In 1976, Section 31 was amended by Conor Cruise O'Brien as 1973-77 Minister for Posts & Telegraphs. The tape had been seized from his house by the Garda Síochána (police).
RTE PLAYER AT YOUR SERVICE MAC
O'Kelly refused to identify Mac Stiofáin's as the voice on his unbroadcast interview. He was jailed briefly for contempt in a court case arising out of the interview, when Mac Stiofáin was charged with IRA membership. RTÉ reporter Kevin O'Kelly had reported, not broadcast, his taped interview with Mac Stiofáin. A year later Collins dismissed the entire RTÉ Authority over a report of an interview with Seán Mac Stíofáin, the chief of staff of the Provisional IRA. In 1971 the first such directive was issued by Gerry Collins, directing RTÉ not to broadcast "any matter that could be calculated to promote the aims or activities of any organisation which engages in, promotes, encourages or advocates the attaining of any particular objective by violent means". Under Section 31 of the Broadcasting Authority Act 1960 the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs of the day could direct RTÉ "not to broadcast any matter, or any matter of any particular class". Section 113 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 changed the name of the organisation from "Radio Telefís Éireann" to " Raidió Teilifís Éireann", to reflect the current standard spelling of the name in Irish. The name of the authority was changed, at the suggestion of Áine Ní Cheanainn, to Radio Telefís Éireann by the Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act 1966, and both the radio and television services became known as RTÉ in that year. Eamonn Andrews was the first Chairman of Radio Éireann, the first director-general was Edward Roth. The television service started broadcasting on 31 December 1961, from the Kippure transmitter site near Dublin.
The existing Radio Éireann service was transferred to the new authority, which was also made responsible for the new television service ( Telefís Éireann). RTÉ was established on 1 June 1960 (as Radio Éireann) under the Broadcasting Authority Act 1960, the principal legislation under which it still operates. From that date until June 1960 the broadcasting service (2RN, later Radio Éireann) operated as a section of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, and those working for the service were directly employed by the Irish Government and regarded as civil servants. Establishment and name īroadcasting in Ireland began in 1926 with 2RN in Dublin. For the history of the broadcasting service prior to 1960, see Minister for Posts and Telegraphs and RTÉ Radio 1. For details on this history of the various services see the separate articles on those services. History This section deals with the history of RTÉ as an organisation. Radio Éireann, RTÉ's predecessor and at the time a section of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, was one of 23 founding organisations of the European Broadcasting Union in 1950. RTÉ is financed by television licence fee and through advertising, with some of its services funded solely by advertising, while others are funded solely by the licence fee. RTÉ is regulated by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. RTÉ is a statutory body, overseen by a board appointed by the Government of Ireland, with general management in the hands of the Executive Board, headed by the Director-General. RTÉ also publishes a weekly listings and lifestyle magazine, the RTÉ Guide. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on 31 December 1961, making it one of the oldest continuously operating public service broadcasters in the world. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. Raidió Teilifís Éireann ( RTÉ) ( pronounced ( listen) Irish for "Radio-Television of Ireland") is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Donnybrook, Dublin.