The chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Media Niamh Smyth has called on RTÃ to remove a controversial sketch about God from its media player.
Ms Smyth, who is also Fianna Failâs partyâs spokeperson for Arts and Culture, described the sketch which has prompted almost 6,000 complaints to RTÃ as âdeeply offensive and blasphemousâ.
The Waterford Whisper News skit caused widespread offence when the former newsreader Aengus Mac Grianna read out a mock bulletin stating that God had been arrested on charges of sexual harassment for âforcing himself on a young Middle Eastern migrant and allegedly impregnating her against her willâ.
The clip, which was part of a Waterford Whispers News sketch, showed “God” being led away by gardaí for “sexual harassment” offenses.
The RTÉ Editorial Standards Board said the sketch caused “undue offence” and did not give “due respect” for religious beliefs.
The Board also found the sketch did not comply with the provision in the RTÉ Journalism and Content Guidelines regarding sensitivity to people’s religious beliefs.
After consideration of the RTÉ Editorial Standards Board s findings, RTÉ has made the following decisions:
RTÉ will make a voluntary disclosure of non-compliance to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and engage with the authority in this process;
Updated / Thursday, 7 Jan 2021
17:52
RTÉ will carry a public statement and apology
A sketch about God on the RTÉ New Year s Eve Countdown Show, intended as satire, did not comply with RTÉ s own standards and broader regulations, the organisation said today.
In a statement, RTÉ said its Editorial Standards Board found that the sketch did not comply with several provisions.
These included Section 39 (1) (d) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 and the BAI Code of Programme Standards in relation to material that causes undue offence .
It also did not comply with provision of Principle 5 in the above Code (Respect for Persons and Groups in Society) regarding due respect for religious beliefs.
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The RTÃ Editorial Standards Board has since found the sketch did not comply with the provision in the RTÃ Journalism & Content Guidelines regarding sensitivity to peopleâs religious beliefs.
RTÃ has said the following steps will be taken as a result:
RTÃ will make a voluntary disclosure of non-compliance to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and engage with the authority in this process
RTÃ will request the Editorial Standards Board to review the processes involved in the broadcast and report on same
RTÃ will remove this sketch from the RTÃ Player
RTÃ will carry a public statement and apology, with due prominence, acknowledging this sketch did not meet the standards expected of the national broadcaster.