TELLY MANDARINS IN RETREAT AFTER VIEWER REVOLT
TELLY MANDARINS IN RETREAT AFTER VIEWER REVOLT
BY UNA BRADLEY
UTV chiefs have distanced themselves from a "deeply offensive" programme on the Omagh bomb atrocity.
The TV debate caused a public outcry when it was screened on Thursday evening.
Angry viewers jammed the switchboard at Havelock House with over 1,000 calls yesterday.
The Belfast Telegraph was also flooded with complaints that Thursday Night Live" had "trivialised"" the tragedy.
UTV controller Alan Bremner appeared on live television last night in a bid to defuse the row.
The programme was made by London-based Carlton for the independent network. It was co-presented by Nikki Campbell, the former face of TV game show Wheel of Fortune.
Appearing on Live at Six last night, Mr Bremner apologised to viewers and branded the coverage "ill-judged, unfortunate and undesirable".
He said UTV had not been informed that a live telephone poll - asking viewers if they thought peace would last - would be included.
He also hit out at the lack of air-time given to Omagh people - including relatives of some of the victims.
A UTV spokeswoman added that the station had made an official complaint to Carlton.
Even during transmission, members of the public were calling media organisations to criticise the "glitzy" and "tacky" manner in which the discussion was presented.
One Bangor viewer slammed the telephone poll as being like "the lottery".
The programme also suffered technology hitches, meaning a satellite link-up to Omagh had to be abandoned.
But a Carlton spokesman defended the slot, saying it had strived to "take on board the sensitivities of relatives".
He said: "The aim behind the programme was to let the people of Northern Ireland air their views.
"Our producers spent two days during the week with the people of Omagh.
"Unfortunately there were some technical problems and so we were not able to go back to Omagh at one point."
He added: "No live debate has ever kept everybody happy."
Northern Ireland Office minister Paul Murphy, who took part in the one-hour debate, yesterday led the chorus of condemnation.
He said it was "unbalanced and trite" and it is understood the NIO have voiced their concerns to Carlton.
ITN's Ireland correspondent John Irvine who anchored the output from Omagh was believed to have felt badly let down.
He was said to have been angry that the people on the panel in Omagh were treated insensitively.
Ulster journalist Ted Oliver, who was on the panel, hit out at the way in which many relatives were "virtually ignored". "As we chatted beforehand they said it was a chance to tell the world how they felt and to speak of their hopes for peace," he said.
"They barely got a word in and some were not even asked to speak as politicians trotted out their same old cliches".
Omagh DUP councillor Oliver Gibson, who lost his neice Esther in the atrocity, was not asked to speak.
Independent Omagh councillor Paddy McGowan last night branded the item "despicable".
He said: "The courage of those people who attended it... to sit for one hour listening to a circus."
BY UNA BRADLEY
UTV chiefs have distanced themselves from a "deeply offensive" programme on the Omagh bomb atrocity.
The TV debate caused a public outcry when it was screened on Thursday evening.
Angry viewers jammed the switchboard at Havelock House with over 1,000 calls yesterday.
The Belfast Telegraph was also flooded with complaints that Thursday Night Live" had "trivialised"" the tragedy.
UTV controller Alan Bremner appeared on live television last night in a bid to defuse the row.
The programme was made by London-based Carlton for the independent network. It was co-presented by Nikki Campbell, the former face of TV game show Wheel of Fortune.
Appearing on Live at Six last night, Mr Bremner apologised to viewers and branded the coverage "ill-judged, unfortunate and undesirable".
He said UTV had not been informed that a live telephone poll - asking viewers if they thought peace would last - would be included.
He also hit out at the lack of air-time given to Omagh people - including relatives of some of the victims.
A UTV spokeswoman added that the station had made an official complaint to Carlton.
Even during transmission, members of the public were calling media organisations to criticise the "glitzy" and "tacky" manner in which the discussion was presented.
One Bangor viewer slammed the telephone poll as being like "the lottery".
The programme also suffered technology hitches, meaning a satellite link-up to Omagh had to be abandoned.
But a Carlton spokesman defended the slot, saying it had strived to "take on board the sensitivities of relatives".
He said: "The aim behind the programme was to let the people of Northern Ireland air their views.
"Our producers spent two days during the week with the people of Omagh.
"Unfortunately there were some technical problems and so we were not able to go back to Omagh at one point."
He added: "No live debate has ever kept everybody happy."
Northern Ireland Office minister Paul Murphy, who took part in the one-hour debate, yesterday led the chorus of condemnation.
He said it was "unbalanced and trite" and it is understood the NIO have voiced their concerns to Carlton.
ITN's Ireland correspondent John Irvine who anchored the output from Omagh was believed to have felt badly let down.
He was said to have been angry that the people on the panel in Omagh were treated insensitively.
Ulster journalist Ted Oliver, who was on the panel, hit out at the way in which many relatives were "virtually ignored". "As we chatted beforehand they said it was a chance to tell the world how they felt and to speak of their hopes for peace," he said.
"They barely got a word in and some were not even asked to speak as politicians trotted out their same old cliches".
Omagh DUP councillor Oliver Gibson, who lost his neice Esther in the atrocity, was not asked to speak.
Independent Omagh councillor Paddy McGowan last night branded the item "despicable".
He said: "The courage of those people who attended it... to sit for one hour listening to a circus."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH EXTRA
Ref: BT/0224
Published Date: 22-Aug-98
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