Further to yesterday’s publication of the Report on the Concentration of Media Ownership in Ireland – commissioned by Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan – and advance copies being given to the Sunday newspapers at the weekend…
Fintan O’Toole, in The Irish Times, writes:
Yesterday’s Irish Independent carried no word of the media ownership report. The Sunday Independent did deal with it, but by way of comment rather than reportage. Liam Collins opened his Zozimus column on page 12 with a reference to “Yet another tiresome blog on the ‘worrying lack of plurality’ in the Irish media from that paragon of British liberalism, Roy Greenslade.”
Greenslade, who is professor of journalism at City University London, had posted a piece on his Guardian blog drawing attention to the report.
It is, of course, entirely legitimate for Collins to find Greenslade’s writing on the subject tiresome – that’s a matter of opinion.
What’s striking, though, is that the only account of the report that readers of the Independent titles received on Sunday and Monday was through an attack on another reporter whose views were discounted in advance because he is, of all despicable things, a paragon of British liberalism.
Those readers would have no idea what the report actually says. The substance of Collins’s take on it, indeed, is that no one should bother reading it.
… The essential point, however, is that the sum total of the information presented on this event in the Independent papers on Sunday and Monday was to the effect that Shinners, Brits, liberals and socialists (a range of targets for contempt to suit every taste) have produced a tiresome document that you, the reader, don’t need to know about.
Fintan O’Toole: Why some papers are ignoring a report on Irish media (The Irish Times)
Previously: High Concentration
no surprises there. Redacted is the great media-devouring beast and will not stand for questioning or criticism
…Vincent Browne was good on this last night…the fightback seems to have started against Denis..
Denis O’Brien……..oh that feels nice to type.
I’m gonna do it again……Denis O’Brien….try it out, it’s exhilarating.
“Inside Every Liberal Is A Totalitarian Screaming To Get Out” – human
Are you one of those middle aged pot bellied racists who post under every Irish Indo article about immigrants… even if the article is about ice cream.
“Outside Every Totalitarian Is A Liberal Screaming To Get In” — Mé Féin.
I think that Denis O’Brien paid Michael Lowry a corrupt bribe in order to obtain Ireland’s second ever mobile phone operating license. I think the Moriarty Tribunal agrees with me on that matter.
Mainstream media has been in decline as a profitable industry for more than a decade now. As a financial investment it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense (to me) to buy mainstream media companies. Therefore, I conclude that Denis O’Brien is buying media companies specifically to influence the amount and type of information about him, and his business dealings, that enters the public consciousness. Having such a level of control on the media also puts him in a position of power over the government, or specifically the politicians, of the day and may give him undue influence on matters of public policy.
These are my personal beliefs and do not represent the views of Broadsheet or any of its other readers.
I was visiting friends in marseille over the weekend. lowry was on my flight, looked like he was off to Nice. He was sat straight across the aisle from us. A couple of times I snuck the word “bribe ” quite loudly into a conversation. He didn’t look appy
Well done.
I’d close to brain you if you sat
Beside me on a flight
And uttered such spurious shiiithe
Can’t you see I’m on retreat
I’m going to Nice to get the heat
See it’s getting a bit too warm in Killenaule
So I’m going to get away from you all
But then some idiot on the plane
Calls me a crook – see earlier remark referring to brain
Stroke?
Probably would have to use the arm rest to get the job done there
Question – if Lowry was off to Nice why would he be flying to Marseille?
I’d say he would have going out there to buy some of that heroin and flog it to the under7s in downtown Horse and Jockey
Ah now Chamomile, don’t be so modest, I’m fairly sure it represents the views of a few of Broadsheet’s readers…
That’s Mr to you
And many assume that billionaires only buy up newspapers to make money while in fact, they buy them to control journalism and create messages that suit their narrow agenda enriching themselves and their mates.
Good example lately is the number of reports about traffic congestion on the M50 in the Irish Independent. This is road building interests in Ireland trying to create a crisis in the minds of politicians and the public around the need for more roads. Classic use of media to promote a private agenda. THAT is why billionaires own newspapers.
That’s an excellent idea – thanks for sharing
Another reason why billionaires own newspapers is because they want – ultimately – to become millionaires. #LicenceToBurnMoney
well if it gets the road done then I’m all for it
At the expense of an efficient and advanced public transport system which means you don’t need to use your car as often?
Jaysus that was an absolutely brilliant cut and paste job lads the new media is real cutting edge and make no mistake
Punctuation, much?
Ó! Ró! Sé do bheatha bhaile?
A little Denis troll set loose to do some counter propaganda.
Go on little man, do it. Come on you little bootlicker.
Do you always talk that way to strange people you just met on the internet?
No. “Ó! Ró! Sé do bheatha ‘bhaile.” Are you a couple?
I like this one better.
I wasn’t sure if you can put in leading apostrophes though and still call it proper punctuation.
Thanks for the help.
Or, more accurately: “Óró sé do bheatha abhaile.”
Politician from party that owns a newspaper complaining about media ownership.
If SF do something, it’s never hypocritical, immoral or illegal, doncha know.