RTÉ opens studio for north east Ireland

As part of its ongoing commitment to its audience and to the regions, Irish state broadcaster RTÉ has announced the opening of a north eastern studio in Dundalk, County Louth.
This brings the total number of RTÉ regional studios around Ireland to twelve.
The RTÉ studio is situated in The Ramparts in Dundalk town centre and is a ground floor site with separate entrance that is part of an office building owned by Eircom. It was first rented by RTÉ in 1989, but because of financial constraints in place at the time, was not manned. However, it has been used extensively since that time to send programmes 'down the line' from Dundalk to RTÉ in Dublin and its central location in the north east was invaluable for programmes which transmitt regularly from there.
Following the increase in the licence fee last year, and with its commitment to increase coverage of regional affairs, RTÉ appointed Richard Dowling as north eastern correspondent in September 2003.
The television and radio studios have been upgraded and contributors from the north east will now be able to partake in RTÉ programmes without having to travel to either Belfast or Dublin. A regional production co-ordinator has been appointed to the office and will facilitate studio contributions, provide research and support to the regional correspondent and prepare the studio for two-way live and recorded programmes.
The studio was launched today, Friday April 2 by the Irish Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Dermot Ahern.
The Minister said: "The development of studio facilities for RTE at Dundalk covering the north east and the appointment of a correspondent for the region reflects the area's growing importance and the ongoing commitment to the regions by the state broadcaster.
"It is important that the national public broadcaster reports and reflects news from the country as a whole, region by region, and not exclusively from a Dublin perspective. RTÉ is fulfilling that remit by its expansion into the regions. The opening of the new studio facilities in Dundalk reflects the station's commitment to its vital role as the national broadcasting organisation."
(GB)