Foyle MP Colum Eastwood and SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP meeting with DCMS Minister Stephanie Peacock MP at Westminster today.
The meeting follows correspondence from Derry’s MP to the Director General of RTÉ seeking a resolution to the issue earlier this year.
Mr Eastwood and SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP proposed creating a new set of IP addresses for Northern viewers as a technical workaround to allow programming to continue unhindered by rights licenses in Britain.
Colum Eastwood MP said: “I’ve raised RTÉ’s heavy handed approach to geoblocking and the impact that it has on viewers in Derry and across the North with the broadcaster’s Director General.
“It unfairly disenfranchises people entitled to consume news and sport content and participate actively in the life of the nation.
“Today I met with Media Minister Stephanie Peacock MP to raise the issue and proposed a technical solution that would allow viewers in the North to access the content through unique IP addresses without impeding commercial broadcasting rights in Britain.
“This is, we believe, a solution that can work for all parties.
“I will continue to push the Irish and British Governments to address the issue as well as reminding RTÉ of their legal obligation to provide public service broadcasting across the island.”
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