The chairman of the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland is hopeful the new Minister for Communications will change the government’s attitude to radio.

Denis Naughton today addressed the IBI’s AGM in Athlone, where the issue of the broadcasting levy, as well as RTE’s influence, was raised with him.

Minister Naughton said he is open to discussing issues with the IBI, but he doesn’t have a ‘silver bullet’ to address all their concerns.

Head of the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland John Purcell told Shannonside FM he just wants the Minister to treat everyone in radio, locally and nationally, fairly: “We do feel that we have to overcome a bit of an institutional mindset in Irish broadcast policies.

“Which seems to us to have concentrated for years and years on the health of RTE and the exclusion of everybody else.

“If the Minister can follow through with solutions that benefit everybody, we believe that the future will be good for Independent broadcasters and RTE, but if there is more of the same as there has been for quite a while we would be very worried.”