BBC Northern Ireland - Definition and Overview

BBC Northern Ireland (sometimes called BBC NI) is a regional television station based in Northern Ireland and which broadcasts programmes which are slotted into the BBC network for special broadcast within Northern Ireland. It is based in Broadcasting House in Belfast city centre, not to be confused with the BBC's main radio headquarters at Broadcasting House in London. Among its main contributions to the BBC schedule are:

• regional news bulletins which are broadcast immediately following a national bulletin broadcast from London. (All the regional networks broadcast their own regional networks simultaneously at the same time spot, before all the networks reconnect to the national network for a national weather broadcast)
• regional political programmes, notably Hearts and Minds and Lets Talk.
• regional arts programmes.
• regional weekend chat shows.
• specialist coverage of events such a visit by the Queen or the President of Ireland, or a distinguished visitor such as the US president, coverage of the Orange Marches on July 12, St. Patrick's Day parades on 17 June, etc.

As well as programmes intended purely for a regional audience, BBC Northern Ireland also produces programmes for national consumption on one of the main BBC channels across the UK. Most recently, this has included producing the high-profile drama series Messiah.

BBC Northern Ireland is also involved in co-productions with other broadcasting networks, most notably the Republic of Ireland's RTÉ.

Famous BBC NI broadcasters

• John Daly - chat show host
• Patrick Kielty - chat show host
• Sean Rafferty - former presenter of Scene Around Six and Inside Ulster, evening news programmes broadcast until mid-1990s, as well as BBC Radio Ulster news programmes
• Mark Carruthers - presenter of Lets Talk and Radio Ulster's Evening Extra, the evening news programme
• Jackie Fullerton - sports commentators