Priest calls for support for RTE

The editor of religious programmes at RTE television, Father Dermod McCarthy, has described the Granada buy-in at TV3 as "a Rubicon in the history of Irish broadcasting".

He said he hoped there was a sufficient number of people around the Government Cabinet table "who have a true sense of patriotism, and who can take the long view, so that RTE can continue to be in a position financially to represent all the interests of Irish people in its programmes". Religion was still an important facet of Irish life, he said, and was at the core of what public service broadcasting was all about. But he said: "Let's face it, religious programmes and especially worship programmes, like some others in similar areas such as education programmes, children's programmes, classical music programmes do not enjoy the same audience figures as Coronation Street."

That "most emphatically" was not a good reason for not having them, he said, but they must be funded from somewhere if not from advertising.

"If Irish viewers want to continue to have on their screens such programmes as beatifications of our saints, or events like the Papal Youth Mass in Rome, Easter ceremonies, Harvest services, Christmas carols, or weekly Masses or services, or programmes addressing religious themes like Would You Believe, they will have to ensure that their voices are heard by our public representatives when the issue of an increased licence fee comes up for discussion," he said.

Father McCarthy was speaking at the Religious Press Association awards ceremony, where he was the recipient of the main award for his services to religious broadcasting. E this past for the last nine years.

RTE has appointed two commissioning editors to its television division. Ms Mairead Ni Nuadhain, from Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, has been appointed commissioning editor for Irish language programmes aracha Gaeilge) and Mr Billy McGrath, from Dublin, becomes commissioning editor for entertainment.

The appointments complete the restructuring of senior management in the television division announced in June by Mr Cathal Goan, director of television.