Prime Time is the major current affairs programme broadcast on Radio Telifís Éireann in Ireland. It is broadcast regularly on RTÉ One on Tuesday and Thursday nights between 21:30 and 22:10. Occassionally, documentary programmes ("Prime Time Investigates") or special editions are shown on Wednesdays 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 corspondant followed by a studio discussion. In special cases the entire programme will be devoted to one topic, and may compose entirely of an in-depth documentary piece from a single reporter (similar to the BBC's Panorama programme.

"Prime Time" is currently presented by Miriam O'Callaghan and Mark Little . The veteran long-term presenter of the series, Brian Farrell, retired in 2004. Other previous presenters have included Olivia O'Leary and Eammon Lawlor.

Prime Time replaced the Today Tonight series. Initally, the programme went out on Thursday nights only, and was presented by Olivia O'Leary. 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 were 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.

See also

• List of RTÉ television programming, RTÉ News.

External Link

• Prime Time Schedule