Ireland: Radio host condemned by broadcast regulator for supporting same-sex marriage

A radio show host has been condemned by Ireland’s broadcast regulator for voicing his support for same-sex marriage.

On his RTE Radio show, Derek Mooney told two guests : “I hope you do get gay marriage… I hope it does come in.”

He had been speaking with former RTE news reader Michael Murphy, and Gay and Lesbian Equality Network policy director Tiernan Brady.

However, Donal O’Latchford-Sullivan of the Family and Media Association launched a formal complaint, alleging that the segment breached regulations because it did not feature any voices opposed to same-sex marriage.

O’Latchford-Sullivan claimed that the “unbalanced” discussion amounted to a debate in which his side was denied a voice, because all three people present supported same-sex marriage.

RTE had argued that the expression had been a “personal viewpoint by Mr Murphy”, and not a formal debate on the topic.

However, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s Complaints Committee has this week upheld the complaint, claiming that the segment broke requirements of “fairness, objectivity and impartiality”.

In May, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland rejected complaints, after RTE aired an on-screen apology to people labelled “homophobes” by drag artist Panti Bliss.

The Irish government revealed recently that the country’s long-awaited same-sex marriage referendum will take place within the first four months of 2015.