Seven complaints against TV3 upheld

TV3 is “reviewing” with its editorial team the seven complaints against it which have been fully and partially upheld by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

An interview with a woman about her experience of abortion on flagship morning show Ireland AM breached fairness rules, the authority’s complaints committee said in decisions released yesterday.

‘Maligned’

A viewer told the authority the discussion had “maligned” the “pro-life view” with “a taint of nastiness and uncivilised behaviour”. He complained about impartiality and the lack of an opposing side.

Most of the segment did not deal with the interviewee’s personal experience, but with “political, legal and social aspects” of abortion, the authority found.The presenters did not “adequately challenge” the woman’s views and questions were asked in a way to “denote sympathy” for her view, it found.

The complainant said the interviewee was “unchallenged” when saying why women travelled abroad for abortions. The presenters “mused” whether Irish people were “civilised enough” to allow abortion . The presenters indicated future debate may be “nasty” and involve “images of aborted foetuses”.

TV3 said the segment broadcast on August 22nd last focused on “one woman’s experience and her personal feelings on abortion” rather than being a general discussion. The presenter made it clear she was not promoting either side. The issue was addressed in a later interview with anti-abortion group The Life Institute on October 24th, it said. The authority found too much time had elapsed between the broadcasts to consider them related.

TV3 yesterday said it was “reviewing” the decisions.

Three upheld decisions related to defunct programme Psychic Readings Live.

Vincent Browne

Complaints about broadcaster Vincent Browne referring to Israel as the “cancer in foreign affairs” on his Tonight show were also upheld by the authority.

During the October 23rd programme he said Israel “polarises the Islamic community of the world against the rest of the world” and also said the creation of Israel “stole the land from the Arabs”. He clarified the remarks on October 25th.

The authority found the remarks had not met fairness and impartiality standards.