FRENCH ELECTIONS and our media has heard of France

cantvcnq

Suddenly someone in the Irish media world has discovered a Frenchman/woman who speaks English to inform them and ultimately us that there is an election taking place in France this week end with the second round later.
At last some real news from one part of the continent.....a contrast to the usual news about a minimum of five killed in a fire/train crash in Paris or Berlin. If there are only four fatalities it will not get a mention.
But if some event takes place in far off foreign USA then it has to be headlined even if most world leaders/dictators have never heard of Bertie, Mary or Michael.
Likewise a war in some far off region is covered extensively while currrent news from the REAL mainland is totally ignored.
How lucky we are to have the two Bruxelles based reporters in Paris this week end...one who speaks French while the other speaks not a word so he will have to watch Sky News to get the result to pass back to our 21h News........Bonsoir Dublin.

cantvcnq

By the way Frazers in O Connell street Dublin will be the 'in' place for the French on Sunday night from 18h20 particularly those who can't watch the results on TV5MONDE at home...............all screens will be showing TV5MONDE all night long..............

Orion

don't feed the trolls.

The French election campaign has been covered in real newspapers for weeks. The tv coverage has been sparce because they only have a limited amount of time and an election campaign in France is pretty irrelevant to Irish politics, economy, society etc.

The war in Iraq has relevance to the entire world. As does the leadership campaign of the most powerful nation on earth. And a massacre is a school is newsworthy whether you think so or not.

...

ok I fed the troll

mike65

What is it with the bloody French? They seem to think they should be at the centre of the worlds thoughts. As said there has been ongoing coverage for months since it looked like a fiesty two way face off between that fit bird Royale and Nasty Nic.

Mike.

fricatus

mike65 wrote:

...a fiesty two way face off between that fit bird Royale and Nasty Nic.

Mike.

She sure is fit though, isn't she?

Aah, French women...

Macros42 wrote:

...and an election campaign in France is pretty irrelevant to Irish politics, economy, society etc.

Do I understand your use of italics to mean that the campaign is not important, but the result is? I'm sure you could say that about absolutely any election other than our own, where the campaign is of course influenced in some measure by the coverage.

You mention the most powerful nation on earth, by which you presumably mean the USA. Only a fool would try to argue that their election is not in some way relevant to Irish politics, economy and society, I'll give you that.

But France is one of our nearest neighbours and a major player on the world stage (particularly in Africa, the Middle-East and South-East Asia). They're the sixth-biggest economy in the world and our fifth-biggest export market. Most importantly though, they share the same currency as us, so what happens there has a direct influence on ECB rates and therefore our economy and all our mortgages!

How then can you say that the election in France is irrelevant? Maybe it's of lesser importance to us than the US elections, but irrelevant? Come on! It's not Burundi we're talking about.

Orion

fricatus wrote:

She sure is fit though, isn't she?

Aah, French women...

Hell yeah

fricatus wrote:

Do I understand your use of italics to mean that the campaign is not important, but the result is? I'm sure you could say that about absolutely any election other than our own, where the campaign is of course influenced in some measure by the coverage.

You mention the most powerful nation on earth, by which you presumably mean the USA. Only a fool would try to argue that their election is not in some way relevant to Irish politics, economy and society, I'll give you that.

But France is one of our nearest neighbours and a major player on the world stage (particularly in Africa, the Middle-East and South-East Asia). They're the sixth-biggest economy in the world and our fifth-biggest export market. Most importantly though, they share the same currency as us, so what happens there has a direct influence on ECB rates and therefore our economy and all our mortgages!

How then can you say that the election in France is irrelevant? Maybe it's of lesser importance to us than the US elections, but irrelevant? Come on! It's not Burundi we're talking about.

I didn't say the election was irrelevant - I said the campaign is ... pretty much. Obviously - being a near neighbour, permanent member of the UN SC, nuclear power, highly influential EU member, etc - the election result is relevant to all Europe.

But my point was regarding the media. TV/Radio news (I can only assume that was what the OP was referring to as print media have been covering well it for weeks - broadsheets anyway - I don't buy any tabloids) has limited time for stories and as such a 6 week election campaign in France is pretty much ignored in favour of more important things. Now that we're at the first run-off it is being covered - cos it's relevant

fricatus

Macros42 wrote:

I didn't say the election was irrelevant - I said the campaign is ... pretty much. Obviously - being a near neighbour, permanent member of the UN SC, nuclear power, highly influential EU member, etc - the election result is relevant to all Europe.

But my point was regarding the media. TV/Radio news (I can only assume that was what the OP was referring to as print media have been covering well it for weeks - broadsheets anyway - I don't buy any tabloids) has limited time for stories and as such a 6 week election campaign in France is pretty much ignored in favour of more important things. Now that we're at the first run-off it is being covered - cos it's relevant

No, you're right, but you wait and see... the elections in the USA will be scrutinised in minute detail for a WHOLE YEAR and we'll be sick to death of it by the time it comes around.

The US elections probably are more important to this country than the French ones, but the exaggerated magnitude of the coverage American elections get over the big continental European ones is just staggering in this country... and then worse again on Sky News!

I've been to the US, I've been to France, and both are wonderful countries! But the way we're in thrall to all things American here, almost without question, is just sad. Just as sad as the knee-jerk anti-Americanism from the radical Left, and just as sad as the "well, what about Iran, Cuba, etc." response that comes back in riposte.

And they're worse across the Irish Sea! This "special relationship"? UK: I have news for ye lads: go and live in Spain, learn Spanish, watch the news... they'll all be going on about "las relaciones especiales entre Espana y Estados Unidos". I guarantee you it's the same in Germany, Poland, Japan, the Phillipines... though maybe not in France. Everywhere thinks they have a "special relationship" with the USA!

</rant>

mike65

The French have a strong cultural relationship with the USA and a pretty poor politcal one.

As for the US elections yep it'll be hell. Its already boring me.

Mike.

monument

Suddenly?

I can remember seen stuff about it in the Irish Times and the Sunday Business Post and possibly others months ago.