[GreenVisual]

Don't know if this thread exists but what do you guys think of the Stephen Nolan TV Show, was down in the studio the last two episodes and heard the second episode peaked at 190,000

[sporter92]

Originally Posted by GreenVisual

Don't know if this thread exists but what do you guys think of the Stephen Nolan TV Show, was down in the studio the last two episodes and heard the second episode peaked at 190,000

I really like it, its more debate than his former show Nolan Live but its basically his radio show on tv which is good, I read in the newspaper his show has been the highest rating in Northern Ireland the last two weeks beating the likes of the Apprentice on Wednesday nights and his radio show is also the biggest so fair play to him for bringing in the viewers.

Hes even getting his Radio guests such as Ian Collins on it which cause great debate.

[Eurostar]

It's not bad at all, and he's an interesting host.

[jokenball]

I don't like the show really. Most of the things they talk about have been done to death. Fiona Phillips desperately popping up on every show going banging on about Alzheimers again. Derek Acorah was on it on a previous series talking about the exact same things. Seen it all before a million times.

[jokenball]

Same old shite on the show again tonight. Heard them all before many times,

[GreenVisual]

Anyone watching this can see why they didn't go live!

[Dub2]

Strange programme. The audience of loyalist thugs looked like they were about to attack the panel.

[sporter92]

Originally Posted by Dub2

Strange programme. The audience of loyalist thugs looked like they were about to attack the panel.

I thought it was a good programme and I think it is systematic of the Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist anger in Northern Ireland at the moment. The whole of their British culture is being eradicated and the Flag symbolises everything that has been going on the last few years from play parks being called after IRA Terrorists, to convicted Terrorists becoming Sinn Fein special advisors to Republican attacks on the Police and Army, but what do you expect when you have terrorists running the country.

I myself don't like this but once a stone or bottle was picked up in anger then they were never going to win the argument and they shouldn't if they continue this stupid rioting in Belfast and I personally think the protests should stop

[AZ fan]

I didn't watch it sporter but I was wondering where it fits in with the Let's Talk replacement or is it the new Spotlight I am thinking of? The old Spotlight was a regional version of Tonight / World In Action type shows but the new one seems to be more discussion based. What I'm getting at is whether it's a show just to keep a big local personality content, fill up the regional quota of hours or is it something different from BBC NI's existing portfolio?

OT: Is Hearts & Minds still going?

[Eurostar]

Originally Posted by sporter92

I thought it was a good programme and I think it is systematic of the Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist anger in Northern Ireland at the moment. The whole of their British culture is being eradicated and the Flag symbolises everything that has been going on the last few years from play parks being called after IRA Terrorists, to convicted Terrorists becoming Sinn Fein special advisors to Republican attacks on the Police and Army, but what do you expect when you have terrorists running the country.

I myself don't like this but once a stone or bottle was picked up in anger then they were never going to win the argument and they shouldn't if they continue this stupid rioting in Belfast and I personally think the protests should stop

The main problem with the rioting though is that it is driving a big wedge between the two communities again (at working class inner city level anyway).

[1701-E]

Originally Posted by AZ fan

OT: Is Hearts & Minds still going?

Replaced by The View which in turn means that Question Time is delayed in NI by 30 mins.

Spotlight still runs quality docs as well as the studio discussion predictable stuff !

[sporter92]

Originally Posted by Eurostar

The main problem with the rioting though is that it is driving a big wedge between the two communities again (at working class inner city level anyway).

It is, Northern Ireland is unique as both sides cannot be seen to be getting an advantage and at the minute it looks like it is all going to the Catholic side and Unionists are losing out which is what caused this. The Flag seems to be symbolising more than it usually does this time and is the latest in a long line of British eradication in Northern Ireland and while I myself do not agree with Sinn Fein even being in Government or anything else they are trying to do, I do condemn the protests and wish they would end. What Protestants need to do is go out and vote instead of having 35% turnout rates in the Belfast City Council who then were able to take down the flag.

Originally Posted by AZ fan

I didn't watch it sporter but I was wondering where it fits in with the Let's Talk replacement or is it the new Spotlight I am thinking of? The old Spotlight was a regional version of Tonight / World In Action type shows but the new one seems to be more discussion based. What I'm getting at is whether it's a show just to keep a big local personality content, fill up the regional quota of hours or is it something different from BBC NI's existing portfolio?

OT: Is Hearts & Minds still going?

The Let's Talk replacement comes under the Spotlight banner now once a month on a Tuesday with Noel Thompson who is doing that now Hearts & Minds ended and that was replaced as 1701-E said with the View which is basically the same but not as good without big Noel.

The programme last night was the Nolan Show which used to be called Nolan Live which is a studio based discussion show usually with Politicians and sometimes Celebrities and Nolan debates with them and the audience can add in their thoughts. It probably started as filling up the quota with the same old from BBC NI but apparantly its the biggest local TV Show in Northern Ireland, (They said the last series ratings was beating the Apprentice in NI) and while I don't watch them all the time sometimes it is worth a watch and last night it definently was.

[Eurostar]

Originally Posted by sporter92

It is, Northern Ireland is unique as both sides cannot be seen to be getting an advantage and at the minute it looks like it is all going to the Catholic side and Unionists are losing out which is what caused this. The Flag seems to be symbolising more than it usually does this time and is the latest in a long line of British eradication in Northern Ireland and while I myself do not agree with Sinn Fein even being in Government or anything else they are trying to do, I do condemn the protests and wish they would end. What Protestants need to do is go out and vote instead of having 35% turnout rates in the Belfast City Council who then were able to take down the flag.

The protesters keep talking about the "gradual erosion of their Britishness" and yet there is no chance of Northern Ireland leaving the UK for decades to come at least. It sounds like there is a lot of paranoia and insecurity mixed in with the protests (ie. they want to remain in the UK but want evidence of their Britishness all around them).

[fayebeatle]

I fancy seeing this I'm a fan of his weekend shows on 5 live. He used to really irritate me but I've warmed to his genuine nature and probing interview technique. I'll give it a go if it comes back on sky channel 953 (BBC Nothern Ireland )

[GreenVisual]

Originally Posted by fayebeatle

I fancy seeing this I'm a fan of his weekend shows on 5 live. He used to really irritate me but I've warmed to his genuine nature and probing interview technique. I'll give it a go if it comes back on sky channel 953 (BBC Nothern Ireland )

Yeah its 10.35 Wednesday nights, here is the last one http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...s_2_Episode_6/ keep in mind though its not always this "heated" great interview with Joe Brolly at the end!

[Paddy C]

Originally Posted by sporter92

I thought it was a good programme and I think it is systematic of the Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist anger in Northern Ireland at the moment. The whole of their British culture is being eradicated and the Flag symbolises everything that has been going on the last few years

I don't get it when loyalists/unionsts say this. How is a flag coming down affecting their 'Britishness'? The flag only flys the designated days everywhere else in the UK, why does NI have to be so special? How exactly is their culture being eradicated? Do they really base their entire culture on a piece of cloth? They seriously need a sense of perspective if they think that. And considering NI is supposed to be shared and inclusive of everyone, why do they not doing something to make it more fair? They don't, everything is still very much in favour of the protestant community and catholics feel their culture and identity isn't even being recognised let alone respected, they have just as much right to be there and have their culture in place. The vote is not an excuse, there are documents in the public domain that prove that unionist parties were in favour of designated days in the past, but suddenly now because they have a scapegoat in the SF/SDLP/Alliance party votes, they have an excuse to make an issue of something and goad the narrow minded bigot thugs into rioting on the streets. To put the flag up would undermine democracy, as it was a democratic vote and nothing different than the votes taken when the unionist politicians were in the majority and plenty of things were put in place that were unfair to the nationalist community. Swings and roundabouts. It's typical of NI and it's ever gonna change which is why there never will be proper peace there, it'll die down for a while and flare up when bigoted thugs fancy wrecking their own areas because they think it's gonna get them their own way. But it won't an they're too stupid to realise. That goes for *both* sides by the way, I'm not getting at loyalists because they are the ones currently rioting.

[jy1541]

Originally Posted by sporter92

It is, Northern Ireland is unique as both sides cannot be seen to be getting an advantage and at the minute it looks like it is all going to the Catholic side and Unionists are losing out which is what caused this. The Flag seems to be symbolising more than it usually does this time and is the latest in a long line of British eradication in Northern Ireland and while I myself do not agree with Sinn Fein even being in Government or anything else they are trying to do, I do condemn the protests and wish they would end. What Protestants need to do is go out and vote instead of having 35% turnout rates in the Belfast City Council who then were able to take down the flag.

Sorry, but this is rubbish. There is no long line of British eradication in Northern Ireland. Up until a few decades ago there was a long line, centuries long, of Irish eradication and subjugation in their own nation. That's the only reason Northern Ireland exists at all.

Now that this has ended, Protestants are equal to Catholics rather than a privileged people. Protestants aren't disadvantaged, they just aren't advantaged anymore and some people aren't happy with that, but as Gerry Kelly pointed out on the show, the most disadvantaged areas are still Catholic.

The big issue here is demographics, it's got nothing to do with voter turnout. Northern Ireland is no longer British and neither is Belfast. It's still British enough to keep Ireland partitioned, and loyalists seem happy to respect democracy on that count. Just not when it doesn't go their way, apparently.

[sporter92]

Originally Posted by Paddy C

I don't get it when loyalists/unionsts say this. How is a flag coming down affecting their 'Britishness'? The flag only flys the designated days everywhere else in the UK, why does NI have to be so special? How exactly is their culture being eradicated? Do they really base their entire culture on a piece of cloth? They seriously need a sense of perspective if they think that. And considering NI is supposed to be shared and inclusive of everyone, why do they not doing something to make it more fair? They don't, everything is still very much in favour of the protestant community and catholics feel their culture and identity isn't even being recognised let alone respected, they have just as much right to be there and have their culture in place. The vote is not an excuse, there are documents in the public domain that prove that unionist parties were in favour of designated days in the past, but suddenly now because they have a scapegoat in the SF/SDLP/Alliance party votes, they have an excuse to make an issue of something and goad the narrow minded bigot thugs into rioting on the streets. To put the flag up would undermine democracy, as it was a democratic vote and nothing different than the votes taken when the unionist politicians were in the majority and plenty of things were put in place that were unfair to the nationalist community. Swings and roundabouts. It's typical of NI and it's ever gonna change which is why there never will be proper peace there, it'll die down for a while and flare up when bigoted thugs fancy wrecking their own areas because they think it's gonna get them their own way. But it won't an they're too stupid to realise. That goes for *both* sides by the way, I'm not getting at loyalists because they are the ones currently rioting.

Originally Posted by jy1541

Sorry, but this is rubbish. There is no long line of British eradication in Northern Ireland. Up until a few decades ago there was a long line, centuries long, of Irish eradication and subjugation in their own nation. That's the only reason Northern Ireland exists at all.

Now that this has ended, Protestants are equal to Catholics rather than a privileged people. Protestants aren't disadvantaged, they just aren't advantaged anymore and some people aren't happy with that, but as Gerry Kelly pointed out on the show, the most disadvantaged areas are still Catholic.

The big issue here is demographics, it's got nothing to do with voter turnout. Northern Ireland is no longer British and neither is Belfast. It's still British enough to keep Ireland partitioned, and loyalists seem happy to respect democracy on that count. Just not when it doesn't go their way, apparently.

jy1541 - I am protestant and don't agree with it, I was just making the point for anyone that missed it and trying to explain what happened. In my opinion protests shouldn't happen or at least be peaceful and I think the Northern Ireland flag or a new flag for all should be put up with the Union Flag being up the other 17 days. I think we have a mixed country and shouldn't be like the 1950s and 1960s where Catholics were so discriminated and 2nd class citizens but I want a more inclusive NI but to remain linked to Britain.

Paddy C - I agree with you, I think the designated days is right if they have a NI flag or a new flag up for the rest of the year. I think Unionists think it is being eradicated as playparks in Newry being called after terrorists to Sinn Fein disrupting Parades so I think they want to keep the status quo rather than have any change. I think the DUP and UUP are using this to gain votes at the expense of Alliance as in look what they did to our flag as a lot of Unionists voted for Alliance to protest against the Unionist Parties.

I also agree that they cannot put up the flag again permanently as it will lead to civil war and lead to people thinking violence will get change but both are as bad as you had rioters by Unionists and Nationalists regarding the issue. I agree that both are as bad as each other as once the Unionist rioting stops we will have Nationalist rioting during the 12th July, they are both as bad as each other.

[AZ fan]

I think this is discussion has taken a direction, which is more suited to the Politics forum but suffice to say it's sad that our part of the United Kingdom is once again in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Thanks for the broadcasting info Steve. I am surprised at Nolan rating so highly although due to obvious circumstances, the NI population are very politically aware and he is a very high profile figure for better or for worse.

[BillyBoy7]

I agree to a large extent with Paddy C and sporter 92, but as AZ fan says, this is not the place for political discussion.

Though it must be said that the two loyalist spokesmen made interesting points, with regard to the flag issue being only "the final straw" in their justification of the protests.

However, this does not justify violence against the police, or anyone else. As Paddy C says, mindless rioting, on either 'side' is wrong. It only drags down their own areas and in many cases, ruins their own future. (criminal records etc.)

The large majority of us in Northern Ireland, just want to, and do, live in peace with our neighbours.

[Mr Teacake]

Surely they could've ensured an audience that reflected demographics in Belfast/NI?

Most were disproportioantely young and unionist orientated.

[Eurostar]

Originally Posted by Mr Teacake

Surely they could've ensured an audience that reflected demographics in Belfast/NI?

Most were disproportioantely young and unionist orientated.

At that rate it should nearly have been 50/50 as this is close to the current split in Belfast.

The flag issue is of burning concern to loyalists only though, which is probably how they ended up taking over the studio.

[ardmajell55]

Originally Posted by Eurostar

The protesters keep talking about the "gradual erosion of their Britishness" and yet there is no chance of Northern Ireland leaving the UK for decades to come at least. It sounds like there is a lot of paranoia and insecurity mixed in with the protests (ie. they want to remain in the UK but want evidence of their Britishness all around them).

The reason they want signs of britishness everywhere [in spite of most of them seeing no threat of a UI], is not just their pavlovian knee jerk insecurity based on their knowledge that the British people AND government want rid of them, but also a sectarian motive to put it up to the fenians that unionists own their 'wee country' and it's add-on Orangeism out of pure spite and bigotry..