RTÉ HAS SAID that any further regulatory process around Seán Gallagher’s complaint about unfair treatment during a Frontline presidential candidate debate is not a matter for the broadcaster “to decide or influence”.
Responding to an earlier statement by Gallagher’s lawyer which called for a full public inquiry, RTÉ said it will continue to be subject to full statutory regulation.
The broadcaster said it also follows its own internal governance and management.
Gallagher said he was considering legal action as new reports about the game-changing debate emerged in today’s Sunday Independent.
The paper reports that Pat McGuirk – a member of the studio audience last October – has claimed that RTÉ producers altered his prepared question for Gallagher in a way that made it more hostile.
He told reporter Jody Corcoran: “The question they gave me was ten million per cent away from where I was, my initial question.”
Gallagher’s lawyer said the revelations were “deeply disturbing” and raised questions about the “trustworthiness and impartiality” of RTÉ.
In a statement this afternoon, RTÉ said it responded to the Sunday Independent about issues concerning Pat McGuirk. The broadcaster told the newspaper that McGuirk had expressed no concerns about the question, and had emailed the programme makers following the debate to express his satisfaction with the experience.
Today’s communication from the broadcaster also reiterated that it had fully accepted a statutory decision that it had been unfair to Gallagher on specific grounds during the same programme.
Last week, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland upheld a complaint by Gallagher, agreeing that the “broadcast of a tweet incorrectly attributed to the official Martin McGuinness for President Twitter account was unfair to the complainant”.
The RTÉ Director General and the RTÉ Board have expressed apologies to the one-time presidential candidate for the ‘bogus’ tweet that was read out by presenter Pat Kenny and incorrectly attributing it to an official account.
The decision by the BAI was the culmination of a statutory process invoked by Gallagher through a formal complaint, said RTÉ. The statement also outlined how the broadcaster is dealing with issues arising from the incident internally:
RTÉ has instituted a full editorial review of standards and practices covering a range of issues but including the production of live audience-based programmes and the selection of audience members and questions. RTÉ is also finalising new Programme-Makers’ Guidelines including a specific protocol on uses of Social Media in programme content.
Gallagher has said he will be contacting Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte over this morning’s reports.
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Can we have a Journal poll on who watches it
Watched it once by mistake, the accents nearly sent me over the edge. Total tripe imo..
@Jamie Hinch: What’s wrong with the accents?
Shows the level of despair rte has with their tv license payers that they insist s pushing this crap on us for another winter season thank god for the internet
@liam ward: Thanks B for other TV Stations, Netflix and Paramount +!!!
@Mick Hanna: And the firestick and free to air satellite.
I’d almost pay the licence for this awful bilge not to return!
If they made it just a little bit worse it would be entertaining.
@John Durcan:
Not possible
35 years of listening to an irritating Dublin accent and amateur actors..
By the way it’s a great show and thank you for great performances from all the cast
@Tommy: You definitely confused the easly offended with that one…….
@Tommy: You had me in the first half
Can we arrange for a few bike shelters to be “built” in Donnybrook rather than spend the money on this!
@Padraig O’Brien: Yeah their bikes must be expensive that require expensive shed to protect them from getting wet, even a single raindrop will make them shiver.
Easily the most badly written soap/drama ever. The writing is shambolic. And makes average actors even worse. It’s practically a comedy at this point.
@Ted Daly: I think you’re being very charitable calling them average actors!
They making this s h1 te since 1989 / boggles the mind.
And The Full Irish Hidden Camera Show is back as well, and I couldn’t be happier
@Fintan Pox: you’re having a laugh guvnor that is some right old tosh mate
@Basildon Joe: one of the funniest shows on TV, I do be in stitches watching it on Sunday evenings, Donncha is hilarious
@Fintan Pox: it’s a beadles about rip off. Now, Beadles about is proper TV, check it out mate its blinding. You will piss yourself laughing.
@Basildon Joe: oh yes, that was very good, I remember watching it on HTV
@Fintan Pox: proper naughty tv
@Basildon Joe: Jeremy Beedle was a poor man’s Mike Murphy
@Darth O’Leary: I don’t know that geezer
@Fintan Pox:
Easily amused then
Whoever is writing the scripts has a lot to answer for. Any episode I’ve seen has been so predictable it’s actually embarrassing!
@Caroline D: There is no script, they just waffle on until the time slot is full!
I Can honestly say, I didn’t miss it,
in fact, didn’t even know it was off screen.
A good portrayal of Dublin community spirit I find this program, if somewhat dated.
@Basildon Joe: Like your Yodaesque syntax.
@Brendan O’Brien: speak the Kings English boy that is not a word
@Basildon Joe: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Yodaesque
@Brendan O’Brien: Pedantic Pratt!
@Brian Hunt: he is something that rhymes with your surname alright ain’t he
@Brian Hunt: Are you referring to John Pratt, the 1970s Tottenham midfielder?
@Brendan O’Brien: Ah, yes John. Had a few pints with him once, terrible man for long words!
Bring back Glenroe.
Please note the way to stop/break a dog biting is to throw water into its face, to upset it’s bereathing
@Bella Conway:
Is that right ? I didn’t know that. More people should know that.
Fair City? Never heard of it? Oh wait a minute…..That must be on RTE TV?
.
Fairly sh!tty.
What an absolute load of tripe that show is. You can throw in coronation Street, EmerDale, eastenders, home and away. When my children were growing up they were never allowed watch this trash. This is the best RTE can come up with?. Autumn schedule… LateLate, Dermot Bannon. What a waste of taxpayers money and for those that choose to pay the TV licence fee.
@Dave Barrett:
Documentaries,historical programmes about the lives of interesting people past,and present,
The islands,and inhabitants around our coasts,and Nationwide are very popular,and draw viewers.
Too many rehashing of news programmes,and depressing items are the downside.
It’s truly amazing to get a fourth weekly episode of such a well choreographed and orchestrated all irish tv show,now I understand why the ad on rte1 says when you buy a tv license your getting more than just a tv license,not only do we get exposed to completely s**t tv,if you miss it you can catch up on it the following day again or on Rte player…….do do do do do……I’m loving it
About the world tidly winks champship
And in a move to repair relations and their image with the public, RTÉ has done this….
Better pay the tv license so
Cant believe it’s still running complete rubbish
Another reason not to pay the licence fee
can’t wait…such excitement should be taxed ….eamonn where are you
Just …why …god why…why…noooo
Not everything is for everyone e.g. Fair City and liberty for the racists in Cork.
Great to see some of that three quarter of a billion, yes billion being well spent .
@Caroline D. I’d say it’s AI generated from an input of assorted thrash soaps!
No one cares, just shut it sown
have your say