Madam, - I know I am not alone in thoroughly disliking the growing practice on many television discussion programmes, such as RTÉ's Late Late Showon RTÉ, of inviting comments from viewers and then displaying these in a rolling caption along the bottom of the screen.
I find this annoying as it draws attention away from the studio discussion. I also think it is insulting to those on the panel or speaking in the studio at the time. I don't really care what Siobhán in Galway or Michael in Limerick thinks about the issue, and I doubt if anyone other than Siobhán in Galway or Michael in Limerick does. A friend of mine changes channel as soon as these rolling comments appear.
Do programme-makers feel they have to ape Sky, where the
practice of showing a talking head, breaking news, rolling news and
rolling sports news all at the same time has reached comic
proportions? - Yours etc,
EDMUND HAUGHEY,
Muff,
Co Donegal.