Complaint over how media portrays Orange Order 'has hit a nerve' says Rev Mervyn Gibson
The Orange Order's complaint about how it is portrayed in the media has "hit a nerve" according to one of the organisation's leaders.
Grand secretary Rev Mervyn Gibson told the News Letter that he expects "difficult" meetings ahead with the BBC and other media organisations – but added that "this isn't going to be fixed over one or two meetings," and that the "campaign" to change attitudes will take longer.
He was speaking after the order issued a long statement this week, excoriating the media for how it covers Orange issues.
It came amid the fall-out from the Comber GAA story of last week.
That involved a cross-community sport event in the Co Down town, organised by North Down Cricket Club, which had been cancelled on July 14 after objections were raised over the involvement of children from a GAA club.
On July 15 from Goldsprings Orange Lodge in Comber had issued a statement saying "residents have made it clear that until the GAA takes meaningful steps to ensure it is fully inclusive and sensitive to the history and identity of the Protestant, Unionist and Loyalist (PUL) community, its presence in Comber would be viewed with regret and opposition by many".
The BBC wrongly reported that the cancellation of the event had come because of the Orange lodge's statement. The BBC went on to issue a correction.
But by that stage the issue had already increased tension between the BBC and the order, which went on to accuse the broadcaster of "cultural bias," attempts to "marginalise Orangeism", and "relentless and unbalanced" coverage.
It also criticised other Northern Ireland-based media too.
Now Rev Gibson has said the reaction to this statement in the days since has been one of "tremendous support", with "certainly hundreds" of online messages, emails, and calls, from the public and from lodges.
"It just seemed to hit a nerve with people, that this has been a problem for a while and they're glad somebody is now speaking up about it," he told the News Letter, adding that this comes from "across the unionist family".
"We intend to meet with the key people from the organisations we've complained about," he said (though no meetings are in the diary at time of writing).
This will span "the next few weeks," he said, adding: "But this isn't going to be fixed over one or two meetings. This is an attitudinal change that's required.
"We wouldn't be embarking on this if we felt it couldn't be achieved. We feel it needs to be achieved for wider unionism and for ourselves, our integrity.
"Let's see where we get the campaign first with these meetings and engagements.
"We expect there will be difficult conversations. We expect there will be people who will defend their corner on these things. But let's hope common sense prevails.
"All we're looking for is fairness, truth, and to be dealt with the same as everybody else. Nothing more, nothing less."
In response to the order's criticisms of the BBC, it issued a statement which focused on its coverage of the Twelfth in particular. It said: "We provided extensive, cross-platform coverage of the Orange Order’s 12 July events - reflecting their scale and significance for those taking part.
"Our multiple news reports were informative and impartial.
"And they were complemented by The Twelfth programme on BBCNI television and BBC iPlayer.”