BBC losses bad for Northern Ireland. Time to devolve broadcasting policy? @ O'Conall Street

BBC losses bad for Northern Ireland. Time to devolve broadcasting policy?

Posted on October 21st, 2009 Conall McDevitt 3 comments

Barry McCaffrey in the Irish News today reports that the BBC is expected to announce major job cuts to its organisation in Northern Ireland tomorrow.

BBC executives are expected to inform around 700 staff in Belfast and Derry of major job losses in a series of meetings today.

This will be unwelcome news across the North. Local news output has been under huge pressure in recent years with less resources for investigative journalism and current affairs coverage. At a time when politics in our region is moving from the predictable to discourse on serious policy issues, the need for a properly resourced regional broadcaster has never been greater.

But its not just politics. Arts, culture and sport have already suffered from cutbacks. Further reductions will undermine much of the good work which has been done over the past twenty years.

Things are no better in the private sector. UTV is under tremendous pressure and is now running its news and current affairs output on what could only be described as limited resources.

That we continue to maintain a good standard of journalism is a credit to the people who report and make programmes on daily basis.

Maybe it is time to have a serious discussion about devolving broadcasting policy and allow NI as a region take ownership of its own talent and seek to build up a vibrant a sustainable regional press in partnership with public and private sector broadcasters across the island and in Britain.

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3 responses to “BBC losses bad for Northern Ireland. Time to devolve broadcasting policy?”
1. Guest October 21st, 2009 at 09:31
  
  Did you mean to say biscussion? Is that a discussion with biscuits?
2. Concubhar Ó Liatháin October 21st, 2009 at 10:45
  
  I remember, during my tenure as editor of Lá Nua/Lá, the now defunct Irish language daily, asking all the party spokespeople this very question, should broadcasting policy be devolved from London. The response was silence.
  
  The question is relevant in many contexts – not least the idea that the BBC sets a cultural agenda in the north and this is set from London. It should be Belfast driven – or Derry or Newry.
  
  It is particularly relevant in the context of the Irish language as the constant refrain from BBC NI when asked to increase programming in Irish on TV, is that the resources aren’t available from London.
  
  It’s also interesting that the BBC in Belfast isn’t subject to Section 75 – as other public bodies are even though it would be argued that the BBC has more impact on the public than other similar bodies funded from the public purse.
  
  I think that NI politicians are unwilling to grasp the nettle because they’re afraid of the hard questions they may have to face from the likes of Spotlight or Steven Nolan.
3. Tim McKane October 21st, 2009 at 12:25
  
  One wonders what this will actually mean. The BBC will remain a major force in Northern Ireland, and if they follow through on their commitments to regional commissioning of programmes for network broadcasting, and sourcing television, radio and digital production from the growing pool of talent in Northern Ireland, the result may well be that their money is being invested in a manner that is better for the long term development of NI as a centre of excellence. The growth of NI as a production centre, as seen in Universal Pictures and HBO choosing it for the filming of Your Highness and Game of Thrones, is being supported by the development of the Moving Image Arts A Level. The long term development will come from commissioning and not employment- entrepreuneurs and creative people acting quickly, and producing great work outside of the broadcasting houses that are the old model.
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