Background
On Thursday March 13, hotpress.com published an article that revealed R.E.M.’s new album Accelerate will be accepted as "Irish music" by the BCI. The album was recorded in Grouse Lodge Studios and it is this factor that qualifies it as "Irish". The position, which alarmed many musicians and independent record companies, emerged during a question and answer session on Airplay For Irish Music, chaired by Hot Press editor Niall Stokes at the IBI conference in Dublin the previous week, which followed a series of presentations made on Airplay for Irish Music by Niall Stokes, BCI chief executive Michael O'Keeffe, Colm O'Sullivan of Red FM, Dave Pennefather of Universal Music Ireland, Dave Kelly of FM104, Feilim Byrne of Music Control and musician and songwriter Steve Wall of The Walls. Asked by Niall Stokes about definitions of Irish music, members of the panel reported that tracks recorded in Dublin by Kylie Minogue were counted as Irish music by certain stations. Pennyfeather had initially revealed, to the surprise of the audience, that Kelly's stations consider a Kylie Minogue song "Irish". "It was recorded in Windmill Lane" was the excuse Kelly offered, finding support in the surprising quarter of O'Keeffe who said Kelly's position was "absolutely" in line with the BCI's policies. Asked if this was acceptable to the BCI, Michael O’Keeffe confirmed that it was. “It’s supporting the Irish music industry,” he said. Minogue recorded a number of tracks for her album Fever in Dublin’s Windmill Lane, including the title track and the hit single "Love at First Sight".
O'Keeffe told Phantom News that this has been policy for some time and that there is a legal basis for it:
"...one of the reasons that we have a number of definitions that qualify as Irish is because when the European Commission were considering this matter about ten years ago, they were very clear that we couldn't discriminate in favour of Irish music, other than Irish language. I suppose it was a pragmatic solution for us to look at ways that would support the industry in some way...."
He also said some of the suggestions made for change are simply not feasible, blaming the European Commission for rules surrounding anti-competitiveness:
"....we couldn't bring in a smaller radio quota and have it strictly for Irish artists. That's where we would run into trouble. If we were to bring in a definition of that nature that only applied to Irish artists, then we run into trouble with the European Commission because you cannot favour your own country..."
Read more about this topic: 2008 BCI Irish Music Crisis
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