Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Memories Of Television In Ireland: Separating Media History From Nation State, Edward Brennan

Articles

This article emerges from a broader project that explores the history of television in Ireland using audience life story interviews. It argues that a dominant narrative persists in the history of television in the Republic of Ireland. Based in institutional sources this narrative is ideologically narrow although it tells a story of cultural liberation. A key example of its ideological limitation lies in the way that Irish people’s experience of British television transmissions has been forgotten. The reason for this lies in historical methods rather than conscious bias. Nevertheless, historical methods themselves can promote limited visons of reality that promote …

The Future Of Television May Be A Lot Like Its Past, Edward Brennan

Other

Like that first card from an old friend, or the roof of twinkling lights over the streets, in Ireland The Late Late Toy Show is one of those signs that Christmas is on its way. Kids are let loose on a grown - up show for a night of singing, dancing and, most importantly, toys. This annual special is ‘event television’. It will be discussed in kitchens, offices and school yards for days afterwards. Television events are set up, across different media, weeks in advance. There are ‘making of’ programmes, press pieces, promos, retrospect ives and so on that tell …

From Fun Factory To Current Affairs Machine: Coping With The Outbreak Of The Troubles At Ulster Television 1968-70, Orla Lafferty

Irish Communication Review

THE INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NETWORK has received only limited critical academic analysis and, as a consequence, there is a particular dearth of research into commercial broadcasting in Britain, but more specifically commercial broadcasting in Northern Ireland. In their publication ITV Cultures: Independent Television over fifty years, Catherine Johnson and Rob Turnock (2005) attempt to address this lack of scholarly analysis of ITVs’ regional structure but Ulster Television does not factor in their study. Whilst UTV at 50, a publication released for the company’s 50th Anniversary in 2009, provides some interesting insights into its progression as a broadcaster, it is primarily anecdotal. …

Cultivating Habitats Of Meaning: Broadcasting, Participation And Interculturalism, Gavin Titley

Irish Communication Review

At the time of writing, buenas vistas of the digital landscape are far fewer than when this publication was first conceived. The last year (2002) has witnessed high profile European digital failures, a fraught domestic franchising process and a serious financial crisis at RTE. These factors, combined with the as yet ambiguous direction of postelection policy, conspire to make the future of digital terrestrial television very uncertain. More broadly, reports from Ireland1 and abroad suggest that there is still a significant battle for the ‘hearts and minds’ of potential digital converts. At least partially this involves convincing people that proposed …

Escaping The Evil Avenger And The Supercrip: Images Of Disability In Popular Television, Alison Harnett

Irish Communication Review

This article examines the extent and significance of the under-representation of the disabled community in fictional film and television, arguing that when it is portrayed onscreen, the images are often inaccurate or unfair. Whereas media treatment of women, the gay community, or ethnic minorities has received considerable academic attention, no such priority has been given to the nature of the portrayal of the disabled, or the lack of proportional visibility on our screens.

Cultural And Structural Change In Irish Television Drama, Edward Brennan

Irish Communication Review

According to Devereux (1998), RTÉ drama, and RTÉ television in general, excludes society’s powerless. This is, in his view, a result of the ideology of RTÉ drama producers. Devereux’s research on RTÉ drama concentrates on Glenroe1. It states that Glenroe fails to represent adequately those who are marginalised in Irish society. In passing, Devereux mentions some material and organisational constraints which may help to explain why this is so.

Book Reviews: Volume 7

Irish Communication Review

Quality Assessment of Television, reviewed by Adrian Moynes

Communication Concepts 6: Agenda-Setting, reviewed by David Quin

News on a knife-edge: Gemini journalism and a global agenda, reviewed by David Quin

People's Home To Home And Away: The Growth And Development Of Soap Opera In Sweden, Hugh O'Donnell

Irish Communication Review

This paper is part of a larger study analyzing domestic soap operas and telenovelas in seventeen European countries, comparing their performance with that of imported products of the same kind, and examining their place not only within the televisual culture, but also within the broader social and political culture of their country.

Devils And Angels: The Rise Of Irish Telethon Television, Eoin Devereux

Irish Communication Review

In this article I wish to examine the issue of how the media portray the lrlsh poor with particular reference to the emergence of fund-raising or telethon television. This study Is part of a larger project which examines how the Irish national public service broadcasting organization, Radio Teiefis Elreann (RTE), portrays poverty and the poor through an examination of fund-raising television, factual television (news, current affairs and documentaries) and fictional accounts of poverty (television drama) over a twelve month period. My project represents a significant departure from the existing debate about poverty and the media in an Irish context in …

The Future Of Channel Four After The Broadcasting Act 1990, Amanda Dunne

Irish Communication Review

Television operates in the mutually-influencing realms of economics, politics and culture. Across Europe, huge changes have occurred at the indefinable point where culture and economics meet, and politics seeks to mediate or, more often, impose an agenda. This has brought about the deregulation of the television industry and, in its wake, re-regulation (Siune and McQuail 1992: 192, Silj l992: 1 7).

Television And The Irish Language, Triona Quill

Irish Communication Review

The controversy which greeted the announcement by Minister for Arts. Culture and the Gaeltacht Michael D. Higgins of the forthcoming establishment of Teilifis na Gaellge (TnG) - particularly in view of its cost - has once again put the Issue of Irish language television broadcasting under the spotlight.

Television And Schools, Sheelagh Drudy

Irish Communication Review

No abstract provided.

On Public Service Broadcasting: Against The Tide, Helena Sheenan

Irish Communication Review

The defence of public service broadcasting has become so unfashionable in recent years. Despite an international climate bearing down upon Its economic base from without and an erosion of its ethos from within, I seem to be among an ever dwindling number who want to defend It.

Television In Ireland Before Irish Television: Nationalist Rhetoric And International Programming, Edward Brennan

Conference Papers

Typical of an international tendency, the history of television in Ireland has been framed by national boundaries. This paper argues that viewing the history of television solely through institutional sources and a nation state-bound perspective obscures transnational influences and homogenises diverse audience experiences. Moreover, such histories may serve to reproduce a limited range of types of nationalist rhetoric. The research presented here explores the history of television in Ireland through life story interviews. This reveals views of the nation, its global context and processes of social change quite different to those discussed in orthodox histories. Arguably, this shift in historical …

The Fair City Production Line: An Examination Of Soap Opera’S Potential Contribution To The Public Sphere, Edward Brennan

Articles

Between December 2000 and February 2001 the Irish soap opera Fair City ran an unprecedented, risky and controversial abortion storyline. This came before a looming referendum on the legality of abortion. Here, Fair City was not just offering entertainment, but provoking debate and discussion on a divisive issue in Irish society. In this case, and many others, it appears that soap opera, by promoting such discussion, may contribute to the formation of public opinion in contemporary civil society. Heretofore, most academic studies have overlooked the possible consequences of soap opera for civil society, public opinion and the democratic process. This …

Escaping The 'Evil Avenger' And The 'Supercrip': Images Of Disability In Popular Television, Alison Hartnett

Articles

No abstract provided.

On Cultural And Structural Change In Rte Television Drama, Edward Brennan

Articles

No abstract provided.