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The Saville Inquiry and context of Bloody Sunday Duration: 06:09 2010/2011, Bloody Sunday Report
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Lord Saville’s key conclusions on Bloody Sunday Duration: 03:10 2010/2011, Bloody Sunday Report
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Interview with President Mary McAleese Duration: 02:57
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President McAleese in Lebanon Duration: 03:18
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PIRA bomb England Duration: 04:08 Giuseppe Conlon and the Bomb Factory
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Patrick Maguire recalls his arrest Duration: 01:43 Giuseppe Conlon and the Bomb Factory
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Do You Want To Be In The Spotlight Audience?
Want to have your say? Join the audience for the TV debate series, SPOTLIGHT SPECIAL.
Presented by Mark Carruthers, the programme could be your chance to put a question or comment to a panel of politicians, on issues affecting our day to day lives. Our next programme is on TUESDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2012, to apply for tickets email us at, spotlightspecial@bbc.co.uk, or call the ticketline on 0845 300 30 80. -
The Spotlight Reporters
Darragh MacIntyre
Darragh MacIntyre has been with Spotlight since 2002. He has reported on subjects as diverse as clerical abuse and waste smuggling. A 2007 film 'The Hunt for Captain Nairac' was nominated as Scoop of the Year in the Royal Television Society awards. Other memorable programmes include 'The Philip Johnston Story', an exclusive interview with the estate agent who was accused but then cleared of money laundering, and 'The Omagh Fire Tragedy' which revealed what the police and the social services should have known about Arthur McElhill, the man suspected of starting the fire in which he and six other people died. In 2007, Darragh was named Northern Ireland's Current Affairs Journalist of the Year. -
Ciaran Tracey
Ciaran Tracey joined the Spotlight reporting team in January 2012. He's worked in the BBC since 2008, training with the Spotlight team on investigations into a Chinese contract killing in Belfast and the internet sale of "abortion pills". He went on to work as a Broadcast Journalist for BBC Newsline and made a documentary for Radio Ulster on poor living conditions in Belfast's New Lodge. Returning to Spotlight, he joined the production team that re-examined the Claudy Bombing, before moving on to Network Current Affairs. As Assistant Producer on Panorama he worked on investigations into croneyism at FIFA, unscrupulous landlords, police misconduct and domestic violence.
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Mandy McAuley
Mandy McAuley began her investigative career with the BBC's 5 Live Report before moving to Spotlight. Her hard-hitting investigations have brought her face to face with paedophiles, loan sharks, drug dealers and paramilitaries. She has won an array of awards for her work including UK Radio News Broadcaster of the Year and an international gold medal at the New York Radio Festivals. Her special investigation into an international dog-fighting ring, for Spotlight and Panorama, earned a Bafta nomination and a prestigious Royal Television Society Award.
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Stephen Dempster
Stephen Dempster has been a journalist for 15 years. He started his career at the Newtownards Chronicle and then joined the Belfast News Letter in 1999. For almost a decade he was the newspaper’s political editor, following the peace process at Stormont and into Downing Street and the White House. He interviewed Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, among others, and broke stories on the multi-billion dollar lawsuit brought against Libya by IRA victims and the row over office expenses that led to Ian Paisley junior’s ministerial resignation. For Spotlight, he has reported on the search for two men who went missing from South Armagh - a search complicated by the IRA's role in their disappearance. Stephen’s work has been commended in the Institute of Public Relations’ Press and Broadcasting Awards.
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Send Us Your Story
Is there a story you want Spotlight to investigate?
Email your stories to us in confidence or ring us on 028 90 338349.
Email: spotlight-ni@bbc.co.uk -
SPOTLIGHT REPORTER NAMED BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR
BBC NI reporter Mandy McAuley has been named News/Current Affairs Broadcaster of the Year and Journalist of the Year at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Awards in Belfast on Friday(June 3).
The reporter won both awards for her investigation into the murders of Lesley Howell and Trevor Buchanan in 1991 by their respective spouses, who had kept the killings secret for nearly 20 years.
The investigation was broadcast in three special Spotlight programmes in March.
The story had gripped the NI public, from the moment lay preacher and dentist Colin Howell handed himself into police in 2009 and confessed to the murders. He pleaded guilty yet his former lover, Hazel Stewart, denied murder, sparking one of the most extraordinary trials in recent years.
The awards were presented by the BBC’s Royal Correspondent Nicholas Witchell at the 18th annual CIPR gala, where 300 members of the press and public relations industry gathered to recognise achievements in local journalism. The judges praised Mandy for gaining exclusive access and said the programmes were "powerful" and "meticulously researched".
The investigative reporter is a former Royal Television Society winner, for her Spotlight exposé into the world of illegal dog-fighting. The same investigation, also made for Panorama, was nominated for a BAFTA.
Earlier this year Spotlight won the current affairs category at this year's Celtic Media Festival for The Iris Robinson Investigation, broadcast in January 2010. The win follows success at the Royal Television Society Journalism Awards in London in February. The programme won Scoop of the Year and the Nations and Regions Current Affairs and News Event awards. The judges described the programme as a "classic piece of investigative journalism, producing exclusives within exclusives". Earlier that month, the Spotlight investigation won the current affairs category in the Irish Film and Television Awards in Dublin. -
Here's a selection of texts and emails received during Spotlight Special on November 8:
What’s more likely, a United Ireland or a United Europe?
Paul, Clogher
I think we need to sort out Northern Ireland first, instead of worrying about uniting Ireland or Europe!
Dee, Belfast
I am a west Belfast Nationalist and I have more in common with Protestants than I do with Southerners. Independent Ulster will do me.
Tony, Coleraine
Europe and Republic of Ireland are on their knees, why do we want to be involved with either of them?
Michael, Templepatrick
There is unity in Europe in name only. There is a ‘them & us’ attitude that is festering.
Sam, Belfast
Britain is bailing out Ireland. Perhaps a federation is becoming a reality?
Sammy, Londonderry
More chance of Carlos Tevez playing for Limavady United, than of a United Ireland.
Can we afford to give prison officers £60 million to retire?
Joel, Derry
The current bunch of comedians in place at Stormont are even better paid than prison officers.
Eugene, Lurgan
How come MLAs do everything they can for the prison officers and police, yet don't try to help fire fighters who risk their lives?
Stanley, Belfast
Prison officers have risked their lives to protect society and deserve a just reward.
Anthony, Lisnaskea
What prison officer would refuse such an offer?
Sammy, Londonderry
It would be criminal to pay prisoner officers this amount to retire. Whoever thought that, needs locked up.
Helen, Fermanagh
They are doing to the prison officers as they did to the RUC. Another sneaky step to a United Ireland.
John, Derry.
In these times of austerity, how can you justify giving prison officers millions in redundancy ?
Does Stormont need an opposition?
Bob, Omagh
Certainly it needs an opposition. The present position is undemocratic.
Lawrence, Antrim
Stormont needs to be closed - let London rule - save us millions.
Peter, Ardoyne
Yes we need opposition in Stormont, as Sinn Fein and the DUP are twins, agreeing on everything.
Billy, Lisburn
Money for 600 prison officers’ redundancies, only to recruit 400? Yes, we need an opposition.
Bill, Armagh
Stormont does not need an opposition, it needs to be closed down, as it is useless.
Paul, East Belfast.
An opposition of the UUP and SDLP could leave them even more isolated.
David, Newtownards
It's not true democracy without an opposition!
Was it worth the money to bring music awards to Belfast?
Kathy, Derry
Of course it’s worth it. Belfast did themselves proud - I was there. It was fantastic.
Ian, Belfast
Belfast will only prosper when God's laws are upheld - the event should not have been held on the Lord's Day.
Philip, Belfast
Yes the money was worth it to help investment in the near future.
Brian, Belfast
Why didn’t these megastars take an open top bus through Belfast and really get a feel for the locals - after all, football teams do it.
Michael, Belfast
It's good to see a return on an investment for a change.
Phil, Belfast
For the £60million spent on prison system, we could have 60 MTV parties!
IS IT RIGHT TO USE THE POPPY AS A POLITICAL FOOTBALL?
Brian, Bangor
I’m proud to wear my poppy to mass on Remembrance Day.
Claire, Belfast
If it’s not a political symbol, why does Sinn Fein refuse to wear one? It’s disgusting that the Fallen are not respected!
George, Carnalea
The poppy should have respect. Why are some members on the panel not wearing the poppy?
Bernie, Derry
It should be everyone’s choice. My father was a soldier in the Second World War, but I won’t wear one.
Jayne, Limavady
I think everybody should wear a poppy as it’s a symbol of remembrance for all wars, not sectarianism.
Hilary, Antrim
Why do you have to wear any emblem to remember our dead? Our hearts do that.
Jeff Derry\Londonderry
Sadly, this is Northern Ireland where everything is a political football.
Stevie, Annalong
It's a pity that most republicans choose not to wear a poppy, after all there were thousands of Irish men and women who fought in the great wars. Where would we be now without them?
Lindsay, Belfast
I disagree with the idea that the poppy is a Protestant symbol. It's for the soldiers who died of all religions.
WOULD JESUS BE AT THE ST PAUL’S PROTEST?
Stevie, Belfast
There are many good people in NI that don’t care for religion. I wish politicians could get beyond that.
Mark, Longstone
If Christ came to Northern Ireland he would need a stiff drink!
Laura
Why is this country obsessed with religion? It's an old view and needs to be addressed.
Matthew, Newcastle
Would Jesus not have gone to the EMAs?
