CARLTON AIR APOLOGY FOR BOMB PROGRAMME
Carlton air apology for bomb programme
BY: JOHN McCUSKER
The father of one of those killed in August bombing said he hopes sections of the media will, in future, deal more sensitively when reporting the suffering of victims of violence.
Michael Gallagher whose 21-year-old son Aidan died in the atrocity was speaking after London-based a TV agreed to offer apologies following screening of its much criticised 'Thursday Night Live' broadcast five days after the Omagh atrocity.
But the apology itself led to a war of words this week, after it was revealed that it would be broadcast to Northern Ireland viewers only.
Last night's public apology came after an Independent Television Commission probe found the company guilty of breaching programme code regulations aimed at avoiding offence to public feeling.
Mr Gallagher said that, although the apology in itself was to be welcomed, he urged programme makers to be more sensitive when dealing with similar situations in the future.
"I would be more interested in lessons learned from the mistakes made through our suffering, and hopefully similar slip-ups will not happen in future.
"When I agreed to appear on the programme, I didn't realise just how flippant the show actually was and we were given no background information on its format.
"I believe there could be a very therapeutic advantage to a programme of that type, but not in the way in which it was handled.
"Coming just five days after Aidan's death, myself and my daughter Sharon were very angry and disappointed at the way the show was run."
A total of 47 complaints was made to the ITC regarding the programme's lack of sensitivity, both in its treatment of contributors from Omagh and in its general approach.
Ulster Television which transmitted the show in Northern Ireland, but had no editorial responsibility for it took more than 1,000 complaints.
In deciding not to impose a formal sanction on Carlton, the ITC took account of the company's offer of an apology to viewers in Northern Ireland.
But Mr Gallagher found this move, and an undertaking from Carlton that they would produce a promotional video on the town, to fall short of making amends for the suffering endured.
"Before this bomb, no-one knew about Omagh. A similar situation existed in Enniskillen, but some positive things have come out of that experience.
"I believe that, rather than just producing a video of Omagh, Carlton should make a programme which could go out on the general network.
"It would be within their powers to show the town in a more positive light and how the people were coming out of this tragedy.
"That would give the wider public an opportunity to see there is more to Omagh than the bomb" he added.
Anger has also been expressed after it was revealed this week that the apology was only being broadcast to viewers in the North and not nationwide, as the original programme itself was.
And at Tuesday evening's meeting of Omagh District Council, Chief Executive John McKinney called on the television company to extend its apology to viewers through the entire ITV network.
In its findings, the ITC accepted that Carlton had set out to produce a serious and worthwhile programme, in response to what it terms a "major and awful news event."
However, technical hitches together with a variance of the programme's regular format led to a record number of complaints being received from viewers.
An ITC spokesperson said offence was caused by the audience applause and brief shots of flashing lights at the end of the programme.
"The phone in caused particular offence, with viewers throughout the UK voting on a simplistic question about the peace.
The text of last night's Carlton apology read: "On 20 August, the ITV Network showed a Thursday Night Live Special debate programme, made by Carlton Television, following the bomb attack in the centre of Omagh.
"Despite the best intentions of the programme makers, this broadcast caused offence and distress to many viewers in Northern Ireland.
"Their complaints ranged from the wrong balance between politicians and residents caused in particular by technical problems - to the tone of the end of the programme and the use of a telephone 'poll.
"Carlton offers its sincere apologies to all viewers who were upset or offended by the programme."
BY: JOHN McCUSKER
The father of one of those killed in August bombing said he hopes sections of the media will, in future, deal more sensitively when reporting the suffering of victims of violence.
Michael Gallagher whose 21-year-old son Aidan died in the atrocity was speaking after London-based a TV agreed to offer apologies following screening of its much criticised 'Thursday Night Live' broadcast five days after the Omagh atrocity.
But the apology itself led to a war of words this week, after it was revealed that it would be broadcast to Northern Ireland viewers only.
Last night's public apology came after an Independent Television Commission probe found the company guilty of breaching programme code regulations aimed at avoiding offence to public feeling.
Mr Gallagher said that, although the apology in itself was to be welcomed, he urged programme makers to be more sensitive when dealing with similar situations in the future.
"I would be more interested in lessons learned from the mistakes made through our suffering, and hopefully similar slip-ups will not happen in future.
"When I agreed to appear on the programme, I didn't realise just how flippant the show actually was and we were given no background information on its format.
"I believe there could be a very therapeutic advantage to a programme of that type, but not in the way in which it was handled.
"Coming just five days after Aidan's death, myself and my daughter Sharon were very angry and disappointed at the way the show was run."
A total of 47 complaints was made to the ITC regarding the programme's lack of sensitivity, both in its treatment of contributors from Omagh and in its general approach.
Ulster Television which transmitted the show in Northern Ireland, but had no editorial responsibility for it took more than 1,000 complaints.
In deciding not to impose a formal sanction on Carlton, the ITC took account of the company's offer of an apology to viewers in Northern Ireland.
But Mr Gallagher found this move, and an undertaking from Carlton that they would produce a promotional video on the town, to fall short of making amends for the suffering endured.
"Before this bomb, no-one knew about Omagh. A similar situation existed in Enniskillen, but some positive things have come out of that experience.
"I believe that, rather than just producing a video of Omagh, Carlton should make a programme which could go out on the general network.
"It would be within their powers to show the town in a more positive light and how the people were coming out of this tragedy.
"That would give the wider public an opportunity to see there is more to Omagh than the bomb" he added.
Anger has also been expressed after it was revealed this week that the apology was only being broadcast to viewers in the North and not nationwide, as the original programme itself was.
And at Tuesday evening's meeting of Omagh District Council, Chief Executive John McKinney called on the television company to extend its apology to viewers through the entire ITV network.
In its findings, the ITC accepted that Carlton had set out to produce a serious and worthwhile programme, in response to what it terms a "major and awful news event."
However, technical hitches together with a variance of the programme's regular format led to a record number of complaints being received from viewers.
An ITC spokesperson said offence was caused by the audience applause and brief shots of flashing lights at the end of the programme.
"The phone in caused particular offence, with viewers throughout the UK voting on a simplistic question about the peace.
The text of last night's Carlton apology read: "On 20 August, the ITV Network showed a Thursday Night Live Special debate programme, made by Carlton Television, following the bomb attack in the centre of Omagh.
"Despite the best intentions of the programme makers, this broadcast caused offence and distress to many viewers in Northern Ireland.
"Their complaints ranged from the wrong balance between politicians and residents caused in particular by technical problems - to the tone of the end of the programme and the use of a telephone 'poll.
"Carlton offers its sincere apologies to all viewers who were upset or offended by the programme."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1714
Published Date: 10-Dec-98
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