ABSTRACT
With the establishment of the new Authority and the launching of the television service, broadcasting began to take on a new role in Irish society. The civil servants kept a tight rein on the broadcasters and while there was fairly constant criticism of the radio service, mainly by politicians, no serious disputes developed. Church authorities, particularly on the Roman Catholic side, were dissatisfied with some aspects of the broadcasting treatment of religion. Organisations for the propagation of Irish culture interpreted the legislation as requiring more broadcasting time for programming in these areas. Criticism from politicians of one party or another is a normal hazard for anyone in the public eye in Ireland. The deroulement of the Northern Ireland situation since 1969 created difficulties. Changes in broadcasting legislation in the fifteen years after the 1960 Act were of a minor character.
