RTE and the Riot

Newstalk 106 once again earned its stripes today. [And I say this as one of the least popular people inside that building.] They shifted Gerry O'Sullivan from sport coverage to rolling coverage of the riots. There were at least four reporters out covering it at the various scenes.

Henry McKean probably is their maddest man on the street, and he managed to make himself the most visible, in full dress regalia, wearing a bright yellow tie and donning a bright yellow construction hardhat. This may have had something to do with the decision of some protestors to aim their missiles straight at him.

But anyway. What was up with RTE today?

Throughout the afternoon, other than regular news bulletins, RTE Radio 1 stayed with sport. One can't help but wonder, once it was clear that serious violence was breaking out in Dublin city centre, wasn't there a responsibility of RTE to inform the public? I saw plenty of ordinary Dubs and suburbanites out doing their shopping, trying to make it across Henry Street, between the police cordon and the line of protestor/rioters. Parents walking with kids in prams just a few metres from the cops.

One can't help but wonder. If RTE 1 had gone away from sport for the afternoon, might some people have turned their cars around and stayed home today? Didn't RTE have a responsibility to fulfill its remit here? Wasn't the most serious riot in the capital in a generation newsworthy enough?

Their special broadcast from 6.30-7.30 made up for it somewhat, but still.

By the way, guess what programme was pre-empted by the special? Songs from a Hidden Ulster.

You just couldn't make it up.

ADD: I should mention that what happened to Charlie Bird was insane, and it was good to see him relatively unharmed on the 6.1. When journos first heard about him being attacked, there was much sniggering that he was probably really covering it from a hotel in Ballsbridge. But it's clear he was singled out from the first. And he wasn't the only one. Several journalists appear to have been deliberately targeted by elements in the crowd, including writers and photographers from print outlets as well as someone from TV3.

When I began snapping pictures of the looting that began at Schuh, I was also threatened.