'Prime Time Investigates' Suspended.....

itac · 23-11-2011 08:40AM #1

Apologies, it's PRIME TIME INVESTIGATES that's been suspended, not the series-Mods, any chance you could amend the Thread Title for me?

Anyhoo, while I am apalled at how that episode of the show ever got to air, I don't believe that shelving/suspending the whole series is the answer. By all means, make those involved responsible for their actions, but I can't see how suspending future shows on different topics is going to make a difference. Prime Time, when it gets things right, can provide excellent insight into situations that may otherwise have been left unchallenged.

What do the good folks in AH think...? Are you happy to see it go?

(p.s. yes, I know...it's a highly original topic of conversation at the moment....)

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/1123/1224308004000.html

RTÉ’S FLAGSHIP investigative journalism series has been suspended for the rest of the year after the station’s boss admitted its journalists had made “one of the gravest editorial mistakes ever made” in the national broadcaster.

Director general Noel Curran’s frank admission came on foot of a Government-ordered investigation into the errors made in a Prime Time Investigates programme on Fr Kevin Reynolds last May.

Mr Curran signally failed to rule out the possibility of resignations over the programme and said recommendations would be brought forward to the next RTÉ board meeting in December.

The Cabinet yesterday approved an independent inquiry into why RTÉ broadcast the Mission to Prey programme, which wrongly accused Fr Reynolds of raping a minor and having a child by her while working as a missionary in Kenya 30 years ago. The investigation, the second into the programme, is expected to be completed within two months.

The decision was taken on foot of a recommendation by Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte, who did not consult RTÉ beforehand.
Mr Rabbitte said the public had a right to know why such an “egregious error” had occurred. He has charged the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s compliance committee to examine if RTÉ “met its statutory responsibilities around objectivity, impartiality and fairness”.

A Government spokesman said the decision had been taken in view of “general disquiet” about the issue. Rejecting any inference of undue interference with RTÉ, he said: “There is extensive public disquiet about the case and it involves the national broadcaster. Taken together, this provides the basis for the decision that was taken.”

In its decision, the Cabinet invoked previously unused legislation, which allows the authority’s compliance committee to appoint an investigator to inquire into how a programme was made. It will have the power to compel witnesses to attend and to provide all records relevant to the making of the programme.

Mr Curran promised full co-operation with the BAI but said he wasn’t personally involved in the decisions that led to the programme.
The Prime Time Investigates series due to be aired in December has been suspended pending the outcome of RTÉ’s internal review and also a review by Press Ombudsman John Horgan.

The BAI’s eight-member compliance committee, headed by NUI Maynooth professor Chris Morash, includes Irish Times columnist John Waters, who has written in trenchant terms about the RTÉ programme and who believes there is an anti-Catholic bias in the Irish media.
The compliance committee, which usually adjudicates on complaints from the public, will be able to choose from within their own ranks or a suitably qualified outsider to hold the inquiry. It must report within two months.

hondasam · 23-11-2011 08:44AM

They fcuked up big time and should he held accountable, what else have they got wrong.

ArphaRima · 23-11-2011 08:55AM

I cant wait to see the Prime Time episode uncovering what's happened here..

The government is blocking our state broadcaster's highly critical (of the government especially) expose show.

galwayrush · 23-11-2011 08:57AM

Prime Time special to investigate Prime Time episode.......:D

Sunnyisland · 23-11-2011 08:59AM

fluffer wrote: »

I cant wait to see the Prime Time episode uncovering what's happened here..

The government is blocking our state broadcaster's highly critical (of the government especially) expose show.

A prime time investigates on a prime time investigates :rolleyes:

Sunnyisland · 23-11-2011 09:03AM

Seriously some one has to be held accountable as it looks like they didn't bother checking there sources and took it as gospel

that what was been said about the catholic priest was true,I remember seeing that program and calling that priest all the names under the Sun

.

efb · 23-11-2011 09:20AM

Prime Time Investigates is suspended please correct the thread tirle

MagicMarker · 23-11-2011 09:23AM

Well if they can make a simple mistake of publicly accusing someone of a crime on national television without any kind of evidence then how are we to know they aren't as shoddy in everything else they ''investigate''?

They should all be fired and made work for City Channel.

texidub · 23-11-2011 09:28AM

One RTE programme down.. how many to go? :pac:

44leto · 23-11-2011 09:30AM

I have a feeling this case (while an appalling mistake) is an excuse for cut backs to an expensive and quality show. It is also stinks of government interference to the best investigative journalism and informative vehicle in the country, just as the government is about to implement major austerity measures which need independent analysis which Primetime does best.

I can't help thinking this is censorship and by Pat Rabbitte :eek:. I am utterly against this decision.

MagicMarker · 23-11-2011 09:45AM

44leto wrote: »

It is also stinks of government interference to the best investigative journalism and informative vehicle in the country.

You're extracting the urine, yes?

Freddie59 · 23-11-2011 09:46AM

hondasam wrote: »

They fcuked up big time and should he held accountable, what else have they got wrong.

Agreed. RTE itself needs to be examined, dismantled, restructured, and downsized.

Freddie59 · 23-11-2011 09:48AM

44leto wrote: »

I have a feeling this case (while an appalling mistake) is an excuse for cut backs to an expensive and quality show. It is also stinks of government interference to the best investigative journalism and informative vehicle in the country, just as the government is about to implement major austerity measures which need independent analysis which Primetime does best.

I can't help thinking this is censorship and by Pat Rabbitte :eek:. I am utterly against this decision.

Wouldn't agree at all. Can't stand Rabbitte but even he couldn't cause this.

realdanbreen · 23-11-2011 09:51AM

Looks like we will have to depend on the Star & the Daily Mail for reliable information from now on.(Oh and the Sunday World also).

44leto · 23-11-2011 09:55AM

Freddie59 wrote: »

Wouldn't agree at all. Can't stand Rabbitte but even he couldn't cause this.

According to the article it was "his recommendation" ministerial recommendation over a public body, that carries a sith lot of weight.

And no to another poster I am not taking the urine Primetime is a great news analysis public service.

itac · 23-11-2011 09:56AM

efb wrote: »

Prime Time Investigates is suspended please correct the thread tirle

Can't figure out how to change the title, but have amended my op a bit

Personally, I think the Investigates has done a good job over the years, this just seems to have been one that was too tempting not to go with. As with every edited media piece, be it print, audio, or visual, you have to view with caution, as there's very rarely a totally objective piece.

I would like to see everyone involved explaining exactly why/what happened to make them produce such a piece, especially with Fr. Reynolds offering them proof beforehand. RTE does need a shake-up, and badly, but at the same time, sometimes they can produce some wonderful pieces too.

Handy11 · 23-11-2011 09:59AM

MagicMarker wrote: »

44leto wrote: »

It is also stinks of government interference to the best investigative journalism and informative vehicle in the country.

You're extracting the urine, yes?

Has to be, surely. Some of the exposé shows they did, in particular the one on the Gardai and the one on Social Workers, were completely unbalanced, risible, sensationalist rubbish. They are about as even handed as a Michael Moore documentary.

Yes, it's great that they "investigate" into government matters, but we know their hands are tied there for libel, whereas they aren't for any other sector of society that they want to blacken.

Delighted they are getting done for this. IMO someone (lead editor or journo) should see jail for what they did to that priest.

mconigol · 23-11-2011 10:04AM

Fairly standard procedure for any investigation.

At least in the real world.

44leto · 23-11-2011 10:04AM

Handy11 wrote: »

Has to be, surely. Some of the exposé shows they did, in particular the one on the Gardai and the one on Social Workers, were completely unbalanced, risible, sensationalist rubbish. They are about as even handed as a Michael Moore documentary.

Yes, it's great that they "investigate" into government matters, but we know their hands are tied there for libel, whereas they aren't for any other sector of society that they want to blacken.

Delighted they are getting done for this. IMO someone (lead editor or journo) should see jail for what they did to that priest.

I didn't think the few they did on the Gardai where, heres a guarantee, if a state is corrupt, as Ireland was for a long time, the police force is corrupt. As for the one about the social workers, well that is an impossible job to get right, so I agree with you.

But who else does this type of very expensive journalism in this country. Nobody is the answer. We need Primetime,

Jumpy · 23-11-2011 10:07AM

This was my favourite episode of Prime Time Investigates

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjvnRM554lw

Sensationalist rubbish.

starbelgrade · 23-11-2011 10:09AM

Miriam O'Callaghan should get her tits out.

I realise this has nothing to do with the subject matter of this thread, but I felt it needed to be said.

Handy11 · 23-11-2011 10:10AM

44leto wrote: »

I didn't think the few they did on the Gardai where, heres a guarantee, if a state is corrupt, as Ireland was for a long time, the police force is corrupt. As for the one about the social workers, well that is an impossible job to get right, so I agree with you.

But who else does this type of very expensive journalism in this country. Nobody is the answer. We need Primetime,

Not quite. We need a proper investigative programme put together by proper investigative journalists, that only airs when they have a story. The problem is they arrange the shows and then are under pressure to fill them. False accusations and muddled/biased shows are of course going to arise from this.

As regards the Gardai being corrupt. I'm not going to begin an argument with you on this but that is a ridiculously naive and sweeping statement to make. It is not a "guarantee" whatsoever. There may be a few incompetent or ignorant gards around. There may even be a tiny portion of them who are corrupt. A rare case. But to say that it logically follows that the Gardai are corrupt because the government are is just nonsense. I won't say any more on that.

hondasam · 23-11-2011 10:16AM

starbelgrade wrote: »

Miriam O'Callaghan should get her tits out.

I realise this has nothing to do with the subject matter of this thread, but I felt it needed to be said.

I think we have read enough about Miriam's private bits on AH's.
Might be fake anyway.:pac:

44leto · 23-11-2011 10:19AM

Handy11 wrote: »

Not quite. We need a proper investigative programme put together by proper investigative journalists, that only airs when they have a story. The problem is they arrange the shows and then are under pressure to fill them. False accusations and muddled/biased shows are of course going to arise from this.

As regards the Gardai being corrupt. I'm not going to begin an argument with you on this but that is a ridiculously naive and sweeping statement to make. It is not a "guarantee" whatsoever. There may be a few incompetent or ignorant gards around. There may even be a tiny portion of them who are corrupt. A rare case. But to say that it logically follows that the Gardai are corrupt because the government are is just nonsense. I won't say any more on that.

It was great having a mate who was a guard in the 80s he would get fines quashed, get us into concerts for nothing and sometimes nightclubs, absolutely not now. But that was then and thanks to investigative journalism a lot of the higher level corruption has being routed. Because of it I believe Irish politics and public bodies are lot better for it.

They do have to fill a programme with usually 2 stories, so yes they should concentrate on informing the public and only do exposes when they are sure and thorough.

texidub · 23-11-2011 10:23AM

Bit of a case of throwing the baby out with the dishwater. The journalist and editor on that particular story should be suspended, investigated, and if sufficient evidence is found --sacked. Someone lied to someone in Montrose because there's no way decent lawyers (funny concept, I know) would have let that through.

BTW, the smell of RTE shill on this thread is overwhelming.

It's my understanding that Boards has an approval process that has to be gone through before representatives of private companies can post on threads. Something similar needs to be done with RTE shills.

These shills should declare their interest out of common decency of course, but I won't hold my breath.

Handy11 · 23-11-2011 10:28AM

44leto wrote: »

[
It was great having a mate who was a guard in the 80s he would get fines quashed, get us into concerts for nothing and sometimes nightclubs, absolutely not now. But that was then and thanks to investigative journalism a lot of the higher level corruption has being routed. Because of it I believe Irish politics and public bodies are lot better for it.

2 things on the above. While that is true, I think it's a tenuous enough link to "corruption", and it's certainly not parking tickets that either Prime Time or your other post were alluding to.

Secondly, it's not investigative journalism that ended that climate of rule bending - it was the overtaking of handwritten notes, files and pocketbooks by an integrated online system, along with the efforts of ambitious high ranking Gardai to have their force clean and shiny looking. With a computerised system it's very very very difficult to make any adjustment to a fine/charge, and it's impossible to make disappear without leaving a trail.

44leto · 23-11-2011 10:55AM

Handy11 wrote: »

2 things on the above. While that is true, I think it's a tenuous enough link to "corruption", and it's certainly not parking tickets that either Prime Time or your other post were alluding to.

Secondly, it's not investigative journalism that ended that climate of rule bending - it was the overtaking of handwritten notes, files and pocketbooks by an integrated online system, along with the efforts of ambitious high ranking Gardai to have their force clean and shiny looking. With a computerised system it's very very very difficult to make any adjustment to a fine/charge, and it's impossible to make disappear without leaving a trail.

Bollox I know my mate stopped when a number of guards got sacked in the 80s for abusing their badge. I did a spate of door work and I remember saying to a pissed guard who flashed his badge "SO", you are still not getting in. But the head bouncer relented.

The guards wouldn't do that now. But your point being a computer system stopped the quashing of fines and maybe, but it should not have been a computer system that stopped it. It should have being the authorities in the guards.

I trust the Gardai now, I think they are a good police service, but I didn't in the 80s and the early 90s.

My point was once you got the high level corruption exposed, largely by investigative journalism, and all the public outrage at that, all the other public bodies cleaned up their act.

mdoyler2 · 23-11-2011 11:14AM

The government drip feeds the RTE information every day.

The RTE should be privatised; you can’t have an independent state broadcaster.

Privatisation would also get rid of extravagant payments to likes of Kenny, Duffy and Turbidy. It would also stop the cronyism; it’s rife in the RTE; even the Director General Noel Curran was in on it given his brother Richard the job presenting Dragon’s Den.

44leto · 23-11-2011 11:17AM

mdoyler2 wrote: »

The government drip feeds the RTE information every day.

The RTE should be privatised; you can’t have an independent state broadcaster.

Privatisation would also get rid of extravagant payments to likes of Kenny, Duffy and Turbidy. It would also stop the cronyism; it’s rife in the RTE; even the Director General Noel Curran was in on it given his brother Richard the job presenting Dragon’s Den.

But privatisation would also get rid of the community and broadcasting for the public good. We would effectively have 2 TV3s, so no I don't agree. You could trim it down and yes cut exorbitant wages.

washiskin · 23-11-2011 11:22AM

There HAS to be accountability here - there simply has to be.

This man's life has been destroyed by a show that relied on the (right) public's revulsion of preying clergy to get a shoddily authenticated claim across the line and we fell for it. No amount of money or apologies can change everyone's opinion once a claim like this has been aired not once but TWICE on two of the national broadcaster's flagship shows.

And then to issue a "sorry about that" one month and then to go to court to defend a clearly baseless allegation the next - that beggars belief, especially since there has been a paternity test done.

If this turns out to be one of those issues where a politician hops up & down and beats his chest in a public show of "do the right thing" and then it gets discretely swept under the carpet and the team involved get transfered to other areas of RTE - I will have given up all hope of decency & accountability getting a foot hold here - it seems we can just crap all over someone's life and get away with it and we all carry on as if it's just a fact of life.

mdoyler2 · 23-11-2011 11:30AM

44leto wrote: »

But privatisation would also get rid of the community and broadcasting for the public good. We would effectively have 2 TV3s, so no I don't agree. You could trim it down and yes cut exorbitant wages.

There is very little community or broadcasting for the public good anyway. If the government wished they could change the legislation, to ensure that any broadcaster operating in the state provides funding for “public good broadcasting.” E.g. a percentage of revenue.

Privatising the RTE would save every family in the country the license fee.

'Prime Time Investigates' Suspended.....

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