Media's Role in the Election

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

I wouldn't call RTE FF's mouthpiece, I'd call them the incumbent's mouthpiece, and I'd apply the same moniker to most - if not all - Irish media. You only have to look at VB for an example of all that's wrong with Irish media. He's held up as the voice of the man on the ground - and I'll admit that he amuses me too - but look at him, he's flip-flopped so many times at this stage he must be dizzy.

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I considered my post before I wrote it. I did contemplate your assertion about RTÉ, however, it's 13 years since there was anyone else in power. Being a lot younger at the time I don't remember RTÉ's stance. I do recall De Indo's though vividly! Anyway, I think we'll need to see RTÉ's stance after the next election. But what surely is wrong is that the national broadcaster has a stance at all. By all mean be balance but don't peddle the idea that an FFer lying about policy = an FGer telling the truth about policy.

When the government holds your purse strings, particularly in a country the size of Ireland, you're the incumbent's mouthpiece. No ifs ands or buts.

EDIT: Actually "mouthpiece" isn't fair. I'm more talking about a lack of criticism.

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

I wouldn't call RTE FF's mouthpiece, I'd call them the incumbent Government's mouthpiece, and I'd apply the same moniker to most - if not all - Irish media. You only have to look at VB for an example of all that's wrong with Irish media. He's held up as the voice of the man on the ground - and I'll admit that he amuses me too sometimes - but look at him, he's flip-flopped so many times at this stage he must be dizzy.

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Just curious - I always thought he was a FG fan, might of eased off on that now?

I'm talking more right to left, but see the 3rd paragraph from the bottom of the Career section on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Browne#Career

The way RTE are running with the non-event of the confidence vote is better than a transfer watch.

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

When the government holds your purse strings, particularly in a country the size of Ireland, you're the incumbent's mouthpiece. No ifs ands or buts.

EDIT: Actually "mouthpiece" isn't fair. I'm more talking about a lack of criticism.

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I think that would be more appropriate.
They haven't come out of this constant FF cheerleading well though!

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Originally Posted by Spudulika

The way RTE are running with the non-event of the confidence vote is better than a transfer watch.

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The news at 9 last night and the FF gang bang was the last straw. Streams to David Daven Power looking for updates and white smoke. Twas cringeworthy. The Greens must be raging it wasn't them making the headlines for a change and I joke not in jest!

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Originally Posted by Fr Damo

Streams to David Daven Power looking for updates and white smoke. Twas cringeworthy.

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DDP is very soft on the Government - McCullough far more balance. Fergus' wedding bloke (Dowling?) isn't too bad - you can read him like a book when he's putting on the Government spin.

What about Sean Whelan, woeful reporter but then again he did try and run for FF in council elections back in the day

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

I wouldn't call RTE FF's mouthpiece, I'd call them the incumbent Government's mouthpiece

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I think it's a bit more deep-rooted with FF and RTE though (as a result of FF being in power 90% of the time). RTE has FFers wherever you look. It's not as if Ivan Yates will start presenting the Frontline after the election or some Labour dynasty member will get the Late Late. It could take years of FF in the wilderness to cleanse the station, by which time it would become a Fine Gael mouthpiece.

It'd be a start if they start annoucing Noel Whelan for what he is - former FF candidate and strategist. I've no problem with him being on shows - there's nothing wrong with a bias source, once you know the bias - but he always gets introduced as some independent analyst.

Sean o'rourke giving everyone a hard time on TWIP at the moment except Lendahand. It's a joke.

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Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

Sean o'rourke giving everyone a hard time on TWIP at the moment except Lendahand. It's a joke.

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He was ridiculously soft on Lenihan. His suggestion that the whole noughties boom and bust was Labours fault, for bringing down the FF/Labour coalition in 1994, really took the bloody biscuit! He's really gone down in my estimation in the last few months, between his budget day outburst at Jack O'Connor, through the Gilmore ambush to this twisted logic he's not really showing an even hand imo.

EDIT - RTE have just given a large portion of the News At One to the FF leadership election, with no sign of the Sean O'Rourke of last night to ABFF.

Thought Morning Ireland was very much on FF message this morning, with regard to discussing economic plans around quarter past 7. No critic of the outgoing Governments plans, but pretty much an attempt to dismantle FG's and Labours. Pravda at it's best!

You only have to look at the amount of time given to FF candidate selection compared to barely a mention to see how it is.

Goes right through RTE from TV, radio to web and twitter feeds

Can the media please please after tonight stop giving Richard Boyd-Barrett airtime. He's a spoofer of the highest order and is making me seeth watching VB now.

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Originally Posted by BonnieShels

Can the media please please after tonight stop giving Richard Boyd-Barrett airtime. He's a spoofer of the highest order and is making me seeth watching VB now.

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Is this not the wrong thread for political points - that's not really a media point, imo. RBB at least has a clear ideology - you may not agree with that ideology, but at least he's honest about it. I thought Vinnie was pretty bad - only watched a bit of it, as he wasn't giving them a chance to explain their figures.

Prime Time was a disaster - O'Callaghan totally pathetic, and then lost control and turned into a shouting match.

Morning Ireland Paper review pretty much totally anti FG too, and RTE keep concentrating on the IMF interest rate when it's clear the it's the EU portion of the package that's the problem and that interest rate which will have to be renegotiated rather than the IMF component. Squeaky bum time for many in Montrose?

Pat Kenny doing his best for FF today. Let Lenihan waffle away for the guts of 20 minutes, totally unchallenged. It was like a bloody party political broadcast. He's now still trying to highlight differences between FG and Labour. They are supposed to be balanced at least during an election campaign, but the only place you can complain to is a politically appointed BAI!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/i...te-irish-banks

surprised nobody in media has picked up on this.

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Originally Posted by Macy

Prime Time was a disaster - O'Callaghan totally pathetic, and then lost control and turned into a shouting match.

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I actually thought Miriam looked flushed at the end of the interview last night - as if she was embarrassed by what went on. Joan Burton was largely at fault again I thought. She's always in there with an inflammatory remark.

I had to skip Vincent Brown / 11th hour channel chop last night. The previous night that Avril Power made me so angry I couldn't get to sleep. Rarely have I seen such a condescending arrogant person on TV with so little grasp of economic or any other issues. If this is the caliber of person Michael Martin is appointing to the front Bench, then FF are truly FF***ed, no matter how much help the get from their propaganda machine up in Montrose.