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Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, aged 99, has died

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Journeyman

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The unrest in NI, while already have had muted coverage, will now be undercover even more, unless it does outlast the mourning period (or die down and flare up again later).





North Korea is now one of the many trends on Twitter, with users comparing the outpouring of grief and wall-to-wall media coverage of this news to them.
I dread to think what life in North Korea is like at the moment. For Kim Jong Un to use the phrase "arduous march", I suspect it's already turned into a humanitarian disaster.
 
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Berliner

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This is a seriously sad situation, for younger members of the forum like myself this is the first time we've had to experience a major royal passing away. I was too young to remember the Queen Mother or Princess Margaret. It's very surreal.

Nicola Sturgeon has posted her condolences on Twitter.



Some of the replies on her Tweet are not making for good reading, it's made me embarrassed to be Scottish.

I wonder how they'd react if it was their grandad, great-grandad or father.

I never understand why Politicians allow comments on posts such as this. It never ever invites constructive comments.

That said, I also don't understand why people expect nothing but sympathy when a high-profile person passes away, especially one such as Prince Philip who made a lot of derogatory comments about various nations, including Scotland! It is not a great surprise that some Scots would air their opinions, just like they did when Thatcher died. In this day and age, it is very obviously clear that absolutely no one is immune from criticism, and people will dig and dig to find photos, quotes, or anything really which paints the deceased in a bad light and that will always attract attention. Let's be honest, controversy followed him for many years due to the comments he made on numerous occasions. Being a Royal means he never got a telling off from anyone, but upset would have been caused, and does that mean absolutely everyone is saddened today? No. Do I agree with people making such comments online? No. Do I understand why it happens? Absolutely. Can it be stopped? Nope.

I personally don't feel any sadness, just like I didn't when Diana (far too young, but remember it well), The Queen Mother, or Margaret passed away. The Windsors can mourn in their own way and will do, but national outpourings of grief, winding down the government, canceling election campaigns, changing TV schedules, changing website colors, floods of script reading well-wishers all over the media, and all the other OTT stuff we will see for days or weeks just doesn't sit right with me. Life has to go on. It's as if you MUST mourn the death of a 99-year-old man you didn't know and for a lot of people that doesn't sit right. I feel for the immediate family as death is difficult, but that's it, I feel no more for them than any other who lost an elderly relative and I've lost almost all of mine, so am well used to this feeling.
 

birchesgreen

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I drove through Birmingham city centre (and back) a little earlier. Every electronic billboard has the Duke on it, sometimes you could see his face two or three times up ahead in the distance. Quite surreal.
 

Metrolink

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I drove through Birmingham city centre (and back) a little earlier. Every electronic billboard has the Duke on it, sometimes you could see his face two or three times up ahead in the distance. Quite surreal.
I was going to mention! Driving around Liverpool/Warrington and Manchester area. Three different billboards each announcing his death, and within the same mile.

It’s unnecessary that every radio station and tv channel and billboard and news feed is filled with the news. I’m not particular interested in it: it’s a tragic incident, no doubt, and my deepest sympathy goes to the queen, but really? Im not surprised BBC News is covering it still, but I tuned into radio 4 just an hour ago and they are still talking about it. And they have cancelled the whole prime time schedule. I hope I’m not the only one feeling this way.
 

GusB

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I do have some sympathy for the old dear, having lost her hubby of so many years, but I'd feel this way about anyone. I do thoroughly object to a broadcaster, which I am forced by law to pay for, having the same coverage on every single television channel.

Hats off to Channel 4. There were no interruptions to Countdown :)
 

londonteacher

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Whilst I agree that the coverage is excessive, this is only the protocol that is in place. The BBC definitely and most likely ITV have to broadcast what they are broadcasting.

The protocols do need updating to reflect a more modern society though.
 

Journeyman

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Whilst I agree that the coverage is excessive, this is only the protocol that is in place. The BBC definitely and most likely ITV have to broadcast what they are broadcasting.

The protocols do need updating to reflect a more modern society though.
Absolutely. I suspect these protocols were written decades ago. When the Queen was crowned, there was one TV channel.
 

Scotrail12

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TalkRadio has literally been non-stop coverage of his death since 1200. All presenters wearing black and their usual London background has been replaced with a photo of him.

Usually a fan of the station but I have to skip all shows from them today.

As they aren't BBC, I'm guessing it's their decision.
 

Ediswan

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BBC News had a suitably sombre dressed Nicholas Witchell, against a dark background, fiddling with a dayglo pen which kept popping into view.
 

alex397

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It is sad news, and he was one of the better royals. I'm not an expert or a royalist, but he did some good things in his lifetime.

It is understandable that BBC1 would have special coverage most of the evening, but the coverage today is in my opinion beyond excessive. BBC Radio 1 has replaced its playlist with instrumental versions of pop songs. BBC 4 isn't even on air this evening. It really feels like the BBC and various other outlets are trying to appease the flag wavers. I doubt the Daily Mail will be able to find anything to criticise the BBC for this evening, although I'm sure they'll find something.

Obviously this is an important event, but other news stories shouldn't disappear just because of this. Where are the special news programmes regarding the madness that is Northern Ireland?
 

Journeyman

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Gideon Coe is on BBC 6 Music with a rather sombre playlist. All his shows have been pre-recorded recently, so I wonder if they've had this one on standby for a while.
 

johnnychips

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I do seem to remember that when the Queen Mother died, BBC had to change and curtail their plans as there were so many complaints about changes to programmes.
 

Jan Mayen

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BBC4 was meant to be showing a friendly football match (France v England). Instead, it's a caption and slo mo shots of football in the background. The game is available on iPlayer, so why they can't show it is beyond me.
 

johntea

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The BBC are receiving so many compaints about the amount of coverage they've had to update their own complaints page with the following!

Death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh - too much coverage on BBC TV​

We're receiving complaints about too much TV coverage of the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
To register a complaint without having to complete our webform or provide any details - apart from your email address (which we’ll use to send you our response) - visit this BBC Complaints Page.

 

brad465

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TalkRadio has literally been non-stop coverage of his death since 1200. All presenters wearing black and their usual London background has been replaced with a photo of him.

Usually a fan of the station but I have to skip all shows from them today.

As they aren't BBC, I'm guessing it's their decision.
You say that but Julia Hartley-Brewer stirred up some controversy on Twitter about if his funeral would see an exception to the covid rules on them, perhaps forgetting the gathering number goes up to 30 in time for the funeral and Philip wants a low key one anyway. It did lead to some interesting responses with her usual supporters thinking she'd succumbed to the woke/antifa/BLM ideology, which shows how thickle and thoughtless some individuals are.

The BBC are receiving so many compaints about the amount of coverage they've had to update their own complaints page with the following!

Death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh - too much coverage on BBC TV​

We're receiving complaints about too much TV coverage of the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
To register a complaint without having to complete our webform or provide any details - apart from your email address (which we’ll use to send you our response) - visit this BBC Complaints Page.

You would think them having to do this would make them realise they need to tone it down a bit.
 

Busaholic

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I do seem to remember that when the Queen Mother died, BBC had to change and curtail their plans as there were so many complaints about changes to programmes.
Poor old Peter Sissons, the BBC newsreader on duty, became a pariah for not swapping his red tie for sackcloth and ashes. We are always being told we live in a Parliamentary Democracy with a sovereign who is purely a ceremonial adjunct - today shows the reality. Doubt Putin's death would have led to quite such a degree of sycophancy in Russia, but then so many in the media and beyond are always on the lookout for gongs and baubles. Now we don't even have the E.U. to help drag us back to reality.
 

alex397

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And people wonder why so many people are ditching TV in favour of the internet and streaming....

By all means, he deserves some special coverage this evening. No doubt about that, but this is all just ridiculous and sycophantic.
 

Ediswan

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Poor old Peter Sissons, the BBC newsreader on duty, became a pariah for not swapping his red tie for sackcloth and ashes.
I was watching BBC News (the 24 hour version) when the annoucement came in. The presenter was female. The necklace disappeared and a dark coloured top appeared at the first opportunity.
 

OuterDistant

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And people wonder why so many people are ditching TV in favour of the internet and streaming....

By all means, he deserves some special coverage this evening. No doubt about that, but this is all just ridiculous and sycophantic.
It pains me to say it, but I agree. Three channels showing exactly the same thing? Completely ridiculous.

This might be the moment when TV officially becomes obsolete.
 

MotCO

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Of note, the Union Jack always flying at Orpington Station has been lowered to half-mast.
 

nedchester

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Completely over the top coverage by the BBC who have taken down all programmes on BBC1 & 2 and put the same programme on both those channels and BBC News Channel. That plus the radio channels going all morbid as well.

Yes it's a newsworthy event but the over the top coverage and general brown nosing is vomit worthy. He was 99 so had a pretty long time on this earth which is more than most.

We get Nicholas Witchell telling us that a 'Nation is mourning' - no it bloody isn't most of us are p***ed off they cancelled Have I Got News For You!

I've complained to the BBC
 

Scotrail12

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You say that but Julia Hartley-Brewer stirred up some controversy on Twitter about if his funeral would see an exception to the covid rules on them, perhaps forgetting the gathering number goes up to 30 in time for the funeral and Philip wants a low key one anyway. It did lead to some interesting responses with her usual supporters thinking she'd succumbed to the woke/antifa/BLM ideology, which shows how thickle and thoughtless some individuals are.
She's a republican (not in the American sense) and that's the one thing that sets her and her supporters apart so it was inevitable that there would be a controversy eventually.

I do think she had a point though that's a topic for elsewhere.
 

Wilts Wanderer

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To be fair to the BBC, they’ve probably been planning for today’s event for the last 20 years or so!
 

Scotrail12

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LBC also ditching some presenters tonight and over the weekend for people they see better fit for shows centred around Prince Phillip. Not at all happy that it's Shelagh Fogarty on tomorrow afternoon instead of Maajid Nawaz.

Crazy. Hopefully a one-off.
 
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Darandio

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To be fair to the BBC, they’ve probably been planning for today’s event for the last 20 years or so!

Probably more and that's the issue, decades old protocols that clearly aren't working in 2021. There are multiple channels available to them and only one needs dedicating solely to it. Completely kyboshing all programming was never going to be well received in the world we live in today.
 

C J Snarzell

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A sad day for the Country. Like the recently departed Captain Tom, the Duke of Edinburgh had a long remarkable life and he was an outstanding ambassador in many different sectors such as charities and work with young people from less prilivaged backgrounds.

I sincerely hope her Majesty is around for a few more years yet and continues her husband's legacy. Interestingly, when the Queen passes away, her death will just completely dominate everything for weeks, if not months, and not forgetting Charles's coronation. The Duke's death is probably the tip of the iceberg of what we will endure in the future.

On a different note - all the news stories I've watched today have made no reference to the stateside couple who have caused so much grief for the Royals in the last few months. I suspect News Corporations are not actually allowed to make any negative publicity in these circumstances which is understandable.

Fittingly, today is about Prince Phillip and quite rightly so.

CJ
 

LSWR Cavalier

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One wonders whether there would be complaints if only one channel was comprehensively reporting this event. Might it seem disrespectful for other channels to carry on as usual?

It is a really simple story that needs no explanation or background, quite different from complicated ongoing unpredictable events in Ulster.
 

py_megapixel

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Fittingly, today is about Prince Phillip and quite rightly so.
For me it's just a normal day. If we devoted a day to everyone who died peacefully of old age in their late nineties, we'd have no days left to do anything else.

Also, taking over every BBC channel, the first three rows of the homepage, and a wealth of other websites with depressing black-and-white images and in some cases even complete greyscale, is simply a disproportionate response.
 

DynamicSpirit

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Also worth pointing out this kind of thing with the coverage isn't just the royals. I remember when Nelson Mandela died, and BBC1 basically did nothing but wall-to-wall coverage of his life and death for the rest of the day. What made it particularly unfortunate if I recall correctly was that on the same day, some parts of the UK were desperately suffering from very serious floods - which was completely ignored on the news. Nelson Mandela is one of the people I absolutely most admire - but even so I thought that coverage was ridiculous. I guess they're making the same mistake today (and I'm saying that as someone who feels a strong attachment to the monarchy and feels pretty sad at the news today).
 
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