LJ
The coverage has been really excellent by all the broadcasters in Ireland and the UK. I think ITV should have James Mates anchoring from Dublin rather than just reporting but Huw and Colin Brazier have done very well and seem to have a very good knowledge of Irish Affairs. As ever Bryan Dobson has been flawless on RTÉ. I think TV3's coverage has been a bit lacking though but its good to see they've made the effort.
RD
rdd
Founding member
TV3 made a bigger effort than they intended to. At the weekend one of the Irish newspapers had an interview with Ben Frow (TV3 Director of Programming) in which he basically initiated that he would leave substantial coverage of the royal visit to RTÉ (despite having given blanket coverage of the Royal Wedding last month, although much of that was simply a relay of ITN). The schedules were changed yesterday in particular and TV3 ran a Royal Visit special after 1pm (not sure what time it started, but it was in the Midday set with the Midday logo replaced by a 3 News logo).
RTÉ have been very good, as usual.
BBC Northern Ireland have had extra "The Queen in the Republic" programmes which weren't in the advance schedules.
RTÉ have been very good, as usual.
BBC Northern Ireland have had extra "The Queen in the Republic" programmes which weren't in the advance schedules.
DV
The one and only Gay Byrne host for the Queen's Concert tonight, which inevitably featured Riverdance as it's conclusion. Another triumph for RTE.
TE
The Convention Centre event was an appalling production, symptomatic of yet another RTÉ/Tyrone Productions/McColgan/Byrne love-in, where the 1990s are dredged up, tarted up and regurgitiated as what can only be described as a trashy Eurovision reunion. It was beyond cringe.
Mary Byrne's performance was the worst of hers I have ever heard. Olivia O'Leary's polemic was uncharacteristically crass and frankly grossly inappropriate in parts, the dancing was beyond embarrassing, while the set was barely a notch up from the Tullamore Christmas pantomime. Gay Byrne was smug, dismissive and largely uninterested (though his diction flawless as ever). The production values were shocking, without even a jib-arm in the auditorium.
RTÉ's wider coverage of The Queen's visit varied from subtle and elegant in the Áras, to truly abysmal in Dublin Castle. RTÉ's coverage of events in the Castle are always appalling, usually reliant on woeful handheld cameras, appalling sound, badly or entirely unplanned off-the-cuff shooting, and crass commentary.
The significance of the State banquet was completely lost in its woeful coverage, with Miriam O'Callaghan - crassness personified - wheeled out with London Editor, Brian O'Connell, and Eileen Gleeson, formerly involved in State protocol (or lack thereof). All three were located out on the media stand in the Dubh Linn garden, with hand-held rifle mics picking up the myriad helicopters circulating overhead. No commentary box was provided for interior coverage. The preposterous scenario then unfolded of full interior coverage of events in grand state rooms with a full backing track of roaring helicopters. You couldn't make this stuff up.
Disgraceful hand-held shots of the Castle's Upper Yard provided the scenic wallpaper during initial discussion. There was no camera on the quays to capture the entourage making its spectacular entry to the city and approaching Parliament Street and City Hall. No jib-arm was located in the Upper Yard for dramatic shots of the car sweeping through the entrance gates, nor even for capturing arriving guests. The shot of The Queen and President ascending the staircase was another dodgy hand-held affair, this time with staff permitted to wander straight in front of the camera. This happens every single time RTÉ shoots at this location, and each time they make a complete balls of it. The coverage in St. Patrick's Hall was also distinctly lacklustre.
Meanwhile, Miriam was out the back churning out the most appallingly crass and inane commentary, remarking on what women were wearing, who was related to who, and squealing with excitement when she recognised somebody - all as if chatting and making casual observations whilst watching the proceedings at home with her family. She and Brian knew nothing about the wider setting of the proceedings, the State Apartments, precedent for State banquets or even the protocol involved in such events. It was embarrassingly dire. And to cap it all off neatly, they cut away early from the most important State event in modern history for Fair City. Lucikly I had long switched over to Sky News, of all broadcasters, for full, quiet, eloquent, informed and throughly dignified coverage. For shame RTÉ.
The same can be said of Mary Kennedy's truly shocking coverge in the Áras the day before, Inane is an understatement. She demonstrated zero knowledge of the events, their political, historical or social context, nor exhibited even a shred of understanding of what was unfolding in front of her. When The Queen and President entered the State Drawing Room and stood greeting Enda Kenny for a short while, she nattered about a woeful gilt coffee table hidden behind Martin McAleese, and paintings in the entrance hall that the audience couldn't even see, before scrambling in her notes for anything else she could find to talk about. Her whole tone was mammyish and primary teacher rolled into one, and couldn't have been more inappropriate.
Bryan, as ever, was the saving grace for most of the events. He literally holds all of RTÉ's outrageously bad outside broadcast news events together, and has done for years. They'd be unwatchable otherwise.
Mary Byrne's performance was the worst of hers I have ever heard. Olivia O'Leary's polemic was uncharacteristically crass and frankly grossly inappropriate in parts, the dancing was beyond embarrassing, while the set was barely a notch up from the Tullamore Christmas pantomime. Gay Byrne was smug, dismissive and largely uninterested (though his diction flawless as ever). The production values were shocking, without even a jib-arm in the auditorium.
RTÉ's wider coverage of The Queen's visit varied from subtle and elegant in the Áras, to truly abysmal in Dublin Castle. RTÉ's coverage of events in the Castle are always appalling, usually reliant on woeful handheld cameras, appalling sound, badly or entirely unplanned off-the-cuff shooting, and crass commentary.
The significance of the State banquet was completely lost in its woeful coverage, with Miriam O'Callaghan - crassness personified - wheeled out with London Editor, Brian O'Connell, and Eileen Gleeson, formerly involved in State protocol (or lack thereof). All three were located out on the media stand in the Dubh Linn garden, with hand-held rifle mics picking up the myriad helicopters circulating overhead. No commentary box was provided for interior coverage. The preposterous scenario then unfolded of full interior coverage of events in grand state rooms with a full backing track of roaring helicopters. You couldn't make this stuff up.
Disgraceful hand-held shots of the Castle's Upper Yard provided the scenic wallpaper during initial discussion. There was no camera on the quays to capture the entourage making its spectacular entry to the city and approaching Parliament Street and City Hall. No jib-arm was located in the Upper Yard for dramatic shots of the car sweeping through the entrance gates, nor even for capturing arriving guests. The shot of The Queen and President ascending the staircase was another dodgy hand-held affair, this time with staff permitted to wander straight in front of the camera. This happens every single time RTÉ shoots at this location, and each time they make a complete balls of it. The coverage in St. Patrick's Hall was also distinctly lacklustre.
Meanwhile, Miriam was out the back churning out the most appallingly crass and inane commentary, remarking on what women were wearing, who was related to who, and squealing with excitement when she recognised somebody - all as if chatting and making casual observations whilst watching the proceedings at home with her family. She and Brian knew nothing about the wider setting of the proceedings, the State Apartments, precedent for State banquets or even the protocol involved in such events. It was embarrassingly dire. And to cap it all off neatly, they cut away early from the most important State event in modern history for Fair City. Lucikly I had long switched over to Sky News, of all broadcasters, for full, quiet, eloquent, informed and throughly dignified coverage. For shame RTÉ.
The same can be said of Mary Kennedy's truly shocking coverge in the Áras the day before, Inane is an understatement. She demonstrated zero knowledge of the events, their political, historical or social context, nor exhibited even a shred of understanding of what was unfolding in front of her. When The Queen and President entered the State Drawing Room and stood greeting Enda Kenny for a short while, she nattered about a woeful gilt coffee table hidden behind Martin McAleese, and paintings in the entrance hall that the audience couldn't even see, before scrambling in her notes for anything else she could find to talk about. Her whole tone was mammyish and primary teacher rolled into one, and couldn't have been more inappropriate.
Bryan, as ever, was the saving grace for most of the events. He literally holds all of RTÉ's outrageously bad outside broadcast news events together, and has done for years. They'd be unwatchable otherwise.
Last edited by Telefis on 22 May 2011 1:34am - 2 times in total
JW
Wow. A post worthy of Media Guardian itself!
As an overseas viewer, I don't know any of the individuals referred in your post, but it was so eloquently put, it deserves a mention.
As an overseas viewer, I don't know any of the individuals referred in your post, but it was so eloquently put, it deserves a mention.
Last edited by JamesWorldNews on 22 May 2011 11:41am
LJ
Telefis... In that case you'll be happy to hear RTÉ coverage of Garrett Fitzgerald's state funeral.
Bryan Dobson, John Bowman, Eileen Dunne and David Davin Power. Now that's better by RTÉ.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0522/fitzgeraldg.html
Bryan Dobson, John Bowman, Eileen Dunne and David Davin Power. Now that's better by RTÉ.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0522/fitzgeraldg.html
CH
Exactly my thoughts on the coverage. The ear-splittingly loud pipe music went on about three minutes longer than was necessary, too.
Disgraceful hand-held shots of the Castle's Upper Yard provided the scenic wallpaper during initial discussion. There was no camera on the quays to capture the entourage making its spectacular entry to the city and approaching Parliament Street and City Hall. No jib-arm was located in the Upper Yard for dramatic shots of the car sweeping through the entrance gates, nor even for capturing arriving guests. The shot of The Queen and President ascending the staircase was another dodgy hand-held affair, this time with staff permitted to wander straight in front of the camera. This happens every single time RTÉ shoots at this location, and each time they make a complete balls of it. The coverage in St. Patrick's Hall was also distinctly lacklustre.
Exactly my thoughts on the coverage. The ear-splittingly loud pipe music went on about three minutes longer than was necessary, too.
TM
Interested in what you're saying about the helicopter sounds. Did RTE offer any aerial pictures as part of their coverage? My understanding is that they weren't going to, because at one stage there was talk of sending the BBC/ITN chopper over to Ireland instead, to provide aerials (and for Sky's chopper to remain in London as a UK pool facility) but that the proposal was blocked/rejected. In which case I'm guessing these must have been Police/Garda choppers that were being heard instead?
The significance of the State banquet was completely lost in its woeful coverage, with Miriam O'Callaghan - crassness personified - wheeled out with London Editor, Brian O'Connell, and Eileen Gleeson, formerly involved in State protocol (or lack thereof). All three were located out on the media stand in the Dubh Linn garden, with hand-held rifle mics picking up the myriad helicopters circulating overhead. No commentary box was provided for interior coverage. The preposterous scenario then unfolded of full interior coverage of events in grand state rooms with a full backing track of roaring helicopters. You couldn't make this stuff up.
Interested in what you're saying about the helicopter sounds. Did RTE offer any aerial pictures as part of their coverage? My understanding is that they weren't going to, because at one stage there was talk of sending the BBC/ITN chopper over to Ireland instead, to provide aerials (and for Sky's chopper to remain in London as a UK pool facility) but that the proposal was blocked/rejected. In which case I'm guessing these must have been Police/Garda choppers that were being heard instead?
Last edited by Telly Media on 25 May 2011 8:23am
TE
Yes it was the constant Garda helicopters circulating over the city for the duration of the visit causing the disruption, rather than broadcast choppers. As you say, there were no aerial shots for any of the four-day event which was a great shame. The highest we got was an elevated jib-arm in the gardens of the Áras.
Aerial views of the cavalcade passing up and down the quays each day would have been spectacular. The deserted streets of the city most certainly would have attained much greater attention had such shots been attained.
Aerial views of the cavalcade passing up and down the quays each day would have been spectacular. The deserted streets of the city most certainly would have attained much greater attention had such shots been attained.