The Irish Broadcasting Complaints Commission has severely
reprimanded Newstalk 106 for a mock news broadcast during the Eamonn
Dunphy (pictured) breakfast show.
In an item before the late Pope
John Paul’s death, the Dublin station stated that it had learned from
an Italian news agency that the Pope’s final words had been recorded
and then aired a mumbling imitation of the Pope set against canned
laughter.
The commission, describing the item as “highly
offensive” to the late Pope and to people, their families and relatives
with such illnessses, ruled that it had breached the Broadcasting Act
on the grounds of taste and decency.
Newstalk 106 accepted the ruling and apologised for offence given.
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