The extended programmes tonight are not about reporting on party manifesto launches after a scheduled election is called.
They're reporting on the collapse of a government, the failure of a budget to be agreed and all the implications of that, the possibility of direct rule being imposed by Westminster, etc etc. Not exactly a normal news day.
Indeed. While the collapse of a government is a bit of a deal under normal circumstances, given Northern Ireland's past this is a huge deal - and frankly should have received much more network attention much earlier. The rest of the UK only seems to notice Northern Ireland when things fall over.
Having had a look at BBC One Northern Ireland for much of today, incidentally, I can't tell why but even though it's mainly taking network programming the whole station seems to have a stronger local identity. Maybe there's more local trails, maybe the stings are more distinctive, either way it seems to stand out.
Meanwhile, ITV will be sitting there going "Oh lads, we just made those fancy View From Stormont titles for UTV and everything". (I am joking, before anyone leaps in with a screaming "They won't care")
Indeed. While the collapse of a government is a bit of a deal under normal circumstances, given Northern Ireland's past this is a huge deal - and frankly should have received much more network attention much earlier. The rest of the UK only seems to notice Northern Ireland when things fall over.
Agree completely, The Daily Politics for example last Tuesday didn't really seem to have a clue whats going on as they haven't really mentioned NI politics as much and only really mentioned the Heating Scandal but in reality RHI has been one of many scandals from the last 10 years to nearly collapse Stormont and was probably the straw that broke the camels back. In all honesty I'm surprised the Assembly with DUP/Sinn Fein at it's centre managed 10 years.
The rest of the UK only seems to notice Northern Ireland when things fall over.
Except for Newsnight who, unless I blinked and missed it, managed to not even mention what happened today in NI.
Though in one of their discussions they did manage to mention that a sandwich shop in Salisbury had stopped supplying butties to a hospital.
It is, for those outside the country, a difficult one to get your head round. There's so much background that to cover it in a meaningful way involves a lot of explanation, because NI has been following every twist and turn and everyone else hasn't. And in terms of the number of viewers who care unless you make a special effort, you actually repel them rather than attract. But if we're going to continue to be a United Kingdom then the BBC has to get better at it. As it stands if you live in Northern Ireland you'd be better off getting a lot of your news from RTE, technically a foreign broadcaster.
Look out for Scotland and Brexit being another blindspot. I never bought the accusations that the BBC was biased against independence in the run-up to the vote, but I do think network was caught out as to how important the story was and only really geared up when that famous poll came out. I remember watching the 10pm news and Scotland being the "and finally" thinking "Guys, we might be two weeks away from breaking up the UK here". There's a bit of a danger that this could happen again, as unless there's an incredible compromise between May and Sturgeon we are heading towards either another independence referendum, or, potentially an even bigger story, Westminster saying no to a second referendum.
I think I've said it before on here, but in my job I have to keep an eye on the whole of the UK and Ireland. I genuinely learn more about NI politics from watching The Blame Game than I do from watching network news.
I can imagine UTV Live and BBC Newsline have ripped the running order as Martin McGuinness has left politics bang on time for the main 6pm bulletins.
Every one saw that coming.
Agree it's not a surprise and no matter what people think of him he has still been the joint leader of Northern Ireland for the last 10 years, we may have your favourite with another extended edition of BBC Newsline and no One Show again in Northern Ireland tonight
For those with an interest in what's happening on this side of the Irish Sea, full details of election results coverage on Friday 3rd March are out (of course here in NI we don't count overnight, we leave it until the day after - and even then it takes a few days with our PR system).
Friday 3rd March:
BBC One NI, 2.15pm-11.55pm (interrupted only by the 6pm and 10pm news/Newsline)
UTV, 1.55pm-6.00pm, 8.00pm-8.30pm (plus UTV Live at 6.00pm and 11.00pm)
Saturday 4th March:
BBC One NI, 10.00am-1.00pm
Nothing confirmed for UTV on Saturday yet, but they usually do a few hours around lunchtime, and sometimes an analysis programme on Sunday.
As is now the norm, the BBC coverage will be split across Mark Carruthers in the Newsline studio and Tara Mills at the Belfast count centre in Titanic Quarter. It'll be interesting to see if UTV change their usual split-studio format now that ITV are involved.
Interestingly on the Friday evening, BBC Two NI as Ulster Pro12 rugby at 7.30pm, so EastEnders has been displaced to 9.30pm on BBC Two NI.
BBC One NI has its 'Leaders Debate' on Tuesday 28th at 9.00pm.
UTV had its main debate with the five main party leaders last week, but it's got itself into some hot water* over its secondary debate for the smaller party leaders by scheduling it for 11.40pm this Thursday evening. After pressure from the TUV, PBP and Greens, its been rescheduled for the much more crowd-pleasing slot of 10.40pm on Friday.
UTV has also (unusually) shortened its 'View from Stormont' from 60 to 30 minutes over the last few weeks. To be honest the 60 minute version did drag on a bit. There's an extra edition tonight at 10.40pm, but nothing next week - presumably because The Nightly Show would necessitate an 11.15pm start.
BBC One NI has an hour-long The View this Thursday night, possibly to compensate for the lack of Sunday Politics this week.
Complicated post, appropriate for a similarly complex election.
*hot water not generated by Renewable Heat Incentive boiler.