RTÉ admits flaws over cocaine TV exposé

A HIGH-LEVEL internal report in RTÉ has found there were “shortcomings” in the station’s approach to the controversial series on cocaine use among the middle classes.

The report, conducted by RTÉ’s managing director of television Noel Curran, also criticises the station’s factual programming unit for not seeking greater access to the source material claimed by journalist Justine Delaney Wilson for her High Society programmes.

The full report has not been released but RTÉ yesterday issued a press release with the main findings, followed up by an interview by the chairwoman of its authority, Mary Finan.

She accepted RTÉ did not exercise its editorial controls sufficiently, and there was an “oversight” in relation the failure to insist on accessing source material. She said the key recommendation of the report was to “put a hold on that style of programming for the moment”, a reference to the decision to recreate and dramatise all interviews using actors.

Ms Delaney Wilson claimed in the series — and the accompanying book — that a senior politician, an airline pilot and a nun had admitted to taking cocaine. However, none were named and the anonymous nature of her sources led to a public furore with the allegations being openly challenged.

The credibility of her claims was further undermined when it emerged she told RTÉ’s Drivetime she had recorded the interview with the minister. RTÉ and publishers Gill and Macmillan later admitted they were unaware she had done so. This led drugs minister Pat Carey to accuse RTÉ of verging on irresponsible.

Yesterday, Ms Finan accepted shortcomings but still maintained that it had not undermined the credibility of the programme.

“I am completely satisfied that the purpose of the programme [the prevalence of cocaine in Irish society] was achieved,” she insisted.

And she also said that the authority accepted the assurances of the publishers and its lawyers that they had satisfied themselves as to the identity of the politician alleged to have taken cocaine.

But this contention was challenged by Fianna Fáil TD John Cregan, the chairman of the Oireachtas’s backbench committee on communications.

“This programme has no credibility whatsoever. I question the fact of RTÉ broadcasting such programmes when they have such excellent in-house investigative programme makers as Prime Time.”

Details of the report were published on the eve of RTÉ director general Cathal Goan and other senior executives appearing before Mr Cregan’s committee today.

As well as High Society, the committee is expected to scrutinise the station’s adherence to its obligations to maintain political balance.

It is expected Mr Goan will face questions on the controversy surrounding consultant oncologist Dr John Crown’s appearances on the station — and his claim he was forced off The Late Late Show by a decision which he was told that had been taken at “the highest level”.