Heaney blasts BBCNI

Started by bennydorano, November 06, 2007, 09:06:17 AM

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glens73

Quote from: snatter on November 06, 2007, 09:57:05 AM
YOu may find it easier and cheaper to make a complaint online:

MAKE SURE YOU PICK THE LAST OPTION

http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/make_complaint_step1.shtml




I've already tried this approach twice, along with direct e-mails, with no response either way.

robertemmet

Surely if everyone sends in a letter/complaint and keeps sending them, they can't ignore forever

snatter

Imo,

we need the GAA / shinners / sdlp to put some pressure on the BBC (and UTV) to justify their sub-standard level and quality of GAA coverage.

Its notable that the BBC hid behind an opt out clause when challenged by one of our own posters to justify their poor coverage of GAA.

If they'd nothing to hide, they wouldn't have done so.

We need to find out what the editorial policy is and who sets it.

Why does the level of coverage for each sport not correlate with actual attendances?

Why have BBC NI not sought to make a deal with other broadcasters on this island to secure coverage of gaelic games? Have they even tried picking up the phone to TV3 / RTE?

Surely the whole ethos of local BBC output is to reflect how each region differs from the UK as a whole.

You couldn't get much more different than gaelic football, ie the best attended sport in NI.

Percentage wise, more people attend gaelic football in NI than watch cricket in England, yet BBC NI coverage is minimal, especially compared to the coverage that local soccer gets.

If BBC NI were a serious regional broadcaster, it would be broadcasting huge amounts of GAA to justify its existence.


Just for the record, here is their mealy mouthed, pathetic attempt to hide the true nature of their discrimination against gaelic games:

Quote from: Donagh on August 30, 2007, 10:32:42 AM
On the last day allowed by the Act, the BBC got back to me. Not surprisingly they have refused to give details of the amount of coverage given to each sport and the costs of the coverage. Response below:


Dear Mr xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thank you for your recent letter requesting information about the volume, cost and audience figures for BBCNI television and radio coverage of Gaelic Football, Hurling, Soccer, Rugby and Motorcycling.

The information which you have requested about the volume and cost of specific aspects of BBCNI's sports output is not covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Schedule 1 of the Act states that the BBC and other designated public service broadcasters are covered by this legislation only in respect of information held for purposes "other than those of journalism, art and literature". Information which is not subject to disclosure because of this derogation may otherwise be exempt from disclosure because of the application of other provisions of the Act.

The BBC receives audience data about television viewing in the UK under an agreement with the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB) for which the BBC pays an annual subscription. Under the terms of this agreement, the BBC is entitled to use such information for its own internal purposes and may make this data more widely available in specific circumstances. Although we consider that the Act does not apply to audience data, the BBC does have a working practice (consistent with other broadcasting organisations and the terms
of its contractual agreement with BARB) of releasing some headline performance information. We will not be releasing such information or any accompanying analysis on this occasion.
Audience figures for radio listening across the UK are collated by Rajar and are subject to analogous contractual constraints. We believe that such information is not covered by the Act and will not be making it voluntarily available in response to this request.

Following discussions with colleagues however, and consistent with established practice at local level, BBCNI is prepared to voluntarily release information about the volume and range of its current sports output. The nature, extent and profile of our sports coverage is directly affected by issues relating to rights acquisition, funding constraints, market provision and the BBC's service commitments as a whole. All of our output is delivered within the context of the BBC's Charter and Framework Agreement and also the terms of its Service Licences and
Purpose Remits. Sports programming is an essential and prominent feature of our service offering across radio, television and online and we work hard to ensure that it reflects a broad cross-section of interests and activities.

BBC Radio Ulster broadcasts 41 Saturday Sportsound programmes each year. Much of this output focuses on Irish League soccer and includes full match commentaries from 41 fixtures. In 06/07 the station also provided live coverage of 8 Setanta Cup matches involving Irish League teams and 6 European games featuring local clubs. Its programming additionally included 8 international matches involving the Northern Ireland soccer team. Such output was
complemented by dedicated sports programming on BBC Foyle and its coverage of Derry City's performance in the Eircom League. BBCNI also provided extensive coverage of the Milk Cup in Coleraine and soccer (together with the other sports referred to in your request) featured in news and related programming on local television and radio.

BBC Radio Ulster broadcast live match commentaries form 36 Gaelic Football matches on Sunday Sportsound and dedicated medium wave split programmes. Such programming included inter-county and club games, the National Football League and All-Ireland Club Championships. Our radio coverage was complemented by programming on BBCNI television which included highlights of the Hurling Final and live coverage of the MacRory Cup.
BBC Radio Ulster provided live coverage of Ulster team fixtures as part of the Magners League and Heiniken Cup, together with live match commentaries and analysis of fixtures involving the Ireland rugby team. The latter included 8 matches within the review period.

BBCNI television additionally provided coverage of the Magners League, Schools' Cup and Ireland A v England A matches.
BBCNI television provided a mix of programming about motorcycling which included coverage of the Isle of Man TT, the Ulster Grand Prix and fixtures at Tandragee, Cookstown and Antrim.

Appeal Rights
Please note that the BBC does not offer an internal review when the information requested is not covered by the Act. If you disagree with our decision you can appeal directly to the Information Commissioner. The contact details are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 01625 545 700 or see
http://www.ico.gov.uk/

Yours sincerely
Mark Adair
Head of Public Policy, Corporate and Community Affairs





scalder

Lads glad to see some action and not just compalining here. Also I was wathiing some show last night on the BBC and they had a "claim to fame" piece and a map of the "UK" - strangly it included the whole of Ireland - I emailed them to ask them why.

Stalin

Just sent my email to those three addresses on page one
A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic

el_cuervo_fc

3 emails and a complaint, 10 days for the response, I'll hold my breath. 

Brick Tamlin

ive also just sent mine to the three stooges there now.
let the revolution begin.

Doire abú


raisins

#23
Have to read it.

theskull1

They're going to be talking about it on talk back (Radio Ulster ) later today
It's a lot easier to sing karaoke than to sing opera

Doire abú

Aye Dunseath will sort her out.

Bensars

Interesting if the topic will be touched on talk back at 12 o clock .

Also a few other addresses


talk.back@bbc.co.uk
stephen.nolan@bbc.co.uk
bbcnewsline.ni@bbc.co.uk
lets.talk@bbc.co.uk

Stalin

Quote from: theskull1 on November 06, 2007, 11:06:45 AM
They're going to be talking about it on talk back (Radio Ulster ) later today

linkage to online stream for this?
A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic

stpauls

have just entered my own complaint as well!!

robertemmet

Sent my complaint to all the email addresses there