Friday, May 04, 2012

BAI finds 'significant failure of editorial and managerial controls' at RTÉ

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland report into RTÉ’s Mission to Prey programme has found there was a significant failure of editorial and managerial controls within RTÉ.

RTÉ will be fined €200,000 as a result.

The report found that there had been breaches of Section 39 of the Broadcasting Act.

It found that the programme was not fair in that it broadcast serious, damaging and untrue allegations about Fr Kevin Reynolds.

It found that the means employed to make the programme, including secret filming and a doorstep interview, unreasonably encroached upon Fr Reynolds' privacy.

The report says that RTÉ fully co-operated with the investigation.

However, it said it was a source of regret that RTÉ did not choose to waive its claim to privilege in the solicitor/client relationship between itself and its in-house legal staff.

RTÉ will be fined €200,000 as a sanction given the seriousness of the breaches of the Act.

The BAI said it wished to stress that its finding should not be construed as a deterrent for broadcasters engaging with investigative journalism.