Heaney blasts BBCNI

[orangeman]

Feckitt - I've heard it all now - trying to blame the Ulster council is wide of the mark.

[Feckitt]

Orangeman, I'm not saying the BBC are blameless, but the Ulster Council are there to organise and promote our games.  And they are failing to promote our games at all.  Unless you buy the Irish News you will not know what is happening from the radio, tv or any other newspaper.  We deserve better from the ulster council

[theskull1]

Orangeman, I'm not saying the BBC are blameless, but the Ulster Council are there to organise and promote our games.  And they are failing to promote our games at all.  Unless you buy the Irish News you will not know what is happening from the radio, tv or any other newspaper.  We deserve better from the ulster council

I think Feckitt has a point here. It's reasonable to expect that representations from paid administrators in the ulster council could have been made to the BBC and UTV about their lack of/negatively biased coverage rather that waiting on a journalist to give this issue prominence

[snatter]

Orangeman, I'm not saying the BBC are blameless, but the Ulster Council are there to organise and promote our games.  And they are failing to promote our games at all.  Unless you buy the Irish News you will not know what is happening from the radio, tv or any other newspaper.  We deserve better from the ulster council

I think Feckitt has a point here. It's reasonable to expect that representations from paid administrators in the ulster council could have been made to the BBC and UTV about their lack of/negatively biased coverage rather that waiting on a journalist to give this issue prominence

The GAA may be negligent in not tackling hte issue (Shinners / SDLP as well?), but don't let that distract from the BBC NI & UTV's lack of fair and equitable coverage.

[robertemmet]

Did anyone get a reply from the BBC?

[ziggysego]

Just got my reply robert...

Dear Mr ******

I'm replying to your recent complaint about the BBC's coverage of Gaelic
games.

Our programming in this area, whilst extensive, is also affected by the
cost/availability of broadcast rights and wider budgetary constraints
within the BBC. GAA fixtures are an important element of our sports output
however, and we are aware of their popularity with local audiences.  Our
current GAA coverage extends across radio, television and online and
includes Ulster Championship matches, the McCrory Cup, the National
Football and Hurling Leagues, the Sigerson Cup and the All Ireland
Championship (when Ulster teams are involved). TG4 holds the television
rights for live club fixtures, but we do show club highlights on BBC
Newsline. Contractual issues mean that we can only cover games involving
the Ulster teams at All Ireland stage on BBC radio. We do however, provide
live radio match commentaries from National League fixtures and our
dedicated coverage of Gaelic games on Sunday Sportsound is complemented by
results and match analysis as part BBC Radio Ulster's 18.00 news bulletin
on Sunday afternoons and within the following day's Good Morning Ulster.
GAA fixtures, stories and personalities are also featured within other
aspects of BBCNI's output, including Season Ticket on local television, BBC
Newsline, Final Score, Saturday Sportsound and as an element of our online
sports offering.

BBCNI wants to maximise the reach, impact and relevance of its sports
programming. We are currently involved in detailed negotiations with the
GAA's Central Council in relation to broadcast rights for Gaelic games over
the next 3yrs. If our application is successful we would hope to
significantly increase the volume of live Gaelic Football coverage on BBCNI
television from 08/09 onwards.

Funding constraints have affected all our sports programming on local radio
(including soccer, motorcycling and rugby) and BBC output in this area will
always involve difficult editorial decisions about priorities (both
scheduling and financial) and the need to balance/reflect different
sporting interests and activities. In all of this we will wish to take
careful account of audience feedback and research. The cost of rights for
sporting events can present a real challenge however, and the marketplace
has become (and will likely remain) intensely competitive. Despite such
difficulties, we continue to take pride in the volume, range and quality of
our GAA coverage. BBCNI's commitments in this area compare favourably with
its programming about other sports, including soccer and rugby, and we
remain hopeful that our GAA coverage on local television might be enhanced
over time subject to the successful conclusion of discussions with the
Central Council.

I'm grateful for your interest in our sports output and have shared your
concerns with relevant management colleagues within BBCNI.

Yours sincerely



Shane Glynn
Executive Producer Sport - BBCNI

[ziggysego]

Harsh of him to address you as Mr w**ker, ziggy.

You should have seen what I addressed him as 

[tyrone exile]

Just got my reply robert...

Dear Mr ******

I'm replying to your recent complaint about the BBC's coverage of Gaelic
games.

Our programming in this area, whilst extensive, is also affected by the
cost/availability of broadcast rights and wider budgetary constraints
within the BBC. GAA fixtures are an important element of our sports output
however, and we are aware of their popularity with local audiences.  Our
current GAA coverage extends across radio, television and online and
includes Ulster Championship matches, the McCrory Cup, the National
Football and Hurling Leagues, the Sigerson Cup and the All Ireland
Championship (when Ulster teams are involved). TG4 holds the television
rights for live club fixtures, but we do show club highlights on BBC
Newsline. Contractual issues mean that we can only cover games involving
the Ulster teams at All Ireland stage on BBC radio. We do however, provide
live radio match commentaries from National League fixtures and our
dedicated coverage of Gaelic games on Sunday Sportsound is complemented by
results and match analysis as part BBC Radio Ulster's 18.00 news bulletin
on Sunday afternoons and within the following day's Good Morning Ulster.
GAA fixtures, stories and personalities are also featured within other
aspects of BBCNI's output, including Season Ticket on local television, BBC
Newsline, Final Score, Saturday Sportsound and as an element of our online
sports offering.

BBCNI wants to maximise the reach, impact and relevance of its sports
programming. We are currently involved in detailed negotiations with the
GAA's Central Council in relation to broadcast rights for Gaelic games over
the next 3yrs. If our application is successful we would hope to
significantly increase the volume of live Gaelic Football coverage on BBCNI
television from 08/09 onwards.

Funding constraints have affected all our sports programming on local radio
(including soccer, motorcycling and rugby) and BBC output in this area will
always involve difficult editorial decisions about priorities (both
scheduling and financial) and the need to balance/reflect different
sporting interests and activities. In all of this we will wish to take
careful account of audience feedback and research. The cost of rights for
sporting events can present a real challenge however, and the marketplace
has become (and will likely remain) intensely competitive. Despite such
difficulties, we continue to take pride in the volume, range and quality of
our GAA coverage. BBCNI's commitments in this area compare favourably with
its programming about other sports, including soccer and rugby, and we
remain hopeful that our GAA coverage on local television might be enhanced
over time subject to the successful conclusion of discussions with the
Central Council.

I'm grateful for your interest in our sports output and have shared your
concerns with relevant management colleagues within BBCNI.

Yours sincerely



Shane Glynn
Executive Producer Sport - BBCNI

Got the exact same 1!   must have sent to all

[upthehoops]

Just got my reply robert...

Dear Mr ******

I'm replying to your recent complaint about the BBC's coverage of Gaelic
games.

Our programming in this area, whilst extensive, is also affected by the
cost/availability of broadcast rights and wider budgetary constraints
within the BBC. GAA fixtures are an important element of our sports output
however, and we are aware of their popularity with local audiences.  Our
current GAA coverage extends across radio, television and online and
includes Ulster Championship matches, the McCrory Cup, the National
Football and Hurling Leagues, the Sigerson Cup and the All Ireland
Championship (when Ulster teams are involved). TG4 holds the television
rights for live club fixtures, but we do show club highlights on BBC
Newsline. Contractual issues mean that we can only cover games involving
the Ulster teams at All Ireland stage on BBC radio. We do however, provide
live radio match commentaries from National League fixtures and our
dedicated coverage of Gaelic games on Sunday Sportsound is complemented by
results and match analysis as part BBC Radio Ulster's 18.00 news bulletin
on Sunday afternoons and within the following day's Good Morning Ulster.
GAA fixtures, stories and personalities are also featured within other
aspects of BBCNI's output, including Season Ticket on local television, BBC
Newsline, Final Score, Saturday Sportsound and as an element of our online
sports offering.

BBCNI wants to maximise the reach, impact and relevance of its sports
programming. We are currently involved in detailed negotiations with the
GAA's Central Council in relation to broadcast rights for Gaelic games over
the next 3yrs. If our application is successful we would hope to
significantly increase the volume of live Gaelic Football coverage on BBCNI
television from 08/09 onwards.

Funding constraints have affected all our sports programming on local radio
(including soccer, motorcycling and rugby) and BBC output in this area will
always involve difficult editorial decisions about priorities (both
scheduling and financial) and the need to balance/reflect different
sporting interests and activities. In all of this we will wish to take
careful account of audience feedback and research. The cost of rights for
sporting events can present a real challenge however, and the marketplace
has become (and will likely remain) intensely competitive. Despite such
difficulties, we continue to take pride in the volume, range and quality of
our GAA coverage. BBCNI's commitments in this area compare favourably with
its programming about other sports, including soccer and rugby, and we
remain hopeful that our GAA coverage on local television might be enhanced
over time subject to the successful conclusion of discussions with the
Central Council.

I'm grateful for your interest in our sports output and have shared your
concerns with relevant management colleagues within BBCNI.

Yours sincerely



Shane Glynn
Executive Producer Sport - BBCNI

Got the exact same 1!   must have sent to all

Got the exact same letter this evening

[Stalin]

Also got the same one 

[stpauls]

me too!!!

[orangeman]

What a load of shite from a crowd of bigots !

[tyrone exile]

should write something in again, start it off in the usual way and then go onto a totally different topic, see what the reply is! B*****DS

[orangeman]

Good one  - let's try that !

[doofus]

surely the bbc are not dealing with their complaints in the correct manner if they are simply copying and pasting replies. that goes against the nature of a customer feedback and complaints procedure.