Buttevent disaster 1980

[Derek Wheeler]

RTE just screened a programme about this. In my opinion it was terrible TV. No real direction and dwelled too long on to few individuals. As is usual with a semi state broadcaster, the real detail in the dirt was avoided.

A human interest angle is always good, but you have to mix it correctly with tech stuff and format the whole thing into a decent story that anyone can watch. This tripe fell way short.

For a really classy version, think the "seconds from disaster" series.

The idea was probably submitted to RTEs IPU by someone with a clue, until a wannabe RTE head "borrowed" it to f**k it up in the only way an RTE dinosaur can. Im bitter. Sorry. But thats because I remember many years ago submitting a proposal for a 30min doc to the IPU about a person who looked after discarded pets. I remember dropping it off on deadline day and seeing a well known ex RTE DJ and owner of a production company helping himself to free views of all the submissions laid out on the floor. God I'd love to name the tosser.

Anyway, our proposal was rejected, but one very like it turned up on air months later hosted by another well known RTE stalwart. And it was a series!

Anyway. Rant over.

Thanks for listening.