BBC's Promotion Of All-Ireland Agenda

Speaking after he was unable to watch the GB/NI relay team competing in today's Athletics World Championship Finals, David McNarry said:

"The 'Radio Times' schedules for Sunday indicate a choice for viewers at 3pm on BBC2. Those who want to watch the Croke vs Tyrone semi-final at Croke Park can tune using Analogue. While those who want to watch the Athletics World Championships can tune in using Digital.

"I don't have Sky, but I am able to activate a Digital service on my television. But when I tried to do so on Sunday afternoon the available menu would not let me tune into the World Championships.

"I 'phoned BBC NI and was told that the engineers had blocked the signal. But blocking a signal is not a choice for engineers alone: the decision must have been taken further up the line.

"As deputy chair of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Assembly Committee---as well as a BBC licence payer---I will be urgently pressing for an enquiry as to why the signal was blocked this afternoon and why many viewers would have been denied the opportunity to watch the World Championships. What is the point of the schedulers offering a choice and then blocking the signal?

"It strikes me that this is just another example of the BBC's preference for moving NI viewers towards a more Irish agenda. The World Championships' Finals, which have been running all week, are sacrificed for a GAA semi-final being held in another country!

"What I want to know is---is BBC NI being used politically to groom and condition local viewers towards a more Irish agenda?