Northern Ireland news thread

I know this should be posted in the Mocks section, but is it really worth a new thread? Basically ive added just some basic text to the opening of UTV live at 6. Just wondered what you all thought of it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79OUlVsTRrA

And now, the latest score from this week's Battle of the Outside Broadcasts:

UTV Live 1 - v - 7 BBC Newsline

UTV's first two-way of the week failed half-way through with a BT screen and dialtone cutting into Ken Reid's report. I think they used a different two-way graphic as well...

Mind you, there was a botched link to Mike McKimm in the newsroom on Newsline, who are now really milking the fact they have a reporter at the Omagh trail every day...

There was originally going to be a brief clip between the link and Mike but this was dropped. As to the Omagh trial, it's going to be one of the biggest trials in NI for recent years, given that it was the biggest killing single attack ever in the NI troubles, so they just like to keep people up to date.

Expect wall to wall coverage once a verdict (if any) is reached.

UTV Live 2 - v - 9 BBC Newsline

Yet again, UTV used a different two-way graphic tonight... how many templates have they used and returned to now?

Neil's report from the Celtic/Man U match was very arty - lots of Premiere effects, great to have a shot of Fergie and the Man U players getting booed, but did we need to have almost a minute given over to the crowd (lower case) singing "You'll Never Walk Alone".

Is Niall Donnelly UTV's Live official Switching On of Belfast Christmas Lights reporter?

The VT used of Bruce Springsteen in concert looked quite ropey, not sure if that was just on the Internet stream. And a thought - did Wee Ian sing along to "We Shall Overcome" at the Springsteen concert?

Newsline - they went over-the-top on the Milford gas explosion at the start of the programme. A bit of confusion about the cameras coming out of the live OB from Milford.

Martin Cassidy's brief has changed from Rural Affairs to Environment - does he now share the role with Mike McKimm? From the looks of BBCi, Martin has taken over hosting FarmGate on Radio Ulster.

Good to see the always great Conor MacAuley helping out on the i Generation stuff - looking casual in Dungannon. Who reported on the Omagh trial today though? Chris seemed titillated by the Portuguese girl eyeing up the lads...

Interesting to see Newsline reporting on Roy Carroll, yet UTV Live's take on the story was that it was untrue.

Noel's attempt at humour when introducing the weather didn't go down well in the studio - I wonder if any BBC NI personalities get an invite to the Bond in Belfast premiere?

Martin is Environment and Mike is now "Specials" but sometimes does Environment related stuff, if you know what I mean.



Conor was reporting on the trial, just nothing of interest on it hence no story. The Dungannon piece was filmed a few weeks ago for the tolerence debate.



You missed the joke at lunchtime - "the names Newslne, BBC Newsline" , the look on Jim's face was a case of "oh god". I noticed Ronan Kelly appearing on the Bond in Belfast premiere, interesting to note his wife is Donna Traynor and Ronan himself left U105 recently. It was a charity premiere so the charity probably would have invited them, just UTV never featured them.

Plus if your wanting to score, do BBC Newsline get points for a BBC Newsline special this coming Friday?

I think I'll stop counting how many two-ways BBC Newsline have done this week - unless UTV Live go with two-ways for all of tomorrow's reports they won't catch up.

Nice to see Paul and Lynda giving Claire McCollum a send-off before her maternity leave, I myself hope all goes well with the baby.

Donna and Sarah on tonight's Newsline... why when Sarah informed viewers that Big Ian declined an interview because of "church matters" did I wish she had said "That would be an ecumenical matter"...

Good and humorous report with Martina Purdy and Tim McGarry as well. Can't believe they got Wee Ian, Alex/Alec Maskey, Reg Empey and Alban Maginniss in on the joke...

So Newsline are covering tomorrow morning's (non-)events at Stormont - any word of whether UTV are opting out to do the same?

EDIT: Who wrote the intro to the Marks and Spencer story on Newsline?

Indeed, although I was expecting some embarassing cringeworthy comment from Paul!



It surprisingly wasn't cringeworthy, if anything, bordering on humorous!



It's a random appearance of "Stormont Live" but for UTV, I doubt they'd take it but then you never know what could happen. Much of the actual assembly stuff is a pool feed so anyone can really take it if they've arranged the access to it. I don't see it on their schedules anywhere though

If it's Stormont Live, will Conor Bradford be roped in to host proceedings, or, as I imagine it will probably be, is Noel Thompson lined up to present?

I think it's Jim Fitzpatrick...

An excellent choice.

If UTV ran a live special (if being the operative word), I'm sure Fearghal McKinney would have got the presenter role; would have been Mike Nesbitt if he was still there.

Look who was on ITV News today...

http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/kenreid1.jpg

http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/kenreid2.jpg

http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/kenreid3.jpg

http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/kenreid4.jpg

...and then 5 minutes later on UTV Live...

http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/kenreid5.jpg

http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/kenreid6.jpg

http://www.utvtoday.co.uk/images/kenreid7.jpg

BBC NI were on from 10.30 until the security incident happened when they all head to leave, which timed perfectly with the end of the show.

UTV made a brief announcement around 11.45 but nothing else until the bulletin. By the time they broke into programmes (i think at an ad break) to cover the story, BBC already had the video of the incident on air and were live from their new position down the hill a bit having had to move the truck.

Now what does that do to the point scoring