Tag Archives: BAI

johnwaters

[John Waters]

From the [BAI] Broadcasting Authority of Ireland:

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has, today (23.01.14), confirmed receipt of a notification from the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte, of the resignation of Mr. John Waters from the Authority. Mr Waters was appointed to the Authority by the Government in September 2009.
Since his appointment, he has served as an Authority member; served a two-year term on the Compliance Committees; and was a serving member of the Contract Awards Committee at the time of his resignation.
Speaking about the resignation of Mr. Waters, the Chairperson of the Authority, Bob Collins said: “John has been a valued member of the Authority and of both statutory committees since the establishment of the BAI in 2009. He brought additional expertise and experience to the Authority through his previous service on the Board of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his service and know I speak for my fellow members when I say that his insights and contributions will be missed.”

 Previously: Waters, Panti And RTE

00118671Newstalk

Newstalk listener Brendan McCafferty complained to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland about comments made by  the station’s Breakfast Show’s presenters in relation to Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s decision not to participate in a public debate on the referendum to abolish the Seanad.

Mr McCafferty complained the presenters compared Mr Kenny to Chairman of the Communist Party of China, Mao Zedong and did not give an alternative view based on facts.

Mr McCafferty claimed the presenters ‘should have known that no Taoiseach ever takes part in such debates outside of general election time and, in fact, there is much precedent for this stand by An Taoiseach’.

Mr McCafferty claimed the presenters lacked impartiality and balance.

Newstalk responded saying previous Taoisigh did debate matters outside of general elections, including former Fine Gael Taoiseach, John Bruton, who debated the 1996 divorce referendum on RTÉ’s ‘This Week’ and in several radio interviews, and fellow former Fine Gael Taoiseach Garrett Fitzgerald, who debated a previous divorce referendum in 1986 on RTE’s Today Tonight.

However, the BAI decided to uphold part of Mr McCafferty’s complaint.

It decided:

“The Committee was of the opinion that other perspectives on the decision of An Taoiseach Enda Kenny not to participate in media debates were not provided. Further, the Committee found that the presenters made a number of comments that should have rightly been balanced by other perspectives. These included comments on the decision of An Taoiseach not to participate in a television debate, as well as the broader media communications decisions of An Taoiseach, as being akin to those of Mao Zedong.”

“In view of the above, the Committee found that the programme discussion failed to meet the requirements of the BAI Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs and the complaint has been upheld in part further to Section 4.1 of this Code.”

DEBATE! Fight!

Read the complaint and decision in full here

(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)

Harvey

Sharon Murphy complained to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, on behalf of Galway One World Centre. She claimed there were, what she believed to be, racist comments made on Classic Hits 4FM, namely on The David Harvey Show, above.

In her complaint, Ms Murphy stated the comments expressed were clearly offensive, cruel and had a negative impact.

The BAI upheld the complaint.

It found:

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In his submission to the BAI committee, Mr Harvey said his show is specifically targeted at RTÉ’s Liveline listeners.

Also, when explaining his use of the term ‘black babies’, the BAI noted that Mr Harvey described the term as “a colloquialism, which was a part of the language used in Irish schools and general conversation throughout the country during the 1960’s – 1980’s. Clergy, teachers, parents and pupils to collectively describe the work of Irish missionaries, usually in Africa, used the phrase ‘Black Babies’.

Read the full report here

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Yesterday the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland launched its new Code of Fairness in News and Current Affairs, after making changes to its draft form.

The BAI press released included the following:

“Some changes have been made to the wording that was presented in the draft code to clarify the intent of guarding against the development of a partisan position on the part of a presenter in relation to matters of public controversy or matters of current public debate. The prohibition on the expression of the presenter’s own views has been qualified in the final code.”

Explaining the move to prevent broadcasters, such as Vincent Browne, above, from expressing their own views on matters of public controversy, BAI chairman Bob Collins said:

“Programmes which derive much of their character from the individual personality of the person who presents it is nothing new. They have been part of broadcasting for a long time but what this simply means is they can’t turn their programme into a vehicle to advance their own particular hobby-horses.
“That’s so the audience can be given significant respect to make their own decisions at the end of the day as opposed to having somebody else’s views.”

BAI to ‘prevent broadcasters from expressing own views’ (Irish Examiner)

Previously: Data Protection, You Say?

 

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The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has today launched its Code of Fairness in News and Current Affairs.

This follows a draft form of the code in February of last year.

The draft proposed that presenters, such as Anton Savage (above), who is a director of the Communications Clinic and a presenter on Today FM, be required to declare conflicts of interest.

Today’s code shows this requirement has been dropped.

Why?

The BAI explains:

“Conflicts of Interest: The proposal contained in the draft code, which would have required each broadcaster to maintain a public register of interest – in which personnel with an editorial role in news / current affairs would be required to enter details of financial / commercial relationships that might be perceived as representing a material influence on them – is not being proceeded with. This decision has been taken in the light of concerns raised in the consultation process which were discussed with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and were subject to legal review. The matter of possible legislative change to enable the future establishment of a public register of interest will be pursued with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

The final code includes a more general rule for the management of conflicts of interest, incorporating a general principle of avoiding conflicts of interest. In instances where conflicts of interest arise, there will be a duty that relevant individuals and the public are made aware of such conflicts, as appropriate. Broadcasters will be required to determine whether the interest concerned is of such extent as would warrant the withdrawal of any person from further involvement in the programme or item.”

BAI launches Code of Fairness in News and Current Affairs (BAI)

(TV3)

You may recall the appearance of from left, Ruth Bowie, Arlette Lyons and Jenny McDonald on the Late Late Show in April.

They each had pregnancies in which their babies were diagnosed with abnormalities “incompatible with life” and went abroad to have those pregnancies terminated.

The women had previously made a not uncontroversial visit to Leinster House to tell TDs and Senators their story.

A man called Frank Fennell complained to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

During a lengthy testimony he said the three women should be regarded as “promoting, or inciting to, the crime of unlawfully killing human babies in the wombs of their mothers”

Further arguing that the item:

The BAI ruled against Mr Fennell.

but added, ominously

The Authority consists of nine members:

Bob Collins (Chairperson)
Larry Bass
Paula Downey
Professor Colum Kenny
Michelle Mc Shortall
Dr Maria Moloney
Michael Moriarty
Siobhán Ní Ghadhra
John Waters.

RTÉ told To ‘Take Greater Care’ After Complaint Over Late Late Abortion Interviews (Sinead O’Carroll, Journal.ie)

Previously: The Nasty TD And The Smirking Senator

(RTE)

 

Frankly?

Bizarre.

That BAI board in full:  Bob Collins (Chairman), Larry Bass, Paula Downey, Professor Colum Kenny, Michelle Mc Shortall, Dr Maria Moloney, Michael Moriarty, Siobhán Ní Ghadhra and John Waters.

BAI Statement On The Media Interests Of Denis O’Brien (BAI)

No Action To Be Taken On O’Brien Interests (RTE)

(Forbes)

The proposal to ban the advertising of most cheeses during children’s television programmes has been described as “absolutely crazy” and “mad” by members of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

The committee has said it will make a “forceful” submission to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland objecting to the plans.

They can have our Dairylea Dunk Pots when they pry them from our chubby greasy hands.

Plan To Ban Cheese Adverts ‘Absolutely Crazy’ (Alison Healy, Irish Times)

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