.
Swimmer Ellen Keane says there is still room for improvement in TV coverage of the Paralympic Games.
“I still think it could be better,” the five-time Paralympian said in an interview following her recent retirement. “The amount of hours that RTÉ gave the Paralympics versus the Olympics is a lot lower.”
Keane also noted that there was almost blanket coverage of the Olympic Games on RTÉ, whereas to watch some Paralympic events, viewers had to turn to the RTÉ Player to find what they were looking for.
“We need to get on the same level, because the Paralympics is parallel,” she said. “We’re only going to get there if everyone gets on board,
Keane said the Paralympics not only existed as a competition space for athletes with disabilities, but also as a platform for showing what those with disabilities could achieve. “That’s the whole point,” she said. “It’s been good, but it can always be better.”
This coverage is especially important to Keane (29), who said her involvement in sport has helped in managing her disability.
“Sport has given me so much more mobility, and it’s taught me how to have a structure in my body,” she said.
“Even though I’m retired now, I’m going to have to go into really making sure that I maintain that. It’s giving your body the ability to move in ways that maybe it hasn’t before.”
Sport is important to Keane, not just from a physical angle, but also from a social one. Involvement in sport “doesn’t even have to be competitive”. Just getting involved at your local club can help build relationships and communities, she added.
Keane said sport has provided her with an excellent community throughout her life and career, something she believed was incredibly valuable, especially for children.
“I found my community through Para sport,” Keane said. “All the games are unique in themselves, but it’s the people I was with and the memories I was making that made it that much more special.”
Keane believes many children in the modern era are “missing out on those opportunities, and it’s really sad and scary to see technology taking over”.
She hopes both the Olympic and Paralympic games have inspired interest in sports among young people.
“I hope that the Olympics and the Paralympics has shown everyone that you don’t have to play Gaelic, you don’t have to play football or whatever,” she said. “You can play whatever you want and you can do whatever you want. There are so many options out there, and you’ll figure out what you love.”
Asked to comment, a spokesperson for RTÉ said: “From the build-up of the Paris Paralympics opening ceremony right through to the end of the Games and the closing ceremony, RTÉ brought viewers a record line-up of coverage for this year’s Paralympics.
“There were 104 hours of live coverage broadcast on RTÉ2 and simultaneously on RTÉ Player. In addition, and in contrast to the Summer Olympic Games, RTÉ retained rights to broadcast an unprecedented amount of RTÉ Player content, showcasing over 500 hours of sporting action across four dedicated digital channels.
“There were also live reports and updates of the Paralympics across RTÉ radio and online platforms, ensuring that all audiences had access to coverage of the Games.
“RTÉ’s coverage of the Paralympics has increased drastically since London 2012, when it broadcast five hours of live coverage.”