Prime Time is the major news analysis, current affairs and politics programme broadcast on Radio Telefís Éireann in Ireland. RTÉ One (Irish RTÉ a hAon) is the Republic of Ireland 's oldest and most popular Television channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Radio Telefís 576i is a standard-definition video mode used in (former PAL and SECAM countries Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Anamorphic format is a term that can be used either for the Cinematography technique of capturing a Widescreen picture on standard 35 mm film, or other Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) News is any new information or information on Current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or Word of mouth Current affairs is a Genre of Broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of News stories that have recently occurred Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world It is broadcast regularly on RTÉ One on Tuesday and Thursday nights (reducing to once a week in the summer) between 21:30 and 22:10. RTÉ One (Irish RTÉ a hAon) is the Republic of Ireland 's oldest and most popular Television channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Radio Telefís Occasionally, special editions are shown on Mondays at 21:30. Major political stories, such as elections, often lead to special unscheduled editions of the programme.

The programme deals with serious issues current in Ireland and often invites political figures to express their opinions in the studio or via satellite link-up. Usually, two or three major stories will be covered, with a report from a correspondent followed by a studio discussion. In special cases the entire programme will be devoted to one topic, and may comprise entirely of an in-depth documentary piece from a single reporter (similar to the BBC's Panorama programme. Panorama is the longest-running current affairs documentary series in the world

Prime Time is currently presented by one or two people from the following panel:

• Miriam O'Callaghan
• Mark Little
• Donagh Diamond
• Keelin Shanley

The veteran long-term presenter of the series, Brian Farrell, retired in 2004. Miriam O'Callaghan (born in 6 January 1960 is a Television current affairs broadcaster on Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ in Ireland. Mark Little was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 He studied Economics and Politics in Trinity College Dublin, and graduated in 1990 Brian Farrell (born Bernard Brendan Farrell, January 9, 1929) is an Irish author journalist academic & broadcaster "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Other previous presenters have included Olivia O'Leary and Éamonn Lawlor. Olivia O'Leary (born 1949 is an Irish journalist writer and current affairs presenter Éamonn Lawlor (born 1951 is an Irish radio broadcaster on RTÉ Lyric FM.

Prime Time is the successor of the hugely popular Today Tonight series. Initially, Prime Time went out on Thursday nights only, and was presented by people such as Olivia O'Leary, John Bowman and Pat Kenny. Olivia O'Leary (born 1949 is an Irish journalist writer and current affairs presenter John Bowman is the name of John Bowman (pioneer (1733–1784 Virginia and Kentucky soldier and official John Bryan Bowman (1824–1891 Patrick Kenny (born January 29, 1948) is the current presenter of Ireland's The Late Late Show. This was part of a shake-up of RTÉ's current affairs output, in which Brian Farrell presented a Sunday night programme (Farrell), and Tuesday nights featured a documentary strand (Tuesday File). However after a few years these programmes were re-integrated into Prime Time, which now follows an identical format to the Today Tonight programme it replaced.

The programme is also available on the Internet from the RTÉ website, with episodes dating back a number of years. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks The URL RTEie is the brand name and home of RTÉ 's online activities

A spin-off series, Prime Time Investigates, is shown on Monday nights in short seasons of four to six episodes, featuring investigative journalism and usually undercover reporting. Investigative journalism is a type of reporting in which reporters deeply investigate a topic of interest often involving crime Political corruption, or some other Scandal Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information

See also

• List of programmes broadcast by RTÉ
• RTÉ News. This is an incomplete list of current and historical television programmes produced for Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ of Ireland RTÉ News and Current Affairs, or Nuacht agus Cúrsaí Reatha RTÉ in Irish, is a major division of Radio Telefís Éireann responsible for news programming

External links

• Prime Time schedule
• The most recent episode of Prime Time (RealVideo 10)
• Tim O'Malley on Prime Time Investigates