Ahead of the referendum on marriage, I went on the road to see if I could get a flavour of how people plan to vote on May 22nd.
As broadcasters, we're prevented from taking a stance on issues, and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland requires us at all times to report and present the news "in an objective and impartial manner and without any expression of the broadcaster’s own views."
During a referendum campaign, broadcasters have to take particular care to provide balanced coverage of the issues.
The BAI sets out that;
Fairness, objectivity and impartiality can be achieved by a variety of means, for example, through the selection of contributors, the airtime afforded, the scope of the debate...the presenter’s handling of the topic... or through other suitable means.
While there isn't a requirement to ensure equal airtime, we're encouraged to seek out the "widest range of opinions" on the matter, often from new contributors.
This was especially the case for the marriage referendum, as all political parties, and many interest groups are advocating a Yes vote.
For this series, we decided in an editorial meeting to do two Yes packages, and two No ones. If you've got less than three minutes, it can be a challenge to give a balanced point of view to both sides.
My first stop was Cork, where campaigners for a Yes vote gathered at Grand Parade, as the Yes Bus drove into town.
For my second package, I sat down with some campaigners from Mothers and Fathers Matter.
The group was originally founded by those opposed to the Child and Family Relationships Bill, which they say was rushed through both houses of the Oireachtas.
The group were the first to announce that they'd be campaigning for a No vote;
Repeated polls have shown that older people are more likely to vote No in the upcoming marriage referendum; they’re also more likely to turn out on the day and vote.
So young people, who are more likely to vote Yes, have been getting involved in the campaign for marriage equality.
For the third in our series, I spoke to some people involved in the #RingYourGranny campaign, as well as young LGBT people;
We also wanted to try to get a geographical spread, as polls are also suggesting that rural voters are more likely to vote No.
The problem is that campaigners for a No vote are saying that many voters are telling them, in private, that they want to keep marriage between a man and a woman. They also maintain that debate is being stifled.
So I met up with two politicians from Tipperary who are advocating a No vote;
