Introduction
Tipperary Hospital Radio aims to deliver the best possible service to our
listeners. We also aim to ensure that our content is compliant with the
requirements set out in the Broadcasting Act, 2009 and broadcasting codes
published by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.
We welcome and will engage with all feedback, both negative and positive,
from our listeners concerning any aspect of our service.
We are obliged under the Broadcasting Act, 2009 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.
1. What Can I Complain About? 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:-
(i) News
We will ensure that our news service is objective and impartial without any
expression of our own views.
(ii) Programmes
We will ensure that our programming does not contain any content which may
reasonably be regarded as:-
– causing harm or offence;
– tending to promote, or incite crime;
– tending to undermine the authority of the State; or
– unreasonably encrouch upon the privacy of an individual.
We also will ensure programming is in compliance with the BAI Code of
Programme Standards
https://www.bai.ie/en/download/128555/
(iii) Sponsorship and Announcements
All sponsorship Announcements broadcast by us will be in compliance with the
BAI General Commercial Communications
Code https://www.bai.ie/en/download/131870/.
If you have a complaint that does not fall under the categories set out
above, we would invite you to avail of our feedback/complaints facility at www.thrcl.com or by
calling 052 6177 104 and
asking to speak with the Station Manager.
The BAI codes can be accessed at www.bai.ie or are available on request from
the BAI offices.
2. How Do I Make a Complaint?
You can first contact us via the feedback submission form on our website
thrcl.com , by email thrclradio@outlook.com or write a letter addressed
to, Station Manager, Tipperary Hospital Radio,Western Road, Clonmel , Co
Tipperary , and inform us of your complaint. The appropriate 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 or email):
– your name and address*
– the category of complaint; (please refer to the categories of complaints
in “What I Can Complain About?’ above)
– the date and time of broadcast;
– the name of the programme, news item or sponsorship announcement that you
have heard and which is the subject of your complaint;
– detail exactly what, in the broadcast, concerned you;
In order for your complaint to be accepted and considered, it must include
the above details and must refer to a programme, sponsorship announcement
already broadcast on our service.
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.
Tipperary Hospital Radio are committed to protecting the rights and privacy
of individuals in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 – 2018.
3. How Soon Should I Make My Complaint After The Broadcast
The Broadcasting Act, 2009 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.
* The name of the complainant will not be published without his/her prior
consent, for example, where a complaint is upheld. The contact details are for
use by Tipperary Hospital Radio Clonmel only.
Complaints submitted outside of these time periods cannot be considered.
4. Where Should I Send My Complaint?
You should submit your complaint to the following address:-
Station Manager,
Tipperary Hospital Radio,
Western Rd.
Clonmel,
Co. Tipperary
Tel. No. 052-6177 104
email: thrclradio@outlook.com
5. What Will Happen To My Complaint?
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 Station Manager.
– We will write to you to acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 7
working days.
– We will consider the issues raised in your complaint.
– We will listen to the programme/broadcast item identified in your
complaint.
– Where appropriate, we will consult with any party to which your complaint
relates, for example, the sponsor, the presenter or programme maker, to give
that party an opportunity to provide observations and comments in relation to
the issues raised by you.
– We will provide a response to your complaint which will, as far as
possible, address all of the issues/concerns you have raised. We will set out
the reasons for our decision on your complaint.
The response will be sent to you within 21 working days from receipt of your
complaint.
6. What Are The Potential Outcomes For My 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 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.
7. The Role Of The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland
If we have not responded to your complaint within 21 working days or if you
are not satisfied with our response, you can refer your complaint to the
Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. The BAI will consider the complaint and may
carry out an independent review of the complaint and our response. Information
on how to refer a complaint to the BAI is available on the BAI website at
www.bai.ie or from the following address:-
Complaints Officer
Broadcasting Authority of Ireland
2-5 Warrington Place,
Dublin 2.
Phone: (01) 6441200
Fax: (01) 6441299
E-mail: complaints@bai.ie
8. Record of Complaints
Tipperary Hospital Radio is required under the Broadcasting Act, 2009 to
keep a record of all complaints submitted in accordance with the Code of
Practice for two years. We are also obliged to provide these records to the
Compliance Committee of the BAI if the Committee so directs.
Our records will include copies of your complaint, our response/s and the
audio / audio-visual copies of the broadcast material.
For further details in making a complaint to the BAI please visit this page.
https://www.bai.ie/en/viewers-listeners/complaints/