RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English Template:Primary sources Template:Infobox television RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock is RTÉ's nightly news programme broadcast each night on Irish television channels RTÉ One and RTÉ News at 9:00pm. The bulletin airs until 9:25pm Monday to Friday and until 9:20pm on Saturday and Sunday. It is presented by Sharon Ní Bheoláin as a rotating anchor on the programme alongside Ray Kennedy.

History

File:RTÉ Nine News Ident 2009.png

Former ident from 2009 to 2014

In the early years of RTÉ Television,Template:When Nine O'Clock News was broadcast at 9:30pm.Template:Citation needed 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.Template:Citation needed

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 25 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> There is usually no sports mentioned unless a major event is occurring.<ref name="Nine News">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Presenters

Current

Presenter	Role	Years
Sharon Ní Bheoláin	Rotating anchor	2018–present
Ray Kennedy	Rotating anchor	2023–present
Eileen Whelan	Relief presenter
Kate Egan	Weekend/Relief presenter
Sharon Tobin	Relief presenter
Karen Creed	Relief presenter
Sharon Tobin	Relief presenter
Vivienne Traynor	Relief presenter
Petula Martyn	Relief presenter	2025–present
Brian O'Donovan	Relief presenter	2025–present
Maggie Doyle	Relief presenter	2025–present

Former presenters

Presenter	Years	Other roles
Charles Mitchel	1961–1984
Don Cockburn	1962–1992
Maurice O'Doherty	1964–1983
Derek Davis	1975–1991
Ken Hammond	1991–1996
Bryan Dobson	1991–1996	Former Six One presenters
Anne Doyle	1997–2011
Eileen Dunne	2011–2022
Carla O'Brien	2018–2023	Crimecall presenter

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.<ref name="'It was all my mistake and I regret the hurt,' says Gorman">Template:Cite news</ref>

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".<ref name="Cowen not consulted before complaint to RTÉ">Template:Cite news</ref> 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."<ref name="Cowen artist 'could be charged'">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Gardaí visit radio station in Cowen painting inquiry">Template:Cite news</ref> The original item was removed from the online archives at RTÉ.ie, and the apology added.<ref name="Gardaí visit radio station in Cowen painting inquiry"/> 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".<ref name="Cowen not consulted before complaint to RTÉ"/> 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.<ref name="Today FM producer brands reaction 'crazy'">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

• RTÉ News homepage
• Recent editions made available via the Ireland-only RTE Player