DUP leader Arlene Foster is "boycotting" BBC Northern Ireland because of its coverage of the RHI scandal, it has been claimed.
Both the DUP and the broadcaster last night refused to comment on the claim by commentator Brian Feeney, who said in the past week Mrs Foster had chosen to conduct two significant interviews with RTÉ and Sky.
While the former first minister spoke to BBC NI and Radio Ulster in the run-up to the party's annual conference last month, the Irish News columnist described these as "akin to contractual obligations" and said other appearances this year had been "exceedingly rare".
Fellow commentator and Slugger O'Toole editor Mick Fealty agreed with assessment and suggested Mrs Foster's reluctance to engage with the BBC was "two-fold" – punishing the regional broadcaster for adverse coverage, while ensuring the DUP leader did not "say anything that proves counter-productive".
A year ago a BBC Spotlight programme about the RHI scandal fuelled weeks of intensive media coverage, much of it focused on Mrs Foster's oversight of the botched scheme while minister at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
She faced close scrutiny during a Nolan Show special last December following allegations by former DUP minister Jonathan Bell and in May, Mrs Foster took part in a combative interview on The View where she was quizzed on Sinn Féin's surge in the assembly election and a £425,000 Brexit donation.
In the months since, it is understood her only sit-down interview with BBC NI was an appearance on Radio Ulster's Sunday News programme – the two pre-conference interviews notwithstanding.
Mr Feeney claimed the DUP leader had imposed a boycott on the basis of "paranoia".
"Coverage of the RHI certainly blew up after the Spotlight programme and there's a perception within the DUP that the BBC gave it prominence day after day," he said.
"Several DUP elected representatives voiced grievances at the time and I believe there was a more formal complaint from the party."
Mr Fealty also said he believes Mrs Foster regarded the BBC's RHI coverage as "activist journalism rather than honest commentary".
The Slugger O'Toole editor added that after March assembly election, when Sinn Féin came within 1,200 votes of the DUP, Mrs Foster's advisers were likely to have concluded that she should limit her media appearances.
"Immediately after the election the shutters came down, as it was decided that the less Arlene says the less damage she can cause – after all, that infamous 'crocodile' comment is thought to have fuelled the Sinn Féin surge," he said.
Mr Fealty also said the rise of social media meant the DUP was less reliant on mainstream news outlets.
Ahead of last month's annual conference, a request from The Irish News for an interview with Mrs Foster was declined.
