Upfront has returned for a new season, with host Katie Hannon joined live by a studio audience and guest panelists to discuss a summer of turmoil at RTÉ and the nature of recent climate protests.
Audience contributors included people who said they would not be paying their licence fee as they felt scandals and output from the national broadcaster showed it did not represent value for money. Others said they believed the licence fee was key to public service broadcasting, and despite governance issues in RTÉ they valued the output.
The show also considered the recent incident where Ryanair's Michael O'Leary was 'pied' by climate protesters. Over several months, protesters have carried out specific actions often aimed at highlighting the issue of climate change, including 'tyre extinguishing,' of SUVs in Dublin, defacing government buildings and - internationally - disrupting significant events. Where is the line when it comes to such protests, and do the audience and panel support them?
Watch: Upfront with Katie Hannon on the RTÉ Player
The panel guests:
- Green Party Minister of State Ossian Smyth
- Former minister and broadcaster, Ivan Yates
- Peter Feeney, former head of broadcast compliance at RTÉ
- Ellen Coyne, journalist with the Irish Independent
- Eoghan Corry, aviation and travel journalist
