Broadcasting to reflect ‘life and culture as we know it’: media policy, devolution and the case of Northern Ireland

The possibility that broadcasting powers could be devolved from the UK government to the Northern Ireland Assembly has been a matter for political discussion in Northern Ireland. During a 2013 debate in the Assembly on the matter, the dominant Irish nationalist political party called for such devolution to increase the levels of programming that reflect “life and culture as we know it”. The subject is discussed in relation to wider debates over the devolution of broadcasting powers that have taken place in Wales and Scotland, and in relation to the challenges surrounding the formation of media policy for a divided society such as NI. This article suggests that while it is possible under current legislation to devolve broadcasting powers to Northern Ireland, it is likely that implementation would lead to major changes to public service media provision in Northern Ireland.