Article: Sacked face of BBC's GAA coverage blasts corporation

Peace

By Adrian Rutherford


Tuesday April 27 2010

The former face of the BBC's GAA coverage has attacked the corporation — claiming it promoted "Protestant-supported sports" over Gaelic games.

Jerome Quinn claims the BBC subjected him to “racial and religious harassment” which left him “demoted, devalued and demoralised”.

The extraordinary attack came during the opening day of a fair employment tribunal case against BBC Northern Ireland.

Mr Quinn fronted the BBC’s GAA coverage of The Championship for 17 years until 2008. He was later removed from presenting Radio Ulster’s Sunday Sportsound programme.

He was sacked last year after being caught posting anonymous criticism of its Gaelic football and hurling coverage on internet forums.

The Co Tyrone personality alleges unfair dismissal and discrimination by the BBC.

He is representing himself in the case, which is expected to last the remainder of the week.

Opening his case yesterday, Mr Quinn read a 14-page statement which alleged: Religious and racial harassment because he was Irish; Promotion of “Protestant-supported sports” over GAA and attempts to manipulate voting to stop a GAA player winning the 2008 Sports Personality of the Year award.

Mr Quinn said his sacking in 2009 cost him his career as a presenter and caused “serious reputational damage”.

He said that relations with the BBC began to deteriorate about four years ago. Claiming he was the subject of “conscious discrimination” because of his Catholic and Irish background, he said: “The GAA is still discriminated against in BBC NI”.

Mr Quinn said he had received “less favourable treatment than if I was a Protestant, British and not associated with the GAA”.

He accused BBC bosses of reducing prime-time coverage of Gaelic games and having a “negative approach to GAA reportage”.

He told the panel there was a “massive imbalance” in coverage, despite GAA being the top spectator sport in Northern Ireland.

Mr Quinn admitted criticising the BBC on internet discussion boards, adding it was “ a poor error of judgment for which I apologise”. He said it was an attempt to inform fans “of what was behind anti-GAA coverage in BBC NI”.

The case continues.

Source: Belfast Telegraph

Link: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sacked-face-of-bbcs-gaa-coverage-blasts-corporation-2154653.html

pipelaser

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sacked-face-of-bbcs-gaa-coverage-blasts-corporation-2154653.html

I wonder what the fallout will be like in BBC NI if the court rules in favour of Mr. Quinn.

WesternZulu

Id believe it.

Remember reading about how a few years ago after nothern ireland beat spain and bbc's finest Jackie Fullerton on his radio show rang the editor of the irish post to complain about the lack of coverage of the victory on the paper despite the paper having loads on the match.

Anyway the editor ended up ripping him to pieces on the lack of bbbc's gaa coverage to which poor old jackie had no response :rolleyes:

Daysha

Threads merged.

Winty

Jerome Quinn is a bitter twisted little man, grow up, your a crap reporter with a chip on your poor little shoulder

An Citeog

While I agree that discrimination based on race, religion etc has no place in society, badmouthing your employer on an internet forum is completely out of order. If he hadn't done that, he might have a solid case for constructive dismissal but as it is, the court will most likely find in favour of the BBC. It doesn't mean that his allegations aren't true though.

Dooish

Winty wrote: »

Jerome Quinn is a bitter twisted little man, grow up your as a crap reporter with a chip on your poor little shoulder

catch a grip. its well kown that the bbc are anti gaa and jerome paid the price for pushing the gaa agenda

Mr. Incognito

Hold right on here. It's the BRITISH Broadcasting Association.

Can you imagine if Bill O Herlihy came out and said that RTE was racist and promoting Catholic sports over Protestant ones.

Get a grip.

He is representing himself in the case, which is expected to last the remainder of the week.

Says it all really. This man is a delusional idiot. What is it with Presenters that start believing their own hype.

We should lock him up with George Lee for a week and they would get a taste of their own medicine.

Winty

So what exactly is a "Protestant" sport Mr Quinn?

Winty

Dooish wrote: »

catch a grip. its well kown that the bbc are anti gaa and jerome paid the price for pushing the gaa agenda

Any proof Mr Dooish, looking at the BBC website today, it has loads of GAA coverage

Pappy o' daniel

Its well known that the BBC pisses on anything GAA. Some soccer game attended by 2 dead dogs gets prime time, an Ulster football game with 20k at it gets 5 minutes of highlights.
Shame on the BBC.

An Citeog

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

Hold right on here. It's the BRITISH Broadcasting Association.

It's BBC NI which is the terrestrial broadcaster in Northern Ireland.

Winty wrote: »

So what exactly is a "Protestant" sport Mr Quinn?

Don't see any mention of "Protestant" sports in the article, only "Protestant-supported sports".

He is representing himself in the case, which is expected to last the remainder of the week.

This definitely confirmed that his case is doomed to failure to me and that he's only really doing this for publicity. It's a lot easier only having to pay one set of legal fees!:pac:

Winty

An Citeog wrote: »

Don't see any mention of "Protestant" sports in the article, only "Protestant-supported sports".:pac:

How marvellously observant of you!
So let’s split hairs, what are "Protestant-supported sports".

Winty

The GAA's Primary TV rights holders for the football and hurling championships are RTE and TV3. The BBC is a secondary rights holder.

This means the BBC can show the same game live in the Ulster Championship simultaneously with RTE - or in the case of the Ulster final, with TV3.

But they cannot go "head-to-head" with either broadcaster when they're broadcasting a different, non-Ulster Championship game at the same time.

Royal Seahawk

Winty wrote: »

How marvellously observant of you!
So let’s split hairs, what are "Protestant-supported sports".

In Northern Ireland? If you don't know the answer to that then you really have no business posting on sports forums.

Winty

Royal Seahawk wrote: »

In Northern Ireland? If you don't know the answer to that then you really have no business posting on sports forums.

Why dont you tell me then?

Boxing?
Rugby?
Golf?

$ausage$

THANK GOD FOR BOARDS.IE!

I am sick of getting invites to the its a disgrace blah blah Quinn on facebook and though WHAT THE HELL!!! I am a southern born fella living and working in Belfast and I think its a joke! GAA is on the BBC as much as rugby... in face more! if you take away BBC Wales. you had schools cup in both and then that was it, no sign of Ulster league rugby on the BBC - maybe a graphic of scores but def not even a clip. Fare doos you will get a od ulster clip at the end of the news but im sure if there was a ulster GAA team it would get the same. I dont see anone on utvs case either. they show zip GAA or channel 4!

love the BBC as in British .... view Here Mr Quinn the name sin the title! why not saunterdown to RTE and get a job! god knows there is enough GAA shows on there to correct any slant on all other networks!

Anyway thanks for lettiing me vent a bit

1Love

Winty

$ausage$ wrote: »

GAA is on the BBC as much as rugby... in face more! if you take away BBC Wales. you had schools cup in both and then that was it, no sign of Ulster league rugby on the BBC - maybe a graphic of scores but def not even a clip. Fare doos you will get a od ulster clip at the end of the news but im sure if there was a ulster GAA team it would get the same. I dont see anone on utvs case either. they show zip GAA or channel 4!

Cheers $ausage$

Good to see I am not alone

Quinn is just looking for a cash payout and he has to use the old "I am a Catholic in a Protestant company" card

Poor Quinn if you were a better Journalist you would be working

aDeener

$ausage$ wrote: »

THANK GOD FOR BOARDS.IE!

I am sick of getting invites to the its a disgrace blah blah Quinn on facebook and though WHAT THE HELL!!! I am a southern born fella living and working in Belfast and I think its a joke! GAA is on the BBC as much as rugby... in face more! if you take away BBC Wales. you had schools cup in both and then that was it, no sign of Ulster league rugby on the BBC - maybe a graphic of scores but def not even a clip. Fare doos you will get a od ulster clip at the end of the news but im sure if there was a ulster GAA team it would get the same. I dont see anone on utvs case either. they show zip GAA or channel 4!

love the BBC as in British .... view Here Mr Quinn the name sin the title! why not saunterdown to RTE and get a job! god knows there is enough GAA shows on there to correct any slant on all other networks!

Anyway thanks for lettiing me vent a bit

1Love

shows what you know :rolleyes: RTE 1 and2 are pathetic for GAA coverage, only for tg4 there would be fcuk all GAA

Mr. Incognito

shows what you know RTE 1 and2 are pathetic for GAA coverage, only for tg4 there would be fcuk all GAA

That actually made me laugh.

Who does Micheal O Mhuiriheartaigh work for?

RTE have been broadcasting Radio and Television GAA since the 30's my friend. TG4 weren't in existence even 15 years ago asaik.

TG4 is decent for the league (ish) but they only show two games on a Sunday and repeat them during the week whereas RTE do a round up of all the grounds every Sunday.

I dislike RTE and the nancy boy nepotism that staffs it but you can't fault their GAA coverage.

grenache

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

That actually made me laugh.

Who does Micheal O Mhuiriheartaigh work for?

RTE have been broadcasting Radio and Television GAA since the 30's my friend. TG4 weren't in existence even 15 years ago asaik.

TG4 is decent for the league (ish) but they only show two games on a Sunday and repeat them during the week whereas RTE do a round up of all the grounds every Sunday.

I dislike RTE and the nancy boy nepotism that staffs it but you can't fault their GAA coverage.

Is RTE/TG4 not one and the same? I'm pretty sure RTE owns or at least funds TG4 anyway.

aDeener

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

That actually made me laugh.

Who does Micheal O Mhuiriheartaigh work for?

RTE have been broadcasting Radio and Television GAA since the 30's my friend. TG4 weren't in existence even 15 years ago asaik.

TG4 is decent for the league (ish) but they only show two games on a Sunday and repeat them during the week whereas RTE do a round up of all the grounds every Sunday.

I dislike RTE and the nancy boy nepotism that staffs it but you can't fault their GAA coverage.

round up every sunday? they most certainly do not

TG4 have the excellent laochra gael series and all-ireland gold and seo spoirt and GAA 2010 which gives GAA proper coverage. TG4 also shows second and 3rd level hurling and football. something rte news wouldnt even give the result for. the respect they show gaa was summed up in their reporting of the late philip mcguinness.

compare the coverage rte gives rugby to gaelic games and tell me they are fair. ffs they show leinster school rugby games

aDeener

grenache wrote: »

Is RTE/TG4 not one and the same? I'm pretty sure RTE owns or at least funds TG4 anyway.

possibly, but im referring to the channels rte 1 and 2

Spiritoftheseventies

Dooish wrote: »

catch a grip. its well kown that the bbc are anti gaa and jerome paid the price for pushing the gaa agenda

He should have really taken it up with them rather than posting online.

KeithReilly

Its going off topic but I have to agree TG4 has the best GAA coverage.

RTE and TV3 could really do alot more, the coverage of the games in the summer is grand but I'd like to see more programmes focusing specifially on GAA along the line of Soccer AM, it'd be cheap to make, and Football focus.

dxhound2005

aDeener wrote: »

round up every sunday? they most certainly do not

TG4 have the excellent laochra gael series and all-ireland gold and seo spoirt and GAA 2010 which gives GAA proper coverage. TG4 also shows second and 3rd level hurling and football. something rte news wouldnt even give the result for. the respect they show gaa was summed up in their reporting of the late philip mcguinness.

compare the coverage rte gives rugby to gaelic games and tell me they are fair. ffs they show leinster school rugby games

Setanta have the rights to schools rugby.

http://www.setanta.com/ie/our-sports/Rugby/Schools-Rugby/

smashey

Right, I've deleted a couple of posts here and am being lenient in letting it go at that.

For now.

How about having a discussion without any of this stupid sectarianism?

Agus

grenache wrote: »

Is RTE/TG4 not one and the same? I'm pretty sure RTE owns or at least funds TG4 anyway.

No, I think that it originally did but that TG4 has been an independent entity for a few years now.

thirdmantackle

Agus wrote: »

No, I think that it originally did but that TG4 has been an independent entity for a few years now.

GAA coverage on RTE is a joke
look at all the GAA games on every week and they show footage from how many?? sweet feck all.
no weekly GAA show. wtf? think of all the stuff going on in the GAA up and down the country in clubs/counties and RTE cannot be bothered to have a weekly programme.
plus it could give them a chance to promote the other GAA sports of handball, camogie and ladies football in a small way


the RTE sports department is obsessed with Rugby, Soccer, Golf and the 'sport' of kings (me arse) Racing.