Tynwald was urged to seize the moment - and settle at last the future of public service broadcasting in the island.

Inevitably, given there have been 13 previous reports on Manx Radio, members did precisely the opposite.

After a debate lasting just over three hours, and a raft of amendments to a select committee report whose recommendations had little support even from its own authors, a decision was put off to next month’s sitting when a combined vote will be held.

It is likely, though, that after that combined vote, Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas will be sent off to London to try to win concessions from the BBC.

His mission has all the hallmarks of Theresa May’s doomed forays to Brussels.

Ahead of the vote, Manx Radio directors were clearly rattled, giving a presentation to Tynwald members last week that gave the impression they were fighting for the nation station’s life.

In the event, the select committee report, with its radical proposals to cut the subvention, wean Manx Radio off its reliance on commercial advertising and move out of Broadcasting House into smaller premises, had backing from no-one.

Cynics might suggest it was deliberately set up to fail.

Chairman Dr Alex Allinson tellingly didn’t seek approval for the report’s 11 recommendations, saying only he would value a debate and decision on each.

’Please seize this opportunity,’ he said. The right level of funding and a correct structure would allow public service media to ’thrive’, he said.

Dr Allinson apologised if report had left staff at Manx Radio feeling hurt and upset, lowered morale and encouraged people to leave.

He said the committee agreed with the perception that residents are paying twice for public service broadcasting, through the BBC licence fee and again through the subvention to Manx Radio.

Dr Allinson said there remained a significant shortfall in funding but the BBC had not ruled out making increased contribution for the benefit of the island.

He said UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport had been contacted to discuss the option that, in the event of there being no resolution for this ’chronic under-funding’, the island could be released from the obligation of paying the TV licence fee.

He said the committee did not take this option lightly but that the island should ’seize the moment’ for serious negotiations.

Ditching the BBC, then, is clearly seen as a bargaining tool.

But Ayre and Michael MHK Tim Baker, one of a number of members who tabled amendments, said the report provided ’no coherent basis to move forward’ and that some of it recommendations were incompatible.

His amendment called for Tynwald to affirm its commitment to an independent public service media and for CoMin to pursue negotiations with the BBC aimed at securing ’improve outcomes’.

It also called on the Manx Radio board to develop a sustainable operational and funding plan to be submitted to Treasury by October next year.

That idea was rejected by Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan who said Treasury as shareholder would challenge what Manx Radio is presenting as value for money.

He pointed out there are other media outlets who don’t get any government support and who view Manx Radio’s subvention as unfair.

He wished Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas ’every success’ in his trips to London to get the best possible deal from the BBC.

Mr Thomas thanked the committee for report but added: ’You have wasted 10 months but don’t worry, we have wasted 10 years, 20 years over these issues!’

He said Manx Radio needs a permanent statutory footing, funding for five to 10 years and to sort out its building and transmission technology but will get all these from the pending Communications Bill, now in its clauses stages.

But Mr Cannan said he doubted whether Tynwald would ever ’put this to bed’ and he dreaded the thought of yet another select committee, as championed in an amendment tabled by Douglas East MHK Clare Bettison.

Mrs Bettison’s amendment called on a new select committee to look at mechanisms to ensure value for money and operational and editorial independence for the island’s public service broadcaster.

But Tynwald didn’t get so far as voting on that.

Having rejected an amendment from David Cretney, MHKs voted in support of Mr Baker’s. But with MLCs voting against, that amendment, too, failed. And the debate ended with Mr Baker calling for a combined vote at the next sitting.