BBC Northern Ireland

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BBC Northern Ireland (Irish: BBC Thuaisceart Éireann; sometimes called BBC NI) is a radio and television broadcaster in Northern Ireland. It is the region's main public service broadcaster.

It is one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's three national regions (along with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales). As well as radio and television, it also provides online and interactive TV content. It is based in Broadcasting House in Belfast city centre which is not to be confused with the BBC's main radio headquarters at Broadcasting House in London.

Contents 1 Radio 2 Television 2.1 Regional television 2.2 Networked productions 2.3 Republic of Ireland 3 Programmes 3.1 Famous regional programmes 3.2 Selection of network programmes 4 Famous BBC NI broadcasters 4.1 Former BBC NI Broadcasters 4.2 Current BBC NI Broadcasters 5 External link

Radio

BBC Northern Ireland operates two radio stations:

• BBC Radio Ulster, on 92-95 FM and 1341 Medium Wave, which broadcasts throughout Northern Ireland, and
• BBC Radio Foyle, on 93.1 FM and 792 Medium Wave, which broadcasts to the North West of Northern Ireland

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Television

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BBC Northern Ireland operates three television stations;

• BBC One Northern Ireland
• BBC Two Northern Ireland (analogue)
• BBC Two NI (digital only service)

BBC Northern Ireland has its own team of continuity announcers which introduce all programmes on BBC One and BBC Two in Northern Ireland.

BBC Northern Ireland makes some of its own programmes itself. However, unlike the radio stations, the television stations' content is for the most part identical to that broadcast by the BBC One and BBC Two channels in England. Some network programmes may however be time-shifted in order to make room for more local programming. Most local programmes are broadcast on BBC One Northern Ireland. Also, on the digital version of BBC Two NI, there are more local programmes than on the analogue version.

Among the major regional programmes broadcast by BBC Northern Ireland TV are:

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Regional television

• BBC Newsline is the regional news service. Formerly called Inside Ulster its main presenters are Donna Traynor, Noel Thompson, and Mark Carruthers. The main bulletin is from 18:30-19:00 with shorter bulletins at 13:30 and 22:25. Summaries are also broadcast during BBC Breakfast and the early afternoon. (All the BBC regions broadcast their own regional news simultaneously before all the networks reconnect to the national network for a national weather broadcast).
• regional political programmes notably Spotlight, Hearts and Minds and Lets Talk.
• regional arts programmes.
• regional weekend chat shows.
• specialist coverage of events such a visit by the Queen, the President of Ireland, or a distinguished visitor such as the US president; coverage of the Orange marches on July 12, St. Patrick's Day parades on 17 March, etc.

Networked productions

As well as programmes intended purely for a regional audience, BBC Northern Ireland also produces programmes for national consumption on the BBC's channels across the UK. The main part of BBC Northern Ireland's network productions are in drama and comedy (http://www.bbc.co.uk/nidrama). Most recently, this has included producing the high-profile drama series Messiah.

BBC Northern Ireland is also involved in co-productions with other broadcasting networks, most notably the Republic of Ireland's RTÉ.

Republic of Ireland

BBC One and Two Northern Ireland are widely available in the Republic of Ireland, usually on cable or MMDS, but also directly via analogue or digital terrestrial as far south as Dublin. The two channels can also be received 'free-to-air' via satellite throughout northern Europe.

Programmes

Famous regional programmes

• Good Morning Ulster (BBC Radio Ulster), flagship breakfast news programme presented by Wendy Austin, Seamus McKee and Conor Bradford
• BBC Newsline Main Television News Programme
• Give My Head Peace, long-running television comedy series
• Spotlight (BBC Northern Ireland) (not to be confused with the BBC South West programme)
• Hearts and Minds presented by Noel Thompson
• Let's Talk presented by Mark Carruthers
• Sunday Sequence (BBC Radio Ulster) presented by William Crawley
• Talk Back (BBC Radio Ulster) presented by David Dunseith
• The Stephen Nolan Show (BBC Radio Ulster) presented by Stephen Nolan
• Evening Extra drive-time radio news presented by Mark Carruthers

Selection of network programmes

• Ballykissangel (late 1990s)
• Gunpowder, Treason and Plot (Historical Drama)
• Holy Cross
• Messiah (Crime Drama)
• Murphy's Law
• The Ambassador (late 1990s)
• Patrick Kielty Almost Live

More Information

Famous BBC NI broadcasters

Former BBC NI Broadcasters

• Patrick Kielty - chat show host now mainly working on network television
• Sean Rafferty - former presenter of Scene Around Six and Inside Ulster, evening news programmes broadcast until mid-1990s, as well as BBC Radio Ulster news programmes, now a distinguished BBC Radio 3 music presenter
• Gloria Hunniford - former BBC NI presenter now well-known national personality working in network programmes based in London

Current BBC NI Broadcasters

• David Dunseith - veteran journalist and presenter of Talk Back.
• Noel Thompson - award winning journalist and presenter of BBC Newsline
• Stephen Nolan - presenter of The Stephen Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster, Nolan Live on BBC NI TV and a weekend phone-in programme on BBC Radio Five Live.
• Gerry Anderson - legendary presenter of The Gerry Anderson Show on BBC Radio Ulster, a unique and wacky voice in broadcasting without a script

External link

• BBC.co.uk - Northern Ireland