Ruairi Quinn - internet is now one of two major threats to the media

Dear Mr. Quinn,

it was with great amusement I read your comments regarding the threat the Internet is to the media. I am wondering if you are aware of the fact that the internet is in fact media and is commonly referred to as new media. The traditional press has been slowly dieing over the past decade and standards have dropped considerably.

To quote your own words, you stated that one of traditional medias merits was a “high degree of reliability, accuracy, authority and a willingness to accommodate different points of view”.

Funny you should say as such, especially considering the Magda article published in the Irish Independent earlier this week which is a fine example of the high degree of "reliability" and "accuracy" to be found in traditiional media.

Ironically enough it those "unaccountable anonymous back-stabbers" who "live in cyberspace" that pointed out the inaccuracies in the article. Had it not been for the Internet, there is a good chance that the article could have incited hate related crimes, the national media were up in arms with national radio stations dedicating hours of discussion to it.

The Internet seems to be something of an issue with Labour. Between Sean Sherlock's draconian legislation which sets out to limit the freedom of speech offered by the Internet in a bid to appease big business and your comments published today one could see a clear agenda on Labours part to serious limit peoples access to the Internet and with it free speech.


Yours,