GB News has announced that it will broadcast live the celebrations of the twelfth in Northern Ireland.
Shortly after BBC NI faced a backlash to confirm that it would replace live coverage with edited highlights, GB News also confirmed that former DUP Dame leader Arlene Foster would lead the coverage.
In a statement, GB News said it would broadcast the parades live following the “controversial last-minute decision by the BBC to leave its coverage live”.
Before commenting on the event, Dame Arlene Foster said she was “incredibly proud of GB News for stepping in to fill a gap left by the national broadcaster.”
He added: “One of the reasons I joined GB News was to provide a better understanding of the life and culture of Northern Ireland to a wider UK audience. GB News is synonymous with the UK News. inclusion of all regional voices, and the Orange Parades are the core of our voice in Northern Ireland. “
Coverage will focus on Armagh’s largest orange parade, with Northern Ireland correspondent Douglas Beattie on the ground to “explain the patriotism, scenery and color of the processions.”
Beattie said: “The BBC has huge resources, so it’s a challenge to mount this show so little in advance, but that makes it even more exciting. And as we showed with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, you don’t have to be the biggest station to win the hearts of viewers “.
Considering the BBC’s new coverage plans, he said: “The highlights featured are never the same; you really need live coverage to capture the immediacy, passion and excitement of the orange parades, as well. that is what we will offer. “
Unionists and members of the Order of Orange quickly embraced development.
Senior orangeman Edward Stevenson said he was delighted with the news. “The live coverage of the dozen is very important for so many people, especially for those who can’t attend the parades for various reasons,” he said. “We’re flooded with calls.
The Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, the Rev. Mervyn Gibson, told the BBC Evening Extra that the organization had been working with GB News to plan coverage.
He said he understood the coverage would last about an hour and would focus on Armagh.
Although there had been anger against the BBC, he said the Order of Orange would continue to co-operate in the recording of material for the highlights highlighted.
DUP Upper Bann MP Diane Dodds said she praised GB news following the BBC’s “scandalous” decision and said she had indicated that the station was out of touch with local audiences.
“It is in contrast to the decision of GB News which obviously wants to come up with the unique combination of identities that make up our great UK.”
TUV spokesman Newry and Armagh spokesman Keith Ratcliffe said his party had first suggested the idea to GB News.
“I am absolutely delighted that the channel has stepped in and for the first time offered a wide audience in the UK the opportunity to experience the color, spectacle and sound of Twelfth live in the comfort of their home,” he said. .
He also said he had questions about the BBC’s license fee.
“If a relatively new, publicly-funded station can find the resources to cover the Dozen live, what do we do with the BBC’s excuse that it can’t do so because of financial pressures?”
Last week, a BBC NI spokesperson said the importance of the XII celebrations would be properly acknowledged.
“We know that the orange tradition is important to many people and that it is part of the wider diversity of local society … this is something we want to describe and explain as part of our July 12 coverage, and more generally. ”