RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock

RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock is the nightly news programme broadcast each night on Irish television channel RTÉ One at 9:00pm. The bulletin airs until 9:35pm Monday to Friday and until 9:30pm on Saturday & Sunday. It is presented by Eileen Dunne and rotates between Sharon Ní Bheoláin as a rotating anchor on the programme.

RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
GenreNews
Created byRTÉ News
Presented by
Country of originIreland
Original languageEnglish
Production
Production locationsDonnybrook, Dublin
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time
  • 35 minutes (Weekday)
  • 30 minutes (Weekend)
Release
Original network
Original release31 December 1961 (1961-12-31) –
present
Chronology
Related showsRTÉ News: One O'Clock
RTÉ News: Six One
External links
Website

History
Former ident from 2009–2014

In the early years of RTÉ Television, Nine O'Clock News was broadcast at 9:30pm. By 1974, the programme was moved to 9:00pm.

RTÉ followed the BBC in having its news bulletins presented by a newsreader, who took no part on news gathering but simply read a script presented to them.

Among the most prominent readers of the programme were Charles Mitchel and Maurice O'Doherty. Later presenters of the Nine O'Clock News included Don Cockburn and Derek Davis. RTÉ journalists were eventually introduced as news presenters including Bryan Dobson and Anne Doyle.

Format

The bulletin usually runs for 30 minutes, including an advertising break which divides the broadcast in two.

Traditionally three separate elements were incorporated within the programme: news, sports results and the weather forecast. The weather forecast was subsequently separated and is now broadcast directly after the programme.[1] There is usually no sports mentioned unless a major event is occurring.[2]

Presenters

Current
PresenterRoleYears
Eileen DunneCo-anchor1998–present
Sharon Ní BheoláinCo-anchor2018–present
Eileen WhelanRelief presenter
Kate EganRelief presenter
Sharon TobinRelief presenter
Brian FinnRelief presenter
Ray KennedyWeekend/Relief presenter

Former presenters
PresenterYearsOther roles
Charles Mitchel1961–1984
Don Cockburn1962–1992
Maurice O'Doherty1964–1983
Derek Davis1975–1991
Bryan Dobson1991–1996Former Six One presenters
Anne Doyle1997–2011

Controversy

On 7 January 2007, the programme was embroiled in controversy after reporting that Northern Irish politician David Ervine had died following complications from a heart attack. His death was given extensive coverage on RTÉ News: Nine O' Clock that night, with newsreader Anne Doyle mentioning that "he had just died" as she was reading the headlines. Panic arose following the broadcast, prompting Doyle to state that she could neither confirm nor deny his death. Ervine died the following day.[3]

In March 2009, following the Brian Cowen nude portraits controversy, RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock carried a report on two oil paintings depicting then-Taoiseach Brian Cowen in the nude that were briefly displayed in Dublin art galleries as an act of guerrilla art. The report by Tadhg Enright displayed the paintings and mentioned that Cowen was "not thought to have posed for the anonymous artist".[4] On 24 March, the programme included an apology read by Eileen Dunne "for any personal offence caused to Mr Cowen or his family or for any disrespect shown to the office of Taoiseach by [the prior] broadcast."[5][6] The original item was removed from the online archives at RTÉ.ie, and the apology added.[6] The news report was criticised as being in "bad taste" by Fianna Fáil Senators Maria Corrigan and Mary O'Rourke and TDs M. J. Nolan and Michael Kennedy. Fine Gael TD Michael W. D'Arcy called it the "most distasteful report I have seen on RTÉ in years".[4] Kennedy urged consideration for the feelings of Cowen's wife and children, and called on Director-General of RTÉ, Cathal Goan, to resign, but did not advocate charging the artist.[7]

References
  1. "RTÉ Player - Nine O'Clock Weather". rte.ie. RTÉ.ie. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  2. "Nine News". RTÉ. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  3. "'It was all my mistake and I regret the hurt,' says Gorman". The Irish Independent. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  4. McGreevy, Ronan (26 March 2009). "Cowen not consulted before complaint to RTÉ". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
  5. "Cowen artist 'could be charged'". BBC News. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  6. "Gardaí visit radio station in Cowen painting inquiry". The Irish Times. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  7. "Today FM producer brands reaction 'crazy'". Irish Examiner. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
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