Last night.
The FG Annual Think-In at the Fota Island Resort in County Cork.
An essay by Eamonn Farrell who writes:
“Normally a political party Think-In starts with the party leader addressing the media from a podium after his or her arrival at the event via a phalanx of brightly coloured mics, supported by a microphone holder on the podium. This year the party minders changed the set up with only the taoiseach, two ministers and a local TD at the podium. But they also left out the mic holders, which meant that the poor media operators (there are no journalists/photographers/cameramen or broadcasters anymore, just ‘media operators’), had to try and build a pyramid of individual mics…”
From top: Fergal Keane; Paraic Gallagher (Newstalk) and Eileen Brophy (UTV); Martina Fitzgerald of RTÉ (left), Damien Eagars (Irish Independent) and unidentified Sorcha Ní Riada, (RTÉ Nuacht) RTE.; Stephen O’Brien (Sunday Times); Katie Hannon (RTÉ); Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan.
(Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland)
“media operators” makes perfect catch-all sense to me :)
Why does RTE need two mics?
Actually 3, it seems RTE radio 1 is separate again
Doublethink.
Would it not be doublespeak?
Amazing in this day and age there is still a need for multiple mics. You think we’d have the technology to split the feed from perhaps two mics? (Primary and Back up)
Often it has the purpose of just getting the branded sponge in front of the cameras.
Don’t Denis O’Brien’s stations use one real mike and 3 or 4 fakes with spongues hanging off it like a candelabra?
Frequently yes.
That’s the idea.
No one died, thank god.
‘Unidentified’ is Sorcha Ní Riada,Nuacht RTE.
Thanks Stephen, fixed now. Apologies.
What a West Wing Wannabe post.
God love the Pol Corrs! They’ll whine all year about politicians and then let the political parties bring them out and get them hammered on free booze come Christmas.