Media's Role in the Election

What are people views on the the figures coming out yesterday saying 2010 was our best every year of exports at 161billon and that tax revenue is 700m quid up on forecast? Corpo tax coming in at 760m more than budget, but PAYE down 5% and VAt only down 2%.
This was not a good news storey but a confirmation we are still sliding.

Personally, although I advocated an export led recovery, this is not what I had in mind. There are 16000 people less working in manufacturing than in 2009 so i'd like to know how the continuation of this trend is going to help internal demand, consumer confidence, housing market, the banks etc.

Why hasn't the media picked up on this, I can see FF using some of this material on election posters " stick with us, we'll pull you through" mantra.

I said it before and again, the cowards of doom, or FF, will be back in government with a Labour crew desperate to show they can lead. FF control the media, INM is their pet, RTE is fearful and beholden to them and there isn't a single publication who will genuinely hammer them. Any columnist who attacks them is branded ott (from the Indo) while the IT is sliding ever downwards and the opposition parties are not driving to get rid of the crowd of chancers. We get what we deserve and it's not going to change any time soon.

FG-FF more likely to have the numbers than Labour-FF.

VAT will continue to slide, given the tax increases without any reduction in unemployment. The Government can't massage the January Pay Packets which will be significantly down (especially in the public sector for all the "untouched" crap in the media surrounding Croke Park). This will feed negative sentiment towards the Goverenment and will hit consumer spending.

Killeen given a particularly easy ride on both Morning Ireland and Newstalk this morning, imo. How many more Ministers were/are ignoring medical advice to carry on working at a time of crisis, when they must have their full wits about them, making long term decisions? And they're getting a slap on the feckin back for it in the media!?!?!

Damo, You know as well as I do that most people out there have minimal interest in politics and economics so they will only read the headline issue which was "record export totals" Grand stuff say the people we are turning the corner.

The real anger is going to hit in the last week of January when the majority of employees get paid and then we'll see the outcry. Not to worry, FF and G's will be gone soon. Not soon enough, but soon.

Still can't see FG getting in, especially with how the media "critics" are so onside with FF. Greens will maybe get one seat, FF 40+, Labour will help push it over the line. Whichever party Labour leaps into bed with, they're selling out whatever weak proposals they have on the economy. They certainly will run a mile from SF as that would mean taking a social stand and ensuring that many of their backers - ie Unions and parts of big business, will be hit hard. I can see another election in early 2013, if the coalition makes it that far.

It WILL be a an FG labour government. The maths doesn't stack up anyway else. If Labour go into government with FF you can kiss Labour goodbye forever. Gilmore's credibility is slowly crumbling. He hasn't the chance of ever going through with it. And besides a special conference of Labour members will have to approve any coalition and programme for government that they may agree with any partner after the election. I sincerely doubt that he will be allowed an ego massage by being in govt with FF.

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Originally Posted by Spudulika

Still can't see FG getting in, especially with how the media "critics" are so onside with FF. Greens will maybe get one seat, FF 40+, Labour will help push it over the line. Whichever party Labour leaps into bed with, they're selling out whatever weak proposals they have on the economy. They certainly will run a mile from SF as that would mean taking a social stand and ensuring that many of their backers - ie Unions and parts of big business, will be hit hard. I can see another election in early 2013, if the coalition makes it that far.

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FG-FF coalition is a real possibility. FG buy into the 4 year plan more readily and agree more with the tax/ cuts ratio that the Government proposes. FG wouldn't have to go through a members vote as Labour would.

But getting slightly more towards the title,

we have "positive" economic news on Tuesday / Wednesday. VHI debacle on Thursday. Harney on holidays this week too. If that wasn't constructed I don't know what is.
Why are we being treated with such contempt?

James Reilly did a great job yesterday and the only canditate fit for that office among alll sitting TDs. I hope he gets the column inches today.

From talking to people over xmas(not very sceintific I know) I wouldnt be so sure fianna fail arent going to get a significant vote. People dont seem to have much faith in the other parties. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of it that seems to be the thinking. scary thought.
Think the media has been poor throughout whole banking crisis. Seem to think balance involves printing views regarless of how untrue or ridiculous they are. I think I saw a headline on a kevin myers column today attacking muslims and feminists. finger on the pulse of the nation there.

I want to say that if FF get back in I'll leave the country, but I'd never do that. I may try to source a rifle though.

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

I want to say that if FF get back in I'll leave the country, but I'd never do that. I may try to source a rifle though.

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Public health warning. Stay out of line of sight of this building:
http://images.travbuddy.com/1605332_12568486646686.jpg

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

I want to say that if FF get back in I'll leave the country, but I'd never do that. I may try to source a rifle though.

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I've consistently thought about what I would do in that event... barricades set up on Merrion St... Adam eating toast with his foot on Cowen's head... I can see it now.

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Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

From talking to people over xmas(not very sceintific I know) I wouldnt be so sure fianna fail arent going to get a significant vote. People dont seem to have much faith in the other parties. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of it that seems to be the thinking. scary thought.
Think the media has been poor throughout whole banking crisis. Seem to think balance involves printing views regarless of how untrue or ridiculous they are. I think I saw a headline on a kevin myers column today attacking muslims and feminists. finger on the pulse of the nation there.

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Not quite. It was about islamification in relation to the wall Greece are building to keep out illegals. He didn't attack feminism, just pointed out that they won't fare so well under sharia law (I'm misquoting him slightly). His job is to write on topical subjects, not just how crap the government is - which he does regularly, however nobody is going to listen to him as he's viewed as ott and discredited. The media are not going to do anything to bring down the government, it doesn't suit them, the gombeens make too much easy copy for them so why get rid of them? It was never more obvious how FF have the media in their grasp, and how the public row in with them (across the board) last year when TV3 broke the news on Brian Lenihan. What was a definite public interest story was knocked down with so much spite and stupidity it showed the country to be the damaged place it is. We like our fixers, strokers and edgy boys/girls.

was about arranged marriages and how feminists arent complaining about it because its muslims. the usual "maybe its not politically correct to say so but I will.." lark that passes for radical ideas in Ireland.

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Originally Posted by BonnieShels

I've consistently thought about what I would do in that event... barricades set up on Merrion St... Adam eating toast with his foot on Cowen's head... I can see it now.

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Unfortunately we're about a thousand miles from revolution in Ireland. The country finally fell apart at the seams in December (actually it didn't, but FF+G decided they should make it look like that), and we sold ourselves out to a conglomerate of other countries and organisations, one of which took the unprecedented step of taking a profit on our bad luck. And where are we?

Out in the streets, rioting like the far better off in the UK? Nope. Watching the opposition greedily rip the failures limb from limb? What opposition? Doorstepping our TDs to tell them to the pull support for the government and feck off? Nah, it's a lot of work.

Instead we're sitting on our holes, twiddling our thumbs, waiting for an election that might happen in March. March for feck's sake!

We deserve all we get.

Shane Ross, seems to be doing alright in his campaign from his media friends - including a launch on RTE (the former parish of his missus) Saturday Prime Time, hosted by fellow INM journo O'Connor. I hope all goes well for his end cronyism ticket!

I meant to post this last week, but did anyone else think RTE's initial treatment of the Cowen/Fitzpatrick Druid's Glen story was to completely downplay it? Having read the Sunday Times last week, I made sure to watch the RTE News that night to see the report about it. To me, it seemed like an explosive story with wide national interest. RTE placed it as the third item on their news programmes. I think the top two were the two bodies found in Limerick and the gas leak death in Cork. Now, I'm trying for this not to come across as distasteful and may seem very harsh, but which is the bigger news story? Which one is still headline news a week later? Which one will enter the history books? I'm trying to picture the scene at the production/news meeting of any news outlet where they have to be ruthless about ranking news stories. The Cowen story was clearly HUGE and has since sparked a leadership heave. The other two are terrible tragedies, but in the current context are less likely to be talked about in every house, pub or office for the week.

Later on that night on The Week in Politics (yes, my Sunday night was THAT dull), Sean O'Rourke said (if memory serves me) to Pat Rabbitte something along the lines of "Isn't the truth that this is really a non-story?" Fair enough, he is supposed to play Devil's Advocate, but the whole tone of how he dealt with the story was to downplay it. This "non-story" may finally bring down the Taoiseach where the bank bailout, the hangover and the IMF failed.

RTÉ are FF's mouthpiece. Always have been. Their coverage of everything this week has been woeful and only came alive when it became clear that FF could be on the airwaves constantly.

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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Originally Posted by bluemovie

I meant to post this last week, but did anyone else think RTE's initial treatment of the Cowen/Fitzpatrick Druid's Glen story was to completely downplay it?

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A lot of commentators have failed to realise the significance of the third man on the course being Fintan Drury, former Chair of the RTE Authority. Even though he was a government appointment, I daresay the simple principle of not dumping on "one of your own" might have had something to do with it.