. Near FM’s Candid Conversations series, highlighting the experiences of the African diaspora, will continue under this support. Phoenix FM will offer hands-on broadcast training, and Raidió na Life will recruit a development assistant to support Irish-language content and volunteer support.
Other beneficiaries include Ros FM, which plans to create 500 hours of programming across nine strands, and Youghal Community Radio, which will work with schools and residential centres to grow participation and inclusion.
Projects also include shadowing opportunities and placements for volunteers and new broadcasters, as well as efforts to reach people who have not traditionally engaged with media. Many applicants also included measures to support gender balance both on-air and behind the scenes.
The full list of Sound & Vision funding recipients is available at cnam.ie.