Low Rent
at
Borderlife – a series of satirical art pieces (inspired by the living conditions of over 600 people who inhabit the sewers of Bucharest) embedded on the streets of Milan by street artist Biancoshock.
Media plurality in Ireland by the European University Institute’s Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom
You may recall recent reports about the European University Institute’s Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom examination of media plurality in Ireland.
The report found there’s a ‘high risk’ in relation to the concentration of media ownership in Ireland and that, although there is no legal impediment to becoming a journalist in Ireland, there are ‘barriers’ which ‘limit the access of some groups – e.g., the working classes, ethnic minorities and the disabled – to the profession’.
The report also noted that, ‘there is also anecdotal evidence to suggest that some media owners have sought to influence editorial content’.
Lol.
Further to this…
Journalism in Crisis conference
University of Limerick on Thursday.
Criticalmediareview writes:
Journalism’s independence from social and political forces has again come into question as seen with the cosy relationship between journalism and the financial and property sectors; while recently both newspapers and broadcasters are increasingly coming under accusations of bias in their reportage of social and political events.
This conference will bring together journalists, media workers and media theorists to discuss the role of journalism in the 21st century, conditions for journalists in the contemporary newsroom and prospects for the future of the media industry.
Journalism in times of crisis – University of Limerick April 7, 2016 (Criticalmediareview)
Journalism in times of crisis (Facebook)
Previously: Press Reset
The Sunshine Factory – Cruelest Animal
What you may need to know.
1. Beginning to garner praise, Leeside young neo-psychedelic four-piece The Sunshine Factory arrived in February when they packed out the Cork Community Print Shop, launching an eponymously-titled tape EP in the process.
2. From said cassette comes Cruelest Animal, streaming above. The band’s Soundcloud is also full of rough demos, painting a picture of a band that’s been slowly putting the pieces together over the course of the past year.
3. Next gig is on April 16, supporting Dublin shoegazers September Girls (launching album Age of Indignation) in Cyprus Avenue, Cork, presented by Leeside rock raconteurs Alliance Promotions.
4. The band have the biggest break of their young run so far next month, touring in support of English psych-rock legends The Telescopes. Thursday 12 at Brewery Corner in Kilkenny, Friday 13 (!) at The Thirsty Scholar in Waterford, Saturday 14 at the Crane Lane Theatre in Cork, and Sunday 15 at Dublin’s Workman’s Club.
Verdict: With inflections of post-punk and psychedelia amid the band’s noise, The Sunshine Factory will appeal to genre enthusiasts, as well as anyone of lo-fi/possible C86 sensibilities.
As I sit here in my apartment, the persistent shrieking of a nearby house alarm that started eight hours ago continues to destroy the peace of the weekend. With the owners away and no way of communicating with them, there is little I can do about this situation short of trespass and vandalism.
Although legally all house alarms should have a maximum external alarm duration of 15 minutes, in reality very few meet this standard, and the Garda is essentially powerless unless evidence of repeated and persistent instances of noise pollution are brought before a judge.
In other countries, house alarm standards might be enforced, or officers of the law might be empowered to act when faced with a clear case of noise pollution.
In Ireland, however, we just shrug our shoulders and lament the inefficiency of our country. While I acknowledge that, typically, issues of greater import are discussed on this page, it is noteworthy that with each passing hour I can feel my vote increasingly promised to the first politician that pledges to solve this simple but recurrent and distressing problem.
Colin Davenposrt,
Dublin 9.
Michaella MCollum
Further to Michaella McCollum’s interview on RTÉ 1 last night following her release on parole for a drug smuggling conviction in Peru.
Journalist and broadcaster Philip O’Connor writes:
The following questions need to be answered, promptly and thoroughly:
1. Who initiated the story/interview – was it Michaella, the journalist on the ground, the RTÉ news desk, a book publisher, PR agency or similar?
2. Did Michaella, her family, her foundation or any other party connected with her receive any sort of compensation (including, but not limited to, cash, flights or accommodation) in return for her co-operation?
3. Did Michaella and/or her representatives promise RTÉ or their representatives exclusivity? If so, what did they receive in return?
4. Were there any demands or requirements made by Michaella or her representatives as to where, when and under what circumstances the interview would take place?
5. Did Michaella and/or her representatives refuse to answer particular questions, or seek a list of questions prior to the interview? If so, did RTÉ accede to those requests? Did the journalist on site decide the questions to be asked or was he instructed by the news desk?
6. Is there more than one take of any of Michaella answers to the questions posed?
Anyone?
Michaella McCollum: Peru drug smuggler tells of ‘moment of madness’ (BBC)
Deportations from Greece to Turkey by Frontex officials under way this morning
The deportations under the EU/Turkey deal in relation to refugees began this morning with boats leaving the island of Lesbos and Chios for Turkey.
The Guardian reports:
Two boats carrying the first migrants to be deported from Greece to Turkey under an EU deal with Ankara have arrived in the Turkish port of Dikili.
…Officials from the EU border agency Frontex said the boats, which departed from Lesbos, were carrying 131 deportees, mostly Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Moroccans who were already being deported to Turkey before the deal’s creation. This means Monday’s deportations are not a true test of whether the agreement can stop the flow of mainly Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis to Greece.
…Eva Moncure, a Frontex spokeswoman, said there were no children on the first two boats. Two Syrians were onboard, including a woman who had volunteered to return.
The deportations on Lebsos were calmly carried out at dawn, several hours ahead of schedule… Disembarkation was delayed while officials erected a white tarpaulin on the boat to block the media’s view.
…A Turkish catamaran was also transporting refugees from Chios, a Greek island near Lesbos, on Monday morning. Local TV reported that 60 migrants and refugees were on board. Volunteers on the island alleged that they saw police beating deportees at the quay.
…Anas al-Bakhr, a Syrian engineer from Homs who is among those stuck on Chios, said police marked his arrival date as 20 March – when the deal came into force – even though he arrived the day before.
“They said the computers were broken that day,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Dikili, Turkey…
“EU started biggest official human trafficking in human history!” Turkish campaigners protest today’s deportations pic.twitter.com/KYURPo0ZAC
— Patrick Kingsley (@PatrickKingsley) April 4, 2016
UPDATE:
#Greece sends 202 refugees back to Turkey Monday, 339 enter Greece in last 24 hrs #RefugeeCrisis
— Stelios Bouras (@SteliosBouras1) April 4, 2016
First boats returning migrants and refugees from Greece arrive in Turkey (The Guardian)
Previously: Return To Sender
Pic: AA
Hubliners
at
[US software marketing firm] HubSpot’s Dublin HQ, North Wall Quay, North Wall, Dublin 1.
Free catered breakfast…free gym..free craft beer (six taps)…free desks.
Stephanie writes:
Today we launched HubSpot Dublin’s (or, as we like to call it, DubSpot’s) brand new office! There’s still some construction going on but I know you’ve published pics on AirBnb‘s and Google’s offices before so I thought you might want to check out HubSpot’s new office: We’ve only been able to publicly post photos since this morning. Bar and gym are included also and we’re hiring 320 people over the next couple of years…
Six Reasons Why You’ll Want To Work At HubSpot, Dublin (LinkedIn)
Previously: Inside Google Dublin
Selective
at
Heads of state and their associates linked to the Panama papers release
The leak is being managed by the grandly but laughably named “International Consortium of Investigative Journalists”, which is funded and organised entirely by the USA’s Center for Public Integrity.
Their funders include Ford Foundation; Carnegie Endowment; Rockefeller Family Fund; W K Kellogg Foundation; Open Society Foundation (George Soros) among many others. Do not expect a genuine expose of western capitalism. The dirty secrets of western corporations will remain unpublished.
Expect hits at Russia, Iran and Syria and some tiny “balancing” western country like Iceland. A superannuated UK peer or two will be sacrificed – someone already with dementia.
The corporate media – the Guardian and BBC in the UK – have exclusive access to the database which you and I cannot see. They are protecting themselves from even seeing western corporations’ sensitive information by only looking at those documents which are brought up by specific searches such as UN sanctions busters.
Corporate Media Gatekeepers Protect Western 1% From Panama Leak (Craig Murray)
Frank Flannery unable to explain documents on £250,000 deposit (irish Times)
Frank Flannery caught in the mega net of the Panama Papers (SluggerOToole)
Panama papers – The Power Players
Meanwhile…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORlq_zrfWDc
Possibly not tax compliant Icelandic prime minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson,walks out of an interview with Swedish television company SVT.
Dodgy geyser.
What you may need to know:
1. Two radio journalists fake their own kidnapping.
2. Written, directed and starring Ricky Gervais. *Shudder*
3. It’s another Netflix original.
4. Well, sort of. Special Correspondents is a remake of the 2009 French movie du même nom.
5. Is there any sadder sound than the oppressive silence of wasting an hour browsing Netflix?
6. Broadsheet prognosis: Dance, monkey, dance.
Release Date: April 29 (Netflix).
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