RTEs coverage of the long running dispute between Shell Oil and the community group opposed to their development of a gas refinery in North Mayo has long been questioned. The broadcaster has seemed too willing to accept the propaganda pumped out by the Oil industry and their supporters in the Irish government to the detriment of impartiality and truth. Now finally the broadcaster has got its comeuppance and tomorrow evening in to two prime slots will be forced to broadcast an apology for coverage deemed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to have been harmful to women involved in the Garda `rape' recording case. See earlier report on Celtic News here: (voir le site) There is a full and detailed report on the latest developments at the Shell to Sea website (link here): (voir le site) Subscribers to Celtic News who can access RTE TV News should tune in at 5:59 pm and 8:59pm ahead of their main news bulletins. It will be interesting to see if RTE also carry the apology on their news site web pages. The BAI has determined that the reports by RTE that the news report caused undue distress and harm to the complainant in contravention of section 48(2) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 (harm & offence ? Section 3.5.2 Code of Programme Standards). However it is questionable if the manner in which the women in question were treated is not also a breach of Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. You can access the BAI decisions in full at: (voir le site) (voir le site) (This report compiled for Celtic News by Bernard Moffatt) For comment or clarification on this news item in the first instance contact: Rhisiart Tal-e-bot, General Secretary, Celtic League: Tel: 0044 (0)1209 319912
M: 0044 (0)7787318666 gensec [at] celticleague.net The General Secretary will determine the appropriate branch or General Council Officer to respond to your query. ISSUED BY THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE. 06/12/11