Towards a ‘Journalism of Opposition’: BBC Northern Ireland, Hearts and Minds and the Good Friday Agreement

Abstract

The signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA) is regarded as the gateway to Northern Ireland’s path to a re-integrated society. However, it also presented a sizable challenge to the region’s journalists. Newspaper journalism was still divided along sectarian lines, while covering the conflict had led to re-active rather than pro-active reporting. The promise of devolution meant there would eventually be constitutional politics to cover at Stormont. BBC Northern Ireland had recognised this in 1996 with the launch of Hearts and Minds, the first television programme devoted to politics produced for a local audience. However, by the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the consociational system of government at Stormont meant the Assembly was beginning to stagnate. I argue that BBC Hearts and Minds paved the way for a change in reporting on politics, which led to some sections of the Northern Ireland media developing a ‘journalism of opposition’. This research offers a departure from much of the previous literature examining the coverage of Northern Ireland focussing as it does on the local media after the GFA. In addition, it offers a unique perspective: I was the assistant producer of Hearts and Minds between 2006 and 2012 when the programme ended. My involvement in the production process means I am uniquely placed to explore its significance. This research draws together my experience with a more analytical framing to draw on the work of, in particular, David Butler (1995) and situates the analysis within this context.