North South integration / UTV smear

akkadian · 11-12-2009 2:31am #1

This is a continuation from an earlier rant of mine.
I am very worried about UTV's increasing unease and in some cases, excuse-making regarding any potential integration problems from cross-boarder harmonization etc.

The feature tonight was Clare Savage's report on the protestant school fee-payment fiasco. I was not impressed with the sectarianism-tainted view put forward by UTV's journalism team. Are they trying to stir sh1t?

It's not on. We can work this out ourselves. I know there will always be some tensions between Republicans and unionists, Protestants and Catholics etc, but UTV jumping on a band wagon like this is distressing to me. I belong to no particular religion, like many in the North I'm sure. I'm something of an objective spiritualist, if that's not an oxymoron.

Look, all I'm saying is UTV make their money on sectarianist sensationalism. Wake up people. They WILL end up increasing the sum total of sectarianism on this island if they are let do so.

I've never in my life witnessed sectarianism trouble in the Republic. I'm not saying there isn't any but it's never been a feature of my life.

I dearly don't want this kind of 'harmonization'. We have to tread very carefully with cross-boarder cooperation, and if I may be frank, I lean towards the unionist sceptic perspective at this juncture. Ireland has problems now, but there's so much that's good that can be lost.

If we allow the UTV sectarian agenda to pollute the Republic, there could be real problems. They get their viewership off crap like that.

I want UTV to desist this activity.

I want Irish people (all-island) to wake up to this issue. Cross border harmonization if it happens will not be straightforward, or necessarily fruitful.

I am not alone as an Irish person when I say there is NO WAY I would chose losing what we have now in order to harmoize with the north. There are many issure with this. There's also for example, the abortion differences.

http://u.tv/News/Irish-abortion-judgement-next-year/5caaeb7a-ddcd-447d-9e60-4a13e108446d

I want to add that I respect the Norths way of doing things and that denial of abortion options is a little like brushing the problem under the carpet. They just go to the UK for it, but that's not the point.

My point is UTV's news perspectives, and the sensationalism of sectarianism from the North is not to be ignored. We shouldn't rest on our laurels and pretend this is ok. UTV need to be more respectful and mindful of stirring up the **** down here when it was never stirred up before.

There are undoubtedly some extremeofile people in the North that would say protestants aren't getting the same opportunities as Catholics in the Republic. I call on them to have the balls to actually read existing statistics or commission their own research into opportunities for protestants in the Republic. I think you'll find it's the bankers and property speculators/developers we are up in arms with - there's no religious bs outside of the pervert priests.

So, please, respect that this is an issue and that UTV need to be slapped on the wrist.

and BTW, it's not the time to be cutting protestant school fees, with unionists pathetically looking for any excuse to disturb the peace process, and UTV do have an agenda IMO to do just that. They don't give a sjhit about the Republic - they just don't want to be part of Ireland and neither do I want them to if I'm brutally honest. Not like this, not if it's going to look like the Republic is as sectarian as the North.

In summary - UTV = dangerous! They could open up sectarian-gate that noone asked them to open up. I really truly believe in general the Republic is pretty much equal opportunity, at least from the sectarian viewpoint. I know there is racing creeping in. I ask any protestant or indeed catholic to post to this thread if you think you are hard done by, and let's see.

junder · 11-12-2009 9:40am

ironically those of us of a unionist viewpoint have long regarded UTV as having a perticuly 'Green' out look

akkadian · 11-12-2009 5:04pm

junder wrote: »

ironically those of us of a unionist viewpoint have long regarded UTV as having a perticuly 'Green' out look

I think it would be easier to integrate England and the Republic than it would be to integrate the Republic and the North!
honestly

Paul4As · 11-12-2009 9:29pm

junder wrote: »

ironically those of us of a unionist viewpoint have long regarded UTV as having a perticuly 'Green' out look

I totally agree with junder!!!

Can you believe that UTV show reports on the Republic of Ireland football team on their sports bulletins before they show coverage of Northern Ireland's football team!!!
They also cover GAA a lot more than they cover local Irish League football!!!
Their sports team definitely have a more republican agenda going on!!!

Every competition these days on UTV also seem to have a phone number for people from the Republic to ring in!!!

They are definitely targeting viewers from the south in everything they do...whenever they should be providing the best service possible to the people of Northern Ireland!!! The people who have kept them in business for 50 years!!!

akkadian · 12-12-2009 12:03am

Paul4As wrote: »

I totally agree with junder!!!

Can you believe that UTV show reports on the Republic of Ireland football team on their sports bulletins before they show coverage of Northern Ireland's football team!!!
They also cover GAA a lot more than they cover local Irish League football!!!
Their sports team definitely have a more republican agenda going on!!!

Every competition these days on UTV also seem to have a phone number for people from the Republic to ring in!!!

They are definitely targeting viewers from the south in everything they do...whenever they should be providing the best service possible to the people of Northern Ireland!!! The people who have kept them in business for 50 years!!!

well u may be right paul4as, though both your writing and username indicate that you are a deluded punk!

Nodin · 12-12-2009 11:38am

If the UTV Logo was a picture of King Billy, overlooking a scene where Satan skewered fenians in the special pit of hell reserved for them, there'd be those who still felt it was 'green' in outlook, (and indeed if it was paddy pearse overlooking something obscene involving hurleys and bent over orange men, the other shower wouldn't be happy either....).

akkadian · 12-12-2009 1:53pm

Nodin wrote: »

If the UTV Logo was a picture of King Billy, overlooking a scene where Satan skewered fenians in the special pit of hell reserved for them, there'd be those who still felt it was 'green' in outlook, (and indeed if it was paddy pearse overlooking something obscene involving hurleys and bent over orange men, the other shower wouldn't be happy either....).

Point taken. All I'm saying is I don't mind cross border journalism given the following conditions:

a) Northern TV should not be allowed to report on any "sectarianism" in the south as the North has low credibility in that area.
b) Southern TV should not be allowed to report on racism or abortion in the north as the south has low credibility in those areas.

Can they not focus on positives? (what we have in common)
No, because that would be too cross-border friendly.

I just want honesty. I honestly don't want a fast-track half-assed harmonization.
Something in the region of another 50 years is fine by me!

Sorry Collins, Dev et. al. It's the way I feel. We just aren't ready for that now.
Time has moved on and we have flowed down different tributaries.

bonkey · 12-12-2009 2:05pm

akkadian wrote: »

Point taken. All I'm saying is I don't mind cross border journalism given the following conditions:

a) Northern TV should not be allowed to report on any "sectarianism" in the south as the North has low credibility in that area.
b) Southern TV should not be allowed to report on racism or abortion in the north as the south has low credibility in those areas.

Can they not focus on positives? (what we have in common)
No, because that would be too cross-border friendly.

I just want honesty.

You want to ban people reporting on some stuff, and you want them to focus on other stuff. That's not honest reporting....just differently biased.

akkadian · 12-12-2009 7:33pm

bonkey wrote: »

You want to ban people reporting on some stuff, and you want them to focus on other stuff. That's not honest reporting....just differently biased.

better bias if anything. I want them to not report on fictitious stories.

Paul4As · 12-12-2009 10:41pm

akkadian wrote: »

well u may be right paul4as, though both your writing and username indicate that you are a deluded punk!

I'm always right!!!

Akkadian...the simplest thing to do, if you don't like eye opening stories like possible discrimination against protestant schools in the Republic, I think is just don't watch the news...turn the TV round to the cartoons or something!!!

akkadian · 13-12-2009 5:54pm

Paul4As wrote: »

I'm always right!!!

Akkadian...the simplest thing to do, if you don't like eye opening stories like possible discrimination against protestant schools in the Republic, I think is just don't watch the news...turn the TV round to the cartoons or something!!!

I'm working on it pauul4ass, I've been trying to crack that one for a long time. Started out by bit torrenting my media leisure, gaming, and generally removing TV from my life. Several years abroad helped greatly, except the foreign news was also ass. Cartoons are great and vastly superior intellectually to most news, web comics and web-toons are good, there's good **** out there. When decent western movies are scarce, there's japanese animated movies which are excellent.
But, afterall this, it only takes one minute to get pulled back into medievalism with terrestrial TV. Maybe that's why it's infuriating..

Fratton Fred · 14-12-2009 11:15am

Sorry, you'll have to forgover me, my sensitivity detector is broken.

What is wrong with that news article?

FTA69 · 14-12-2009 1:59pm

Paul4As wrote: »

Can you believe that UTV show reports on the Republic of Ireland football team on their sports bulletins before they show coverage of Northern Ireland's football team!!!
They also cover GAA a lot more than they cover local Irish League football!!!
Their sports team definitely have a more republican agenda going on!!!

Why shouldn't they? The fact is that Gaelic football is a more sucessful and popular sport in the six counties than IFA soccer is. People who think UTV are "Republican" in any way need to take their heads out of their hole. It's as ridiculous a notion that RTÉ are "pro-IRA" as some eejits like Eoghan Harris would insist.

Fratton Fred · 14-12-2009 2:34pm

FTA69 wrote: »

Why shouldn't they? The fact is that Gaelic football is a more sucessful and popular sport in the six counties than IFA soccer is. People who think UTV are "Republican" in any way need to take their heads out of their hole. It's as ridiculous a notion that RTÉ are "pro-IRA" as some eejits like Eoghan Harris would insist.

The radio station for Hampshire is Radio Solent.

Southampton fans are always complaining that it gives far too much time to Portsmouth. Pompey fans call it Scumlent because they think it is very biased towards Southampton.

it must be very hard for the media to get it right.

FTA69 · 14-12-2009 6:40pm

Fratton Fred wrote: »

The radio station for Hampshire is Radio Solent.

Southampton fans are always complaining that it gives far too much time to Portsmouth. Pompey fans call it Scumlent because they think it is very biased towards Southampton.

it must be very hard for the media to get it right.

The media is one of the most potent and powerful forces in this country, and the wider world in general. I wouldn't have any fear it would get "caught in the middle" to be honest.

ardmacha · 15-12-2009 2:00am

Southern TV should not be allowed to report on racism or abortion in the north as the south has low credibility in those areas.

The most striking examples of racism in Ireland have been in the North, rather than the South. And the position on abortion is not vastly different in both places.

They also cover GAA a lot more than they cover local Irish League football!!!

This is not true, UTV has negligible GAA coverage even for big games. And such coverage as they have is often distorted or patronising with its reference to "wingers" and the like. Sports presenters favourable to the GAA, like Adrian Logan, have been forced out.

A lot of this is just bad television.

Bottle_of_Smoke · 15-12-2009 7:23am

Paul4As wrote: »

I totally agree with junder!!!

Can you believe that UTV show reports on the Republic of Ireland football team on their sports bulletins before they show coverage of Northern Ireland's football team!!!

I don't believe this to be true. Maybe as a once off like when the republic are in a world cup play off and NI have a friendly they might give some more coverage but RTE would prob do the same if England were in a big competition. On the other hand they might show republic first as a warm up and then have NI as the main feature afterwards.

They also cover GAA a lot more than they cover local Irish League football!!!

Why is this surprising? GAA is far more popular a sport in Northern Ireland than Irish league. Or do the taig sports not count?

Every competition these days on UTV also seem to have a phone number for people from the Republic to ring in!!!

The horror. Ever think its because UTV is watched all over the Island and UTV want to include all their viewers and/or make as much money as possible?

junder · 15-12-2009 9:45am

FTA69 wrote: »

Why shouldn't they? The fact is that Gaelic football is a more sucessful and popular sport in the six counties than IFA soccer is. People who think UTV are "Republican" in any way need to take their heads out of their hole. It's as ridiculous a notion that RTÉ are "pro-IRA" as some eejits like Eoghan Harris would insist.

who said anything about being 'pro-republican' or 'pro-IRA' i just said UTV is regarded as having a green tinge most probelry because being a commercal company it wants to expand into the RoI so it is trying to appel to 'irish' viewers

Paul4As · 15-12-2009 2:02pm

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

I don't believe this to be true. Maybe as a once off like when the republic are in a world cup play off and NI have a friendly they might give some more coverage but RTE would prob do the same if England were in a big competition. On the other hand they might show republic first as a warm up and then have NI as the main feature afterwards.

Why is this surprising? GAA is far more popular a sport in Northern Ireland than Irish league. Or do the taig sports not count?

The horror. Ever think its because UTV is watched all over the Island and UTV want to include all their viewers and/or make as much money as possible?

I sent a comment/complaint to UTV regarding a report on Northern Ireland's football team coming 2nd in coverage stakes to the Republic. It has happened. I understand some people in Northern Ireland support the Republic...but coverage of our southern neighbours should always come second and have less coverage...my opinion!!! Whether friendlies or competitive games!!! Maybe not everyone else's opinion!!

GAA is a far popular sport in Northern Ireland than Irish League football???...is GAA not a minority sport in the north??? Only Catholics (or "taigs" as you call them - a disgusting word that will hopefully be gone from Northern Ireland lingo someday!!!) play GAA in NI. Definitely not more popular than soccer...not even Irish League football!!!
I don't attend Irish League games...yet always like to see the highlights on TV!!!...I think a lot of people do that!!!
I'm sure not many people who support Man U from Northern Ireland visit England to watch them play live...does that mean we shouldn't get live Man U games on UTV or BBC because of that reason...or that not many people over here support Man U!!!

By the way...I didn't say the GAA shouldn't be covered on UTV...just maybe the coverage better balanced!!! I actually follow GAA myself...like to be in the know to chat to my father-in-law about it!!! Up the Mayo!!!

Also like the fights!!!

As for UTV opening up competitions to southerners...my point is northerners therefore have less chance of winning now!!! Result...the people who made UTV...they have less chance of scooping whatever magnificant prize is on offer!!!

Bottle_of_Smoke · 15-12-2009 4:15pm

Paul4As wrote: »

I sent a comment/complaint to UTV regarding a report on Northern Ireland's football team coming 2nd in coverage stakes to the Republic. It has happened. I understand some people in Northern Ireland support the Republic...but coverage of our southern neighbours should always come second and have less coverage...my opinion!!! Whether friendlies or competitive games!!! Maybe not everyone else's opinion!!

Well if both were playing the same type of game(competitive/friendly) I can understand your frustration. I probably wouldn't bother getting the stopwatch out and writing to UTV but I'm lazy about that kind of thing. If ROI were playing a competitive and NI a friendly I think you're getting worked up over nothing.

GAA is a far popular sport in Northern Ireland than Irish League football???...is GAA not a minority sport in the north??? Only Catholics (or "taigs" as you call them - a disgusting word that will hopefully be gone from Northern Ireland lingo someday!!!) play GAA in NI. Definitely not more popular than soccer...not even Irish League football!!!

Don't Catholics make up about 48% of the population? Its a fairly large minority anyway. All the counties bar Down/Antrim are Catholic majority. I go to coleraine uni and it seems GAA is a lot more popular than the Irish league. Not more popular than English/Glasgow football I may add.

I don't attend Irish League games...yet always like to see the highlights on TV!!!...I think a lot of people do that!!!
I'm sure not many people who support Man U from Northern Ireland visit England to watch them play live...does that mean we shouldn't get live Man U games on UTV or BBC because of that reason...or that not many people over here support Man U!!!

I'm not quite sure the point you're making here. I'm not suggesting they don't show Irish league football, but it would make sense to dedicate more time to GAA if more people from NI are interested in it, which seems likely to me.

By the way...I didn't say the GAA shouldn't be covered on UTV...just maybe the coverage better balanced!!! I actually follow GAA myself...like to be in the know to chat to my father-in-law about it!!! Up the Mayo!!! Also like the fights!!!

As above. I'm not that interested in GAA myself but never felt overwhelmed by its coverage whilst watching UTV to be honest. I'll keep an eye out in future though.

As for UTV opening up competitions to southerners...my point is northerners therefore have less chance of winning now!!! Result...the people who made UTV...they have less chance of scooping whatever magnificant prize is on offer!!!

Meh, limited sympathy. Anyone who enters those things is daft to begin with

Paul4As · 15-12-2009 5:38pm

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Well if both were playing the same type of game(competitive/friendly) I can understand your frustration. I probably wouldn't bother getting the stopwatch out and writing to UTV but I'm lazy about that kind of thing. If ROI were playing a competitive and NI a friendly I think you're getting worked up over nothing.

I didn't get worked up...was just baffled...I believed I was living in Northern Ireland...not the Republic!!!

Just the same as someone watching the Scottish national news would be if they saw the Welsh football team being covered before their own side!!!

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Don't Catholics make up about 48% of the population? Its a fairly large minority anyway. All the counties bar Down/Antrim are Catholic majority. I go to coleraine uni and it seems GAA is a lot more popular than the Irish league. Not more popular than English/Glasgow football I may add.

How much percentage of the population in NI is made up of protestants and catholics???...probably 99%??? So soccer has a target market of about twice that of GAA!!! I think participation levels in soccer would probably be well more than twice that of GAA as well!!!
Any catholics who I met at Queens were more in to soccer...maybe they didn't talk about GAA because the culmination of the GAA season occurs in the summer when the uni year was over!!!

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

I'm not quite sure the point you're making here. I'm not suggesting they don't show Irish league football, but it would make sense to dedicate more time to GAA if more people from NI are interested in it, which seems likely to me.

See my comment directly above!!!

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

As above. I'm not that interested in GAA myself but never felt overwhelmed by its coverage whilst watching UTV to be honest. I'll keep an eye out in future though.

Never felt overwhelmed...just baffled by its greater coverage!!! For reason see above again!!!

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Meh, limited sympathy. Anyone who enters those things is daft to begin with

It does make UTV a lot of money though as you have said!!!

I think we'll agree to disagree on a lot of the above points Bottle of Smoke!!!

rcunning03 · 15-12-2009 6:11pm

As a southerner I really don't like local tv in the North, It's crap and you just know the English are getting to watch something better.

Local TV should just be the news after the UK national news. I don't want some crappy NI chat show on when Johnaton Ross should be on. I hate snooker or some other sport being interupted for GAA coverage and most of all I hate stupid local comedy shows being on primetime when everyone else in the UK is watching a documentary on Brunel or Agincourt.

As for Irish language shows on local NI TV? Stop that, if I want Irish language programming I'll watch TG4. I don't care about the 2 or 3 fundamentalists in the North who speak Irish and can't access TG4.

Stop trying to reach out to us by crossing a culutral divide and give us, and people in the North more of the programs we want. If local TV and UK tv wants to reach out to us, include our cities in the weather forecast but that's it. Stop with the programs about basket weavers reciting poetry in Irish or Scots-Irish and give us more programs like life on mars and Mitchell & Webb.

FTA69 · 15-12-2009 7:27pm

Junder,

who said anything about being 'pro-republican' or 'pro-IRA' i just said UTV is regarded as having a green tinge most probelry because being a commercal company it wants to expand into the RoI so it is trying to appel to 'irish' viewers

I said the likes of Eoghan Harris and some other commentators are obsessed with labelling the media as "pro Republican" or "green" or "overly nationalist" when the truth is that isn't, it's the opposite if anything.

Paul4as

GAA is a far popular sport in Northern Ireland than Irish League football???...is GAA not a minority sport in the north???

Not really, it has a far superior local and national network with volunteer and local participation that outstrips any other sporting organisation. Similarly the levels of support and attendance at GAA fixtures would be much greater; and rightly so. I'd sooner watch Tyrone v Donegal in an Ulster final than bloody Cliftonville and Glentoran or whoever.

irish_bob · 15-12-2009 7:36pm

junder wrote: »

ironically those of us of a unionist viewpoint have long regarded UTV as having a perticuly 'Green' out look

i always found bbc northern ireland more green in outlook than utv , particulary the style of the evening news programmes , i should add though that i never saw anything much wrong with either of thier presentation , noel thomson is the best interviewer ive seen , the consumate profesional

ps , i seriously doubt GAA is more popular in the north than soccer , its not even that much more popular in the south than soccer and half our population isnt british

Erin Go Brath · 15-12-2009 7:42pm

akkadian wrote: »

This is a continuation from an earlier rant of mine.
I am very worried about UTV's increasing unease and in some cases, excuse-making regarding any potential integration problems from cross-boarder harmonization etc.

The feature tonight was Clare Savage's report on the protestant school fee-payment fiasco. I was not impressed with the sectarianism-tainted view put forward by UTV's journalism team. Are they trying to stir sh1t?

It's not on. We can work this out ourselves. I know there will always be some tensions between Republicans and unionists, Protestants and Catholics etc, but UTV jumping on a band wagon like this is distressing to me. I belong to no particular religion, like many in the North I'm sure. I'm something of an objective spiritualist, if that's not an oxymoron.

Look, all I'm saying is UTV make their money on sectarianist sensationalism. Wake up people. They WILL end up increasing the sum total of sectarianism on this island if they are let do so.

I've never in my life witnessed sectarianism trouble in the Republic. I'm not saying there isn't any but it's never been a feature of my life.

I dearly don't want this kind of 'harmonization'. We have to tread very carefully with cross-boarder cooperation, and if I may be frank, I lean towards the unionist sceptic perspective at this juncture. Ireland has problems now, but there's so much that's good that can be lost.

If we allow the UTV sectarian agenda to pollute the Republic, there could be real problems. They get their viewership off crap like that.

I want UTV to desist this activity.

I want Irish people (all-island) to wake up to this issue. Cross border harmonization if it happens will not be straightforward, or necessarily fruitful.

I am not alone as an Irish person when I say there is NO WAY I would chose losing what we have now in order to harmoize with the north. There are many issure with this. There's also for example, the abortion differences.

http://u.tv/News/Irish-abortion-judgement-next-year/5caaeb7a-ddcd-447d-9e60-4a13e108446d

I want to add that I respect the Norths way of doing things and that denial of abortion options is a little like brushing the problem under the carpet. They just go to the UK for it, but that's not the point.

My point is UTV's news perspectives, and the sensationalism of sectarianism from the North is not to be ignored. We shouldn't rest on our laurels and pretend this is ok. UTV need to be more respectful and mindful of stirring up the **** down here when it was never stirred up before.

There are undoubtedly some extremeofile people in the North that would say protestants aren't getting the same opportunities as Catholics in the Republic. I call on them to have the balls to actually read existing statistics or commission their own research into opportunities for protestants in the Republic. I think you'll find it's the bankers and property speculators/developers we are up in arms with - there's no religious bs outside of the pervert priests.

So, please, respect that this is an issue and that UTV need to be slapped on the wrist.

and BTW, it's not the time to be cutting protestant school fees, with unionists pathetically looking for any excuse to disturb the peace process, and UTV do have an agenda IMO to do just that. They don't give a sjhit about the Republic - they just don't want to be part of Ireland and neither do I want them to if I'm brutally honest. Not like this, not if it's going to look like the Republic is as sectarian as the North.

In summary - UTV = dangerous! They could open up sectarian-gate that noone asked them to open up. I really truly believe in general the Republic is pretty much equal opportunity, at least from the sectarian viewpoint. I know there is racing creeping in. I ask any protestant or indeed catholic to post to this thread if you think you are hard done by, and let's see.

I saw this report and I have to say I agree with your analysis. The inferences that Clare Savage seemed to be drawing from her report were quite frankly ludicrous. She seemed to be trying to pain South Dublin as some kind of sectarian cesspit

It was a bit baffling. I've nothing against that channel but that report was utter madness!

As for the sports coverage, they surely have a responsibility to show all sports that their viewers may be interested in, not just unionist ones. It hardly makes them IRATV.

Erin Go Brath · 15-12-2009 8:10pm

Paul4As wrote: »

I totally agree with junder!!!

Can you believe that UTV show reports on the Republic of Ireland football team on their sports bulletins before they show coverage of Northern Ireland's football team!!!
They also cover GAA a lot more than they cover local Irish League football!!!
Their sports team definitely have a more republican agenda going on!!!

Every competition these days on UTV also seem to have a phone number for people from the Republic to ring in!!!

They are definitely targeting viewers from the south in everything they do...whenever they should be providing the best service possible to the people of Northern Ireland!!! The people who have kept them in business for 50 years!!!

Oh the horrors. :eek: Shut them down immediately.

Bottle_of_Smoke · 15-12-2009 9:09pm

Paul4As wrote: »

I didn't get worked up...was just baffled...I believed I was living in Northern Ireland...not the Republic!!! Just the same as someone watching the Scottish national news would be if they saw the Welsh football team being covered before their own side!!!

Hmmm, slightly different, but even still if Wales/England had a competitive game it wouldn't surprise me if it was on.

How much percentage of the population in NI is made up of protestants and catholics???...probably 99%??? So soccer has a target market of about twice that of GAA!!! I think participation levels in soccer would probably be well more than twice that of GAA as well!!!
Any catholics who I met at Queens were more in to soccer...maybe they didn't talk about GAA because the culmination of the GAA season occurs in the summer when the uni year was over!!!

As I was saying, GAA isn't more popular than soccer in general. It is however more popular than IFA soccer which I thought we were talking about.

See my comment directly above!!!

Never felt overwhelmed...just baffled by its greater coverage!!! For reason see above again!!!

As above

walrusgumble · 15-12-2009 10:34pm

Paul4As wrote: »

I sent a comment/complaint to UTV regarding a report on Northern Ireland's football team coming 2nd in coverage stakes to the Republic. It has happened. I understand some people in Northern Ireland support the Republic...but coverage of our southern neighbours should always come second and have less coverage...my opinion!!! Whether friendlies or competitive games!!! Maybe not everyone else's opinion!!

GAA is a far popular sport in Northern Ireland than Irish League football???...is GAA not a minority sport in the north??? Only Catholics (or "taigs" as you call them - a disgusting word that will hopefully be gone from Northern Ireland lingo someday!!!) play GAA in NI. Definitely not more popular than soccer...not even Irish League football!!!
I don't attend Irish League games...yet always like to see the highlights on TV!!!...I think a lot of people do that!!!
I'm sure not many people who support Man U from Northern Ireland visit England to watch them play live...does that mean we shouldn't get live Man U games on UTV or BBC because of that reason...or that not many people over here support Man U!!!

By the way...I didn't say the GAA shouldn't be covered on UTV...just maybe the coverage better balanced!!! I actually follow GAA myself...like to be in the know to chat to my father-in-law about it!!! Up the Mayo!!! Also like the fights!!!

As for UTV opening up competitions to southerners...my point is northerners therefore have less chance of winning now!!! Result...the people who made UTV...they have less chance of scooping whatever magnificant prize is on offer!!!

In fairness, with the slight exceptions of certain dublin clubs in the league of ireland, cup finals, tg4, ad rte radio 1, there is very scant coverage of league of ireland soccer on Irish tv. doesn't bbc northern ireland pay more attention to the northern ireland matches? maybe its a case of coverage rights battle, or that with sky sports as seen with rte a few years ago , after the 2002 world cup when sky wanted nearly all the irish games? i for one would love to see more coverage of local sports, be it league of ireland or the northern league (some of those teams have fantastic club names)

with regard to inernationals, fair enough, but maybe if northern ireland team where in a stronger position (in fairness they have greatly improved) they would get more coverage by utv (i still believe bbc has the coverage rights) jesus, its not like we in the south were devoid of coverage or knowing what was going on when the ni team were the best in the land during the 1970-1980's with players like jennings and martin o'neill, norman whiteside and co

with regard to the tv competitions, most of the south's main tv shows, such as the late late offer viewers from northern ireland to win. we in the south are not bothered with a potential extra million getting a chance to win (complete waste of money anyway, phoning/texting in). can i ask, do people from the south regularly win things on utv programmes ?

are you absolutely sure that only catholics play gaa? what was the then ruc wanting to particpate in the games for? (surely not a sneaky way of inflitration?)wasn't there a protestant fella from fermanagh who made adverse headlines (through no fault of his own) when he was forced out of playing hurling and gaelic due to huge problems with people/idiots. his dad was a former udr man.you are right though about the real popularity of soccer, but thats the same here (don't see gaelic played on the stret or schoolyard)

walrusgumble · 15-12-2009 10:41pm

Erin Go Brath wrote: »

Oh the horrors. :eek: Shut them down immediately.

ah stop erin, as per usual fear itself and fear of change haunts them:rolleyes:

walrusgumble · 15-12-2009 10:44pm

rcunning03 wrote: »

As a southerner I really don't like local tv in the North, It's crap and you just know the English are getting to watch something better.

Local TV should just be the news after the UK national news. I don't want some crappy NI chat show on when Johnaton Ross should be on. I hate snooker or some other sport being interupted for GAA coverage and most of all I hate stupid local comedy shows being on primetime when everyone else in the UK is watching a documentary on Brunel or Agincourt.

As for Irish language shows on local NI TV? Stop that, if I want Irish language programming I'll watch TG4. I don't care about the 2 or 3 fundamentalists in the North who speak Irish and can't access TG4.

Stop trying to reach out to us by crossing a culutral divide and give us, and people in the North more of the programs we want. If local TV and UK tv wants to reach out to us, include our cities in the weather forecast but that's it. Stop with the programs about basket weavers reciting poetry in Irish or Scots-Irish and give us more programs like life on mars and Mitchell & Webb.

you may not be into current affairs stuff, but bbc ni does far better coverage of same (be it ni itself and or in britain) for the whole sunday morning than what rte, tv 3 does in a week.(thats not neccessary through the fault of those on the new team)

utv is crap thhough and has being crap for a very long time as bad as tv3 with bloody cornation st and that julian whats his name, jesus h christ or alla.

FTA69 · 16-12-2009 1:43am

walrusgumble wrote: »

wasn't there a protestant fella from fermanagh who made adverse headlines (through no fault of his own) when he was forced out of playing hurling and gaelic due to huge problems with people/idiots. his dad was a former udr man.

I don't want to go off topic but just to clarify something about that particular case; much of my family are from that general area and the real reason abuse was directed toward that youngfella was because he was nabbed sending photos of himself having sex with a teenage girl to his buddies, these photos got out in the open somewhat and cause a local furore.

North South integration / UTV smear

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