| Complaint against Clare FM presenter dismissed |
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| Tuesday, 02 September 2008 14:53 | |||||
 THE Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCC) has dismissed complaints from local healthcare activists, Peadar McNamara and Max Madden over the conduct of an interview on Clare FM’s flagship programme, Morning Focus.The BCC found against the complaint, stating that programme presenter John Cooke ‘facilitated a robust and fair discussion’. “All contributors were given ample time to express their views. The presenter challenged contributions and while he may have done so in a robust manner, he was fair and impartial. There was no evidence of editorial bias. There was also no evidence of unfair or unequal treatment of any of the participants.” The complaint centred on an item concerning the Lisbon Treaty on May 29 and an email sent by Mr McNamara from an accident and emergency Ennis hotmail address warning of the consequences for healthcare if the treaty was endorsed. Along with Mr McNamara, who is former chairman of the Ennis Hospital Development Committee, Kilrush-based community activist and former Labour Party MP, Max Madden contributed to a debate on the issue along with Cllr Brian Meaney (Green) who expressed his concern over the linkage of the future of the accident and emergency department in Ennis with the treaty. In his complaint, Mr McNamara claimed that Mr Cooke’s attitude was hostile and dismissive and lacked courtesy and objectivity. He had been a speaker on many topics on Clare FM over the years and had never witnessed such hostility before. In his response, Mr Cooke said he refuted any suggestion he was hostile or dismissive at any stage during this or any other broadcast. During the discussion, Mr Madden asked Mr Cooke if had he read the Lisbon Treaty and the anchorman responded that he had not. Mr Madden then compared Mr Cooke to the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen who also had not read the text. Mr Cooke said he was not prepared to allow one of his three guests to take control of the discussion or to chair it himself. Nor was he prepared to allow the discussion descend into irrelevant personal criticism or into some chaotic free for all, whereby an invited guest could hijack the Clare FM airwaves to outline the basis of his own ‘No’ to Lisbon campaign. In its decision, the BCC said it was of the view that both sides of the argument were given a fair hearing. Each side was given an opportunity to express opinion and to address the issues raised by the other.
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rose
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Congrats and good job john x x x keep up the good work your on morning focus for a reason  |
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