BAI upholds two of 11 complaints

Éamon de Valera vomiting, and a joke about Thomas Clarke’s genitalia were the cause of two of the latest complaints considered by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). Its latest Broadcasting Complaint Decisions report details the findings of 11 submissions to the authority, only one of which was upheld.

The authority’s compliance committee found that comments about a general election candidate on Kilkenny and Carlow-based radio station KCLR FM did not meet the requirements set for fairness, objectivity and impartiality in news and current affairs.

While the BAI noted there was a conflict in accounts between KCLR and candidate Noel G Walsh as to why he did not appear on the station’s election coverage, the host of KCLR Live made “personal and pointed” remarks about Mr Walsh. The BAI said it considered further comments about Mr Walsh’s previous performance in elections amounted “to a suggestion about his electability”.