I phoned RTE last night and spoke with a staff-member. At their suggestion I wrote to complaints @ rte.ie, copying them. They saw nothing wrong and stated that Pacal launched into his advertorial solo run to try to vary the content from one clip to another.
Thoughts?
email message
"I want to complain in the strongest possible terms about the blatant advertising content included in the live broadcast of the above programme today, 24th Jan 2025.
Pascal Sheehy named the firm of tree surgeons assisting ESB Networks in clearing fallen trees from power lines. A news correspondent naming firms in this fashion in a news broadcast is unprecedented. If such precedents exist, please list them.
The neat introduction by Mr Sheehy segued nicely into a clip featuring Peter Connolly, fully kitted out in tree surgeon safety clothing and helmet, identified as a representative of the firm, delivering a prepared spiel on how good the firm is. Did the named firm pay for this advertising? If they didn't, who decided to donate free advertising to them? Why was this advertising not edited out pre-broadcast? What value-added for the viewers did Mr Sheehy and the editors see in including the advertising, paid-for or otherwise?
I am sending this email now as I do not want the advertising re-broadcast on the nine o'clock television news, although I am led to believe that dealing with my complaint and delivering a response to me can take several weeks. Why is that?
A couple of more questions:
Is there any connection between Pascal Sheehy and the named company of tree surgeons?
Is there any connection between the editors of the RTE television news programmes and the tree surgeons?
Yours,
mathepac, a paid up licence-holder."
Thoughts?
email message
"I want to complain in the strongest possible terms about the blatant advertising content included in the live broadcast of the above programme today, 24th Jan 2025.
Pascal Sheehy named the firm of tree surgeons assisting ESB Networks in clearing fallen trees from power lines. A news correspondent naming firms in this fashion in a news broadcast is unprecedented. If such precedents exist, please list them.
The neat introduction by Mr Sheehy segued nicely into a clip featuring Peter Connolly, fully kitted out in tree surgeon safety clothing and helmet, identified as a representative of the firm, delivering a prepared spiel on how good the firm is. Did the named firm pay for this advertising? If they didn't, who decided to donate free advertising to them? Why was this advertising not edited out pre-broadcast? What value-added for the viewers did Mr Sheehy and the editors see in including the advertising, paid-for or otherwise?
I am sending this email now as I do not want the advertising re-broadcast on the nine o'clock television news, although I am led to believe that dealing with my complaint and delivering a response to me can take several weeks. Why is that?
A couple of more questions:
Is there any connection between Pascal Sheehy and the named company of tree surgeons?
Is there any connection between the editors of the RTE television news programmes and the tree surgeons?
Yours,
mathepac, a paid up licence-holder."