The Pat Kenny Referendum Special show The broadcasting regulator has rejected multiple complaints that programmes broadcast leading up to last year’s referendum on the removal of the Eighth Amendment failed to be fair, objective and impartial.
Two of the complaints to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) were made against The Tonight Show, hosted by Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates, and the third was against The Pat Kenny Show Referendum Special, all of which were broadcast last May. The three complaints were all made by Brendan O’Regan, a columnist in this newspaper.
The complainant expressed the view that on The Tonight Show, the presenters put more challenging questions to panellists advocating a ‘No’ vote, and that the fact-checkers did not remain impartial. He argued a similar complaint against Pat Kenny’s show, suggesting that the presenter was rude to pro-life panellists.
The BAI’s Compliance Committee unanimously rejected all the complaints.