A satirical look at Irish television and the availability of just one channel in many parts of Ireland.
Four members of a sub-committee down south set up to address a pressing issue,
For years the people down here in the south have been forced to watch one station only, while them gligeens on the east coast are able to watch programmes from another source, which shall now remain synonymous.
One committee member laments the lack of cross channel influences this state of affairs has on the majority of Irish citizens. However another committee member disagrees,
What could be better than the lovely programmes we have on our own Teilifís Éireann?
The committee members discuss the relative merits of programmes such as 'Wanderly Wagon', ‘On the Land’ and of course ‘Newsbeat’,
I’m very surprised that any member here would look at that provocative programme.
They discuss the possibility of piped television and petitioning the government to change the geography of Ireland so that southern parts of Ireland could view more than just one channel.
Two of the actors featured in this clip are Michael Twomey and Frank Duggan.
‘Newsbeat’ was a half-hour feature programme presented by Frank Hall and ran for 7 years from September 1964 to June 1971. ‘Newsbeat’ went out from Monday to Friday on RTÉ television and reported on current affairs and issues of local interest from around Ireland. The final programme was broadcast on the 11 June 1971.
This episode of ‘Newsbeat’ was broadcast on 15 January 1971.
