At Ireland's Classic Hits Radio, we aim to deliver the best possible service to our listeners. We also aim to ensure that our programming is compliant with the requirements set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009, as amended by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, and broadcasting codes published by Coimisiún na Meán. 1
We welcome all feedback, both negative and positive, from our listeners concerning any aspect of our service.
We are obliged under the Broadcasting Act, 2009 (Sections 47 and 48), as amended by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, to have in place a Code of Practice for handling complaints from our listeners. This Code of Practice sets out and explains our complaint process for listeners and ensures that we deal with complaints in an effective and efficient manner. It should be noted that the Code of Practice only relates to certain categories of complaints as detailed below.
The Act states that:
All programme content on Ireland's Classic Hits Radio (news, talk, music, advertisements, etc) is regulated by the Coimisiún na Meán and the various codes that are in place from time to time, including:
BAI Codes of Fairness, Objectivity & Impartiality in News & Current Affairs Open file
BAI Code of Programme Standards Open file
BAI General Communications Code Open file
BAI Children’s Commercial Communications code (Children’s Advertising) – Open File
Ireland's Classic Hits Radio welcomes feedback and invites any listener to make an official written complaint if he or she reasonably feels that the station has broadcast material which breaches the codes. On receiving a valid complaint, this station will respond to the complainant within 21 days at the address supplied.
Ireland's Classic Hits Radio is obliged under the Broadcasting Act 2009, as amended by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, to have in place a Code Of Practice for handling complaints from listeners. The code sets out and explains our complaint process and ensures that we deal with complaints in an effective and timely manner. It should be noted that this Code of Practice relates only to certain categories of complaints as set out below.
Under Section 47(1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009, a Broadcaster shall give due and adequate consideration to a complaint on one or more of the grounds specified in section 48(1), made in writing by a person in respect of the broadcasting service provided by the Broadcaster which, in the opinion of the Broadcaster, has been made in good faith and is not of a frivolous or vexatious nature.
Section 47(3) deems that a Broadcaster shall prepare and implement a code of practice for the handling of complaints made under subsection (1). The code of practice shall make provision for the following matters:
You may submit a complaint to us if you are of the opinion that a broadcast or part of a broadcast on our service has breached one or more of the following obligations:
If your complaint concerns alleged defamation, you should refer to the BAI Right of Reply Scheme (details below).
All the latest BAI / Coimisiún na Meán Codes, including the Right of Reply Scheme, can be accessed in full on this page.
You can first contact us by telephone on 01-4255 400, email us at [email protected] or by letter and inform us of your complaint. A member of our staff will contact you to discuss what concerned you and attempt to resolve the matter to your satisfaction. If we cannot resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, and you are satisfied that your complaint is covered by this Code of Practice, you should submit the following details in writing (letter, fax or email):
Personal details submitted are for use by Ireland's Classic Hits Radio only. The name of a complainant shall not be published without his/her prior consent. Ireland's Classic Hits Radio is committed to protecting the rights and privacy of individuals in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 – 2003.
If, by reason of disability or other good reason, you are unable to submit the complaint in writing, please contact us and we will assist you to do so.
We will not accept complaints which we deem to be of a frivolous or vexatious nature.
The Broadcasting Act, 2009, as amended by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, requires you to make your complaint not more than 30 days after the date of broadcast:
(a) if your complaint relates to one broadcast, 30 days after the date of that broadcast;
(b) if your complaint relates to two or more unrelated broadcasts; 30 days after the date of the earlier or earliest of those broadcasts;
(c) if your complaints relate to two or more related broadcasts of which at least two are made on different dates; 30 days after the date of the later or latest of those broadcasts.
Complaints submitted outside of these time periods cannot be considered.
In order for your complaint to be accepted and considered, it must include the above details and must refer to a programme, advertisement or other form of commercial communication already broadcast on our service.
In the event that the complainant is not satisfied with the response the complainant is invited to refer the matter to Coimisiún na Meán. A submission to Coimisiún na Meán should be made no later than 14 days following the receipt of the reply from Ireland's Classic Hits Radio. Codes are available to view and download from the CnaM website - www.cnam.ie
Complaints Department
Ireland's Classic Hits Radio
Castleforbes House,
Castleforbes Road,
Dublin 1,
D01 A8N0
or email to:
[email protected]
Once we have accepted your complaint we will work to resolve the issue/s as soon as possible. Your complaint will be carefully considered, investigated if necessary, and responded to in writing by our Programme Director or a senior member of our management team.
This response will be sent to you within 21 days from receipt of your complaint.
We may uphold or reject a complaint. Upholding a complaint means that we believe that our programming did not comply with our obligations covered by this Code of Practice. Rejecting a complaint means we believe that our programming was in compliance with our obligations.
If we uphold your complaint, we will seek to resolve it to your satisfaction in an agreed manner. The manner of resolution will be decided on a case by case basis but may include an apology, correction, clarification and/or the offer of a rebuttal.
If we have not responded to your complaint within 21 days or if you are not satisfied with our response, you can refer your complaint to Coimisiún na Meán. Coimisiún na Meán will consider the complaint and may carry out an independent review of the complaint and our response. A submission to CnaM should be made no later than 14 days following the receipt of the reply from Ireland's Classic Hits Radio. CnaM will require a copy of your initial complaint to us along with a copy of our reply to you. Information on how to refer a complaint to CnaM is available on the CnaM website at www.cnam.ie or from the following address:
Complaints Officer
Coimisiún na Meán
Coimisiún na Meán
1 Shelbourne Buildings
Shelbourne Road
Dublin 4
D04 NP20
Ireland
We are required under the Broadcasting Act, 2009, as amended by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, to keep a record of all complaints submitted in accordance with this Code of Practice for two years. We are also obliged to provide these records to Coimisiún na Meán if it so directs. Our records will include copies of your complaint, our response/s and the audio copies of the broadcast material.
Complaint Form: Advertising/Commercial Communications Open file
Complaint Form: Programming Content Open file
Right of Reply – Open File
BAI Codes of Fairness, Objectivity & Impartiality in News & Current Affairs – Click here
BAI Code of Programme Standards – Open File
BAI General Communications Code – Open File
BAI Children’s Communications Code – Open File
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Coimisiún na Meán has been established further to the provisions of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 (“OSMR Act 2022”).The OSMR Act 2022 was enacted on 10 December 2022. The OSMR Act 2022 amended the Broadcasting Act 2009 to establish Coimisiún na Meán and dissolve the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (“BAI”).
2 The categories of complaints are specified in the Broadcasting Act, 2009, as amended by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022.
3 Commercial Communications is defined in section 2 of the General Commercial Communications Code and includes, inter alia, advertising, sponsorship, teleshopping and product placement. Members of the public are asked to refer to the BAI Code.
4 Ireland's Classic Hits Radio is not obliged to send you a copy of any broadcast. You yourself should have heard the broadcast in question.
The Right of Reply Scheme is published by Coimisiún na Meán further to the requirements of the Broadcasting Act 2009, as amended by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022. It provides for the broadcast of a Right of Reply Statement that will facilitate the correction of incorrect information which has been broadcast and which has resulted in a person’s honour or reputation being impugned. A request under the Scheme must be made not later than 21 days after the date of the broadcast in question.
Further to the requirements of the Broadcasting Act 2009, as amended by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, the scheme provides an opportunity for a person to exercise his/her right to the correction of incorrect information without recourse to legal proceedings which may prove time-consuming and costly.
If you wish to request a Right of Reply, please take time to read the full details of the scheme here Open file
Requests for a Right of Reply on Ireland's Classic Hits Radio should be made to Kevin Branigan, CEO, by e-mail to [email protected] or by post to Kevin Branigan, CEO, Classic Hits, Castleforbes House, Castleforbes Road, Dublin 1, D01 A8N0.
Should Ireland's Classic Hits Radio refuse or deem it inappropriate to grant the request for a Right to Reply Statement to be broadcast, the decision can be reviewed by Coimisiún na Meán.
Further information about the Right to Reply Scheme is available directly from Coimisiún na Meán, at www.cnam.ie or by calling 01 6441200.
