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IN RESPONSE TO Seán Gallagher’s calls for a public inquiry into the production of the Frontline presidential candidate debate last year, RTÉ has invited an ex-UTV chief to assist in a review of the programme.
Former Head of News and Content at UTV, Rob Morrison would help as part of a full editorial review which aims to identify programme making practices and risks. It will also examine editorial managers and programme-makers throughout RTÉ.
The review will pay significant attention to the production of live audience-based programmes and to the selection of audience members and questions. Morrison will be asked to review audience-related issues connected to the Frontline Presidential Debate.
In a statement issued this evening, the broadcaster said that it had reviewed the events and decisions involved in the handling of tweets received in the Frontline programme of 24 October.
The RTÉ board was told last week that the internal review of HR matters connected with the incident in which a ‘bogus’ tweet was read out and incorrectly attributed to the official Martin McGuinness account is “in train”.
The Senior Editorial Management has also decided to start a personnel investigation. The communications department said that to protect the integrity of this process, it would not comment on matters directly involving named staff members.
As a further step, an internal Editorial Standards Board has been established within RTÉ. It aims to maintain and monitor content standards and will also play a role in the restructured complaints process.
Programme Makers’ Guidelines, which are being finalised under the watch of former BBC controller of editorial policy Stephen Whittle, will include new Social Media Protocols and training in key modules has already started. The new processes will require systematic authentication of inputs from social media, explained RTÉ.
Addressing reports in the Sunday Independent that producers altered a question posed by audience member Pat McGuirk, RTÉ said:
Staff took research notes of the conversations with Mr McGuirk. The notes support the form of the question printed for Mr McGuirk on the night of broadcast, both in substance and in the wording used. Mr McGuirk’s satisfaction with the RTÉ programme and staff is evident in his mail two days later, which in the circumstances has been made available.
The broadcaster once more reiterated its acceptance of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s decision last week to uphold a complaint by Gallagher that the use of the tweet was “unfair”.
RTÉ noted that it has “apologised for its failures”, adding that it will comply “openly and honestly with requests for compliance, regulation and proper disclosure”.
Earlier today, Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte told reporters that no evidence has been submitted to him that would provide the basis needed for a further inquiry. He said he would reply to Gallagher’s letter immediately.
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Waste of time and money. Mountain out of a molehill.
He looks like he is chewing a wasp.
every time is see a picture of him it reminds how things might have been. how goddawful things might have been. if he had won
personally, i would like to PRAISE rte for offering Gallagher the opportunity to tell us, live, on air, ALL about himself?
Can we have an enquiry as to why the dept of finance
The central bank
The government
Didn’t realise the banks where full of debt and then made the tax payer responsible for it
This guy was on the national executive of ff that’s his job to be a bag man for the party this is a load of nonsense
The brolly is a bit camp..
Is that his wife holding the umbrella… Good man Sean..
Sean has a wonderful attitude to women. Remember that the way that he spoke to the woman on Pat Kenny’s radio show.
He really needs to get over this !!! Who really cares ??? Sore looser
Seanie baby got shafted up the Aras by RTE last year, this is just his way of returning the favor. feckin gimp.
Ah now now , no need for that .
Gallagher isn’t trying to clean up rte he’s trying to sue them to make a quick buck to pay his debts..not exactly statesman like is he?
Amazed at the comments here. Irrespective of your attitude towards Gallagher, all citizens should favour any initiative that would make RTE more fair. Very shortsighted and partisan position taken by Gallagher-haters.
Shortsighted
He admitted himself to the whole nation that he may have collected an envelope. The reason for his incertainty is probably that he handled so many envelopes, he couldnt be certain.
I am getting sick of this ignoramus pretending to be important.
Just to be clear Sean, f**k off.
how is the inquiry into prime time coming along?
And the cost.of this is?????
Is over Sean sticking out your jaw even further won’t change a thing or result.
What will this cost for Christ sake.
More money wasted if it goes ahead and to what end.
Let the boys in FF pay for him after all Sean was their secret agent
If gallagher had admitted it the first time none of this would have happened. The tweet would have come true and he would have said “yes I just said that”, thered have been no crowd jeering and then whole thing would have been a relatively small issue as oppose to a game changer, as for the question by the member of the audience, it was hardly a question to “hunt him down”, it was a reasonable question about jobs.
This whole thing is embarrassing and is really really showing gallagher in his true colours.
Steady on there Colin. If you’re not happy with the content then just don’t bother yourself by reading it and better again don’t bother posting either. Plenty of other news sites.
Bit not as good as THE JOURNAL So put that I’m your pipe and smoke it
It was Gallagher who was shafted today, tomorrow it will be another potential non labour or liberal leader who are not favoured by donnybrook. Who can trust r.t.e. Reports now? Self investigation? Not good enough!!
An investigation into RTE and their practices should be welcomed. Pity we couldn’t get an investigation into the Independent rag.
I also remember another candidate being accused of being a murderer during the debate, no crying from him though. Bigger man and all that I suppose!
uncertainty even
REPOST 2: I’ve been following a lot of news stories on THE JOURNAL over the last few months and I am happy to say that it’s serves no purpose than to report second hand news with a lot of socialist bollock comments added to it….
….I’m sorry but i don’t think this ‘beta’ site will ever see gold………..
Really !!!
Hi Colin,
Just wondering what you are referring to you in your post? This article was published on receipt of a statement from RTÉ as we’ve been covering the Frontline debate controversy since Sunday morning.
As you can see from the timing, the post was actually put up ahead of RTÉ reporting it on the Nine News.
Thanks,
Sinead
Nice one Colin. A man who collects state grants like kids do soccer player cards ends up not collecting more state cash for 7 years because he was shown to be telling porkies about collecting cash for a 3rd party grouping.
What is socialist in being delighted that a man whose life is about sucking on the Tax Payer’s Teat is found out and told to swing his hook.
The very fact that RTE can choose its own investigator speaks volumes about what’s wrong with top table culture in Ireland. Surely, the more appropriate and transparent route is to have a parliamentary committee agree on an investigator?
have your say