Many thanks to the BBC for taking the time to consider our concerns and respond. It's much appreciated by the families.
"Editorial Complaint – BBC Northern Ireland
I’m replying to your follow-up enquiry about contacts with the Belfast newsroom.
The email address for press releases is bbcnewsni@bbc.co.uk. However, because around 30% of our staff are working from home as a result of the Covid pandemic, some of our normal processes for handling releases, and determining how to respond to them, have been disrupted.
In the case of the anniversary of the McGurk’s Bar bombing, my understanding is we received one release about the protest at the Policing Board which included the information that it was the fiftieth anniversary. We did not receive any release about the commemoration.
There is no doubt that the McGurk’s bombing anniversary was an event of significance and one which, in normal circumstances, we would have been intent on highlighting - hence our subsequent decision to commission an online piece about it [link].
We think [it] would have been better if we had deployed staff to cover the anniversary in the run up to the date itself and if we had been able to publish the online story to coincide with the commemorative event.
We regret this did not happen, but can assure you that we remain conscious of the significance of the bombing and will want to keep BBC audiences updated on any substantive developments relating to it.
I hope this is useful...
Yours sincerely
BBC Complaints (Northern Ireland"
