02/10/2014 12:27:52
Finsceal
Ormond you have no notion of what you are talking about do you ?? Really ??
What would you know about demand for games in the North ?.Bumpernut is right we want the Beeb to show hurling and football AI finals/ semi-finals regardless of who's playing .Anyone who thinks the BBC do not have an agenda against GAA is deluded .
Family from the north, father works in the North all the time etc etc
BBC dont have an agenda against GAA.
All Ireland semis are already being shown on RTE and Sky. Between the two channels people are covered to view games. Will BBC pay for the rights to cover the games they don't cover?

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 02/10/2014 13:32:08    1659344

srb
County: Antrim
Posts: 317

1659271
They don't show GAA games, just football. Has the BBC ever shown a live hurling game? In fact, you would need to go back 20 years for a hurling highlights programme even

In fairness they have, but it's a long time ago now. I remember them showing some All-Ireland finals in the early 2000s, Kilkenny v. Offaly for definite.

People here are right to question why gaelic games doesn't get more coverage in the media in the North than it does; I remember a BBC NI programme some years back in which they admitted that GAA received an average of less than two minutes coverage per week until the Championship came on stream in the early 90s. Jackie Fullerton used to announce the GAA results on BBC NI while admitting he had no idea what the scores meant (a sports journalist who didn't know the scoring system for one of the most popular games in the country!). Yet Linfield against Glentoran gets a highlights package and was often broadcast live (until Sky bought the rights to the love Irish League games).

Even now, GAA gets a far lower level of coverage on BBC NI than it merits. As aforementioned, gaelic games are probably the second most popular games in the state (possibly a close third), but yet BBC NI broadcasts only five live championship games per year, plus the MacRory Cup final on Paddy's Day. There is no highlights package, no coverage of competitions that Ulster sides usually do well in, such as the Sigerson Cup, Hogan Cup, National League, All-Ireland senior football championship, All-Ireland minor and U-21 championships, Railway Cup, All-Ireland Club Championship. There is feck all hurling coverage, and practically no coverage of ladies football or camogie. I am actually more shocked now that I've just listed the sheer breadth of GAA activity that goes uncovered than when I started writing this post!

I remember that UTV used to have live GAA in the 90s (remember watching the Mayo-Kerry highlights in 1996) but they seemed to lose the rights soon after. But at least they provided a highlights package (Adrian Logan presented it, as I recall?). Bottom line is that Gaels in the North are scandalously under-served by their media.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 02/10/2014 13:41:21    1659355

It seems that Ormond is hell bent on ignoring what posters have been saying, RTE coverage in the North is intermittent at best, Sky is subscription only whereas I pay am legally obliged to pay a licence fee to the BBC, is it too much to ask for parity of esteem when it comes to TV coverage of the biggest spectator sport in the six counties?

p.s. I once spent a week on holiday in Kerry in the 1980's, does this make me an authority now on all things Munster?

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 02/10/2014 14:11:26    1659374

ormondbannerman
County: Clare
Posts: 8397

1659344
02/10/2014 12:27:52
Finsceal
Ormond you have no notion of what you are talking about do you ?? Really ??
What would you know about demand for games in the North ?.Bumpernut is right we want the Beeb to show hurling and football AI finals/ semi-finals regardless of who's playing .Anyone who thinks the BBC do not have an agenda against GAA is deluded .
Family from the north, father works in the North all the time etc etc
BBC dont have an agenda against GAA.
All Ireland semis are already being shown on RTE and Sky. Between the two channels people are covered to view games. Will BBC pay for the rights to cover the games they don't cover?

One of those channels is not universally available in the North, while the other is a subscription service, which not everyone can afford. Neither can Gaels in the North access GAA Go. What people are bemoaning is the lack of coverage on a free-to-air services, as we get in ROI. Given that BBC NI is a public service, that gaelic games are among the most widely supported sports, and that GAA fans pay their taxes like everyone else, it is shocking how little coverage it gets. UTV isn't much better either.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 02/10/2014 14:19:25    1659380

How does access to 26 county stations work in the North? Say if you have Sky Digital, or an equivalent TV provider, do you get the RTE/TV3/TG4? If you don't subscribe to a commercial provider, can you get RTE/TV3/TG4 on Freeview?

If you can't, it's pretty disgraceful in this day and age.

shinokamparos (Meath) - Posts: 21 - 02/10/2014 14:22:41    1659384

Growing up we always had RTE as the aul boy had paid to get an RTE aerial though it also required a booster - I think that the reception was only able to be picked up in certain areas in the North even if you had an aerial but cannot say for sure as back then you hadn't much interaction with people beyond a few fields away. You are able to get RTE if you have SKY nowadays though as its Sky they block any sports broadcasts they don't want people to see - including games which they aren't even broadcasting live themselves (CL broadcasts etc). Think with Freeview you can get the basic Irish channels of RTE1, RTE2, TG4 and maybe TV3. We got rid of Sky a few years ago and got a freeview box which, along with an RTE digital aerial, allows us to pick up all the Irish Channels including 3e, RTE News 24, RTE Junior etc.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 02/10/2014 14:38:42    1659391

of course you feel the ulster rugby coverage is justified as you are a rugby supporter yet you feel the need to question why there would be more gaa games shown???..look at the attendances of these games..they are often better attended than ulster rugby matches....its not ignorant at all as ulster would put out their best teams if the games matter so much...all they have is european cup and a few big celtic league games but very little else...look at johnny sexton..on his way home after a year of competing in a top league where he is required to play regularly just like any top sportsman would be....it is ignorant of you to dismiss these ulster championship matches and how important they are

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 02/10/2014 16:02:43    1659439

02/10/2014 13:41:21 Gleebo
In fairness they have, but it's a long time ago now. I remember them showing some All-Ireland finals in the early 2000s, Kilkenny v. Offaly for definite.
People here are right to question why gaelic games doesn't get more coverage in the media in the North than it does; I remember a BBC NI programme some years back in which they admitted that GAA received an average of less than two minutes coverage per week until the Championship came on stream in the early 90s. Jackie Fullerton used to announce the GAA results on BBC NI while admitting he had no idea what the scores meant (a sports journalist who didn't know the scoring system for one of the most popular games in the country!). Yet Linfield against Glentoran gets a highlights package and was often broadcast live (until Sky bought the rights to the love Irish League games).They were presumably covering what their target market wanted and who asked for coverage. Has GAA ver looked for more coverage off BBC NI etc?
02/10/2014 13:41:21 Gleebo
Even now, GAA gets a far lower level of coverage on BBC NI than it merits. As aforementioned, gaelic games are probably the second most popular games in the state (possibly a close third), but yet BBC NI broadcasts only five live championship games per year, plus the MacRory Cup final on Paddy's Day. There is no highlights package, no coverage of competitions that Ulster sides usually do well in, such as the Sigerson Cup, Hogan Cup, National League, All-Ireland senior football championship, All-Ireland minor and U-21 championships, Railway Cup, All-Ireland Club Championship. There is feck all hurling coverage, and practically no coverage of ladies football or camogie. I am actually more shocked now that I've just listed the sheer breadth of GAA activity that goes uncovered than when I started writing this post!
I remember that UTV used to have live GAA in the 90s (remember watching the Mayo-Kerry highlights in 1996) but they seemed to lose the rights soon after. But at least they provided a highlights package (Adrian Logan presented it, as I recall?). Bottom line is that Gaels in the North are scandalously under-served by their media. The MacRory Cup final is shown live every year. The rights to a lot of those competitions have been sold to other stations so how can BBC NI have them?

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 02/10/2014 16:08:48    1659442

02/10/2014 14:11:26 brendtheredhand
It seems that Ormond is hell bent on ignoring what posters have been saying, RTE coverage in the North is intermittent at best, Sky is subscription only whereas I pay am legally obliged to pay a licence fee to the BBC, is it too much to ask for parity of esteem when it comes to TV coverage of the biggest spectator sport in the six counties?
p.s. I once spent a week on holiday in Kerry in the 1980's, does this make me an authority now on all things Munster? Not ignoring anything brend and there is very simple workarounds for anyone who wants to watch RTE. Why don't you and others here get onto who you pay your licence fee if you have such issue with their coverage and look for more coverage and im sure that BBC NI hq will only be delighted to give you a response as to why they cover sport in the manner they do as whinging here will do nothing and as for your last comment hah!

02/10/2014 14:19:25 Gleebo
One of those channels is not universally available in the North, while the other is a subscription service, which not everyone can afford. Neither can Gaels in the North access GAA Go. What people are bemoaning is the lack of coverage on a free-to-air services, as we get in ROI. Given that BBC NI is a public service, that gaelic games are among the most widely supported sports, and that GAA fans pay their taxes like everyone else, it is shocking how little coverage it gets. UTV isn't much better either. One of those channels is available with a bit of work for those in the North, if you have people in England and further afield able to watch RTE you can do so in the North, proxys etc etc

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 02/10/2014 16:08:57    1659443

2/10/2014 16:02:43
fabio8
of course you feel the ulster rugby coverage is justified as you are a rugby supporter yet you feel the need to question why there would be more gaa games shown???..look at the attendances of these games..they are often better attended than ulster rugby matches....its not ignorant at all as ulster would put out their best teams if the games matter so much...all they have is european cup and a few big celtic league games but very little else...look at johnny sexton..on his way home after a year of competing in a top league where he is required to play regularly just like any top sportsman would be....it is ignorant of you to dismiss these ulster championship matches and how important they are Ulster put out their best sides when required. They rotate their squad like all the best teams do. Its very ignorant to say they have a few European games and a few big pro12 games but little else
Its very ignorant and arrogant of you to dismiss irish players and the IRFU player management system for saying they are not top sportsmen because they don't play week in week out every possible game. The system put in place by IRFU gets the best out of limited resources of irish sides
Im not dismissing Ulster championship matches. Never have and never will

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 02/10/2014 16:28:41    1659463

With respect, you seem to be willfully missing the point here, Ormondbannerman. TG4 shows a lot of the competitions that I mentioned earlier. Do you honestly think that TG4's sports budget is anywhere near that of BBC NI? If the BBC wanted some of the games in these competitions, they could easily get them, as a very substantial proportion of the population follows gaelic games in that part of the island.

As regards proxy ISPs, sure it's possible, but only a relatively small portion of the population is that tech-savvy, and it's an easy argument to let BBC NI off the hook for failing in their public service obligations. As regards the viewing figures, the Beeb shows all sorts of minority sports, such as snooker, darts, lawn bowling, curling etc. which wouldn't get greater viewing figures than GAA, but still get a larger proportion of coverage.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 02/10/2014 16:48:00    1659476

As regards the viewing figures, the Beeb shows all sorts of minority sports, such as snooker, darts, lawn bowling, curling etc. which wouldn't get greater viewing figures than GAA, but still get a larger proportion of coverage.

Not forgetting the Road Racing which gets coverage - Ulster Grand Prix, NW 200 etc. When you add up the hours live coverage for these two events alone they would be more than the 5 Championship matches they did show. The NW200 had Tue and Thur racing streaming Live on BBC NI Sport with 3 highlights programmes on the Friday, Sunday and Monday nights on BBC2.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 02/10/2014 17:24:17    1659490

The BBC's antipathy to football and hurling dates back in the radio only era when they refused to broadcast GAA results on Sunday evenings in deference to Protestant sensitivities. Even today BBC Radio relegates football and hurling coverage to MW, a frequency far inferior in broadcast quality and geographical reach to FM which they use for the less well supported Irish Soccer League matches. Earlier this year BBC informed the GAA it was only interested in broadcasting Ulster championship or Ulster related games, a position which ignores the passion for the games in Ulster among supporters and license holders who also want to see the best of the rest as well.

mediaman (Antrim) - Posts: 355 - 02/10/2014 17:54:05    1659492

Ok so it's clear now that RTE and BBC are anti-GAA (and have pro rugby agendas) . But the question is why?

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4624 - 02/10/2014 18:28:03    1659508

02/10/2014 16:48:00 Gleebo
With respect, you seem to be willfully missing the point here, Ormond. TG4 shows a lot of the competitions that I mentioned earlier. Do you honestly think that TG4's sports budget is anywhere near that of BBC NI? If the BBC wanted some of the games in these competitions, they could easily get them, as a very substantial proportion of the population follows gaelic games in that part of the island.
As regards proxy ISPs, sure it's possible, but only a relatively small portion of the population is that tech-savvy, and it's an easy argument to let BBC NI off the hook for failing in their public service obligations. As regards the viewing figures, the Beeb shows all sorts of minority sports, such as snooker, darts, lawn bowling, curling etc. which wouldn't get greater viewing figures than GAA, but still get a larger proportion of coverage. Ormond is not missing any point gleebo. TG4 budget compared to BBC NI difficult enough to compare would it not considering BBC NI sharing so much coverage with main BBC
But the BBC clearly don't want any of those games or they would have looked for them
You don't have to be tech savvy to find a link to a game. Sure my father and grandfather have looked up links to games that they wouldn't otherwise be able to see and they're, as a pair, the most computer illiterate in the country


02/10/2014 18:28:03
bad.monkey
Ok so it's clear now that RTE and BBC are anti-GAA (and have pro rugby agendas) . But the question is why? Because the media is made up, in the eyes of the all seeing and conquering hoganstand mafia who believe they should be ruling the world, solely of people who attended rugby playing schools, and wear their old school blazer to everything they do and if they see anything to do with a sport that is competition to rugby that it must be stamped out. Tsk tsk bad.monkey how did you not know that???......

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 02/10/2014 19:44:29    1659519

As far as I know, BBC is restricted from showing more GAA games because of contracts GAA has with RTE and Sky. Seem to remember some one of their sports presenters complaining earlier this year because they couldn't show some Ulster replay because RTE weren't showing it and that was part of the contract.

jerryp (Cork) - Posts: 104 - 02/10/2014 19:44:55    1659520

seems bit weird that you are making a mockery of people just wanting their sport to receive the coverage it deserves ormond?..if this was rugby you would be outraged and you know it

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 02/10/2014 21:01:26    1659563

Again I ask, leaving who has what rights tied up for showing Live broadcasts aside, if they were serious about catering for all licence payers then why not have a weekly highlights programme covering the games? Why not put the money they are obviously saving on previous years when more games were shown in to The Championship Sunday evening show covering all the games that day/weekend? I annually pay my TV licence and watch very little on BBC as most of their programmes don't interest me and I am sure there are many GAA fans in a similar situation. They'll happily threaten us with court orders if we don't pay but aren't prepared to cater for our needs or listen to what we would like to see. Can you imagine if RTE decided to only show a handful of games in next years AI what the reaction would be or God forbid only the home games in the 6 Nations.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 02/10/2014 21:41:28    1659582

ormondbannerman
County: Clare
Posts: 8402

1659519
02/10/2014 16:48:00 Gleebo
With respect, you seem to be willfully missing the point here, Ormond. TG4 shows a lot of the competitions that I mentioned earlier. Do you honestly think that TG4's sports budget is anywhere near that of BBC NI? If the BBC wanted some of the games in these competitions, they could easily get them, as a very substantial proportion of the population follows gaelic games in that part of the island.
As regards proxy ISPs, sure it's possible, but only a relatively small portion of the population is that tech-savvy, and it's an easy argument to let BBC NI off the hook for failing in their public service obligations. As regards the viewing figures, the Beeb shows all sorts of minority sports, such as snooker, darts, lawn bowling, curling etc. which wouldn't get greater viewing figures than GAA, but still get a larger proportion of coverage. Ormond is not missing any point gleebo. TG4 budget compared to BBC NI difficult enough to compare would it not considering BBC NI sharing so much coverage with main BBC
But the BBC clearly don't want any of those games or they would have looked for them
You don't have to be tech savvy to find a link to a game. Sure my father and grandfather have looked up links to games that they wouldn't otherwise be able to see and they're, as a pair, the most computer illiterate in the country

The sports department in BBC NI doesn't want them, but then they have a history of ignoring gaelic games, much like many of the main media institutions up there. Also remember that they don't have to appeal to advertisers, so ratings come into play less for them than commercial competitors, hence the scope for questionable personal judgements to influence scheduling decisions. Jerome Quinn certainly seemed to think so, at any rate.

As regards the Internet, don't change the argument, you were referring to proxy servers earlier. As an Irishman living abroad, I can tell you that it's not easy to find a decent quality live stream for the championship, other than GAA Go, which is a subscription service. I had to listen to Mayo-Roscommon game on Midwest Radio on the web this year because of it. You can see the highlights on RTE Player the following Wednesday, but it doesn't compare.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 02/10/2014 21:55:24    1659595

Ormond the GAA shouldn't have to approach the BBC to request more coverage. As a tax payer and licence fee payer I and the thousands of other GAA followers/participants in the north have been completely let down by the lack of coverage. I have already complained or whinged as you put it about the lack of hurling coverage to them, im doing it again. I would encourage others to do the same from the link below.



https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/?id=I8E2O1JD2TQJ9JKC8Q929KEMLU&uid=227088660#anchor

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 03/10/2014 10:39:56    1659638