RTÉ defends Liveline as Dublin Pride ends media partnership

RTÉ has defended its Liveline radio programme after Dublin Pride ended its media partnership with the broadcaster over what it claimed was “unacceptable and extremely harmful” anti-transgender content on the programme.

The Oireachtas media and culture committee has responded to the controversy by inviting executives from the national broadcaster to appear before it next week in advance of the Dublin Pride events on June 25th to discuss the coverage on the RTÉ Radio 1 phone-in programme.

Dublin Pride said in a statement posted on its Twitter account on Tuesday that as an official media partner of Dublin Pride but “more importantly as Ireland’s national broadcaster, we expect better than for RTE to stoke the flames of anti-trans rhetoric.”

“Over the past three years, we have worked together with the broadcaster to increase positive representation of LGBTQ+ people on TV, radio and online and to see the good work of so many people is saddening in the extreme and negates much of the efforts made to date,” it said.

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“It breaches trust with our community and causes untold hurt.”

RTÉ said in a statement on Wednesday that it was “disappointed” with Dublin Pride’s decision to end the media partnership with the broadcaster.

“Public discussion — sometimes uncomfortable, difficult and contentious — is central to RTÉ’s prescribed purpose. RTÉ is acutely aware that discussions on issues such as gender and identity are deeply personal to many,” said the broadcaster.

RTÉ said that “consistent with its statutory obligations, respond to any formal complaints concerning the broadcasts.”

Labour Senator Annie Hoey, a member of the Oireachtas media committee, said there were “disparaging” descriptions and “misgendering” of trans people during the Liveline programmes and that more care should have been shown in discussions around a minority and their existence.

She hoped that the controversy around the programme would give “pause for thought, not just on how we discuss the trans community but how we discuss minorities overall.”

“If you are someone who is trying to live their life and people on the national radio are calling you ‘a man who wants to wear a dress and lipstick’ or ‘a man who identifies as a female’, that is not reflective of our laws or their lives,” she said.

In an interview on RTÉ’s Drivetime radio programme, Peter Woods, head of RTÉ Radio 1, defended the Liveline team and rejected the suggestion that the content of the programme over three days put a question mark over whether transgender people have a right to exist.

Mr Woods said the phone-in nature of the discussion on Liveline meant listeners could be hurt by comments during the programme.

“I am sorry that people were hurt in this case but it is the nature of what we do that people are going to get hurt on one side of a discussion or on another side of the discussion. Not everybody agrees all the time,” he said.

Mr Woods said that it was “always worth having the discussion” and “always worth people airing their opinions” even if it caused hurt to people.

“Every day, in all programmes, there is potential for hurt,” he said.

Asked if he had any message for transgender people, he said: “For people who were undoubtedly offended or hurt — and hurt in particular by the programme — I do apologise and I am sorry about.”

Fianna Fáil senator Malcolm Byrne, another member of the Oireachtas committee, said he hoped RTÉ and Dublin Pride could “engage with each other” and that the broadcaster could listen to Dublin Pride’s concerns.

“RTÉ has always been a very strong supporter of LGBTQ+ issues and clearly questions have been raised. Certainly RTÉ should look at that,” he said.

“This is going to be sorted out through dialogue and engagement.”