Why no left-wing newspapers in Ireland?

Luisella

I moved to Dublin a few months ago, and I was surprised I couldn't find any newspaper with critical views on capitalism.

What are the most left-wing media outlets in Ireland? Is there any radio station of that sort?

mike65

Prey tell who would pay to advertise in a commie rag? In a recession?

Luisella

"commie rag". wow, you're sophisticated!

mike65

Sorry I was being "flip", I'm not aware of any true left wing newspapers - all the nationals
are centre or right of centre with some left wing inclined writers.

Irish media doesn't really work on ideological split-lines, its all about the market. Those property pages are what made Irish papers quite profitable.

Radio likewise, RTE as publicly funded body has the most leftish content in terms of
"tone" and guests but again - the subtext is that the market rules and that its failings are fixable. No commercial station is going to suggest "collectivism" - they need ad revenue to survive.

Stargal

Yep, mike65 is right. No major publication is overly left-wing, at least partly because Irish politics is far more ideologically pragmatic than most countries and there hasn't traditionally been a big left/right divide.

The only strongly left-wing papers are produced by political parties and have tiny circulations; the Socialist Party has a useful list of publications including their own newspaper and the Socialist Workers Partyalso have a newspaper. Labour Youth have a publication called the Left Tribune which can be downloaded from here.

You should probably check out Indymedia as well. Not a fan of it myself - badly written, biased and as vehemently on-message as the people that they claim to hate - but it has the odd good piece.

mikemac

Good info from Stargal.

You'd probably like www.indymedia.ie. Many don't but if that's your thing, then check it out

ArseBurger

mikemac wrote: »

Good info from Stargal.

You'd probably like www.indymedia.ie. Many don't but if that's your thing, then check it out

Ah - they're not really left wing. More conforming anarchists.

thusspakeblixa

Luisella wrote: »

I moved to Dublin a few months ago, and I was surprised I couldn't find any newspaper with critical views on capitalism.

What are the most left-wing media outlets in Ireland? Is there any radio station of that sort?

If you go into Dublin city centre, in Temple Bar there is a place called "Connolly Books".
They stock all left-wing newspapers and periodicals, as well as their own publication - Socialist Voice (Connolly Books is owned by the Communist Party).
You can also download it here I think

Luisella

After some research I found the bi-monthly pubblication of the Workers Solidarity Movement ( the one involved with the abortion amendment of 1992 ). And a very different one, the bi-weekly magazine Hot Press.

I will soon make a visit to "Connolly Books", thanks!

lostexpectation

if your looking for more independent publishing, which may be likley to have left wing stance, you might look at ngo newsletters,their mostly just for internal readership but you should be able to get your hands on them, people like the community workers council etc.

panda100

Connoly books is your best option tbh.

DCTV (Dublin Community Television) often screens independent left wing docu's filmed in Ireland. However its only available on digital tv

dayshah

Advertising revenue is an issue, but in England you have the Guardian and the Mirror (though they aren't anti-capitalist, they are to the left of The Irish Times or The Star).

I think people will advertise wherever there is an audience, if placing an ad is profitable they wont care about the political slant of the paper. However, a left wing paper might refuse to accept business from the likes of Ryanair.

As 38% of workers are union members (and Labour + Sinn Féin get about 20 -25% of the vote), but almost all Irish papers are anti-union, there should be a market for a paper that is as left wing as the Guardian or Mirror are in Old Blighty.

NUIG_FiannaFail

Irish people don't want to hear about "revolution" and "socialism". Capitalism and the market is the only way and Irish people know this. We just want to work in the national interest and that is why we vote for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

not bakunin

NUIG_FiannaFail wrote: »

Irish people don't want to hear about "revolution" and "socialism". Capitalism and the market is the only way and Irish people know this. We just want to work in the national interest and that is why we vote for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

My, but what broad terms you speak in! Yes, FF know us all too well...

MagicSean

mikemac wrote: »

Good info from Stargal.

You'd probably like www.indymedia.ie. Many don't but if that's your thing, then check it out

They can really make me laugh. When I first came across an article on their site I actually thought it was supposed to be a joke article. I don't think they do their movement many favours.

Denerick

I don't know why you're surprised. Ireland has slightly over 4 million people, the UK has 60 million. They have a broad spectrum of newspapers from left to right but they also have 14 times more people. Specialisation in the media market is unviable hence why we get centrist/populist papers written by untalented hacks (Our best journalists work for British papers)

pog it

Denerick wrote: »

I don't know why you're surprised. Ireland has slightly over 4 million people, the UK has 60 million. They have a broad spectrum of newspapers from left to right but they also have 14 times more people. Specialisation in the media market is unviable hence why we get centrist/populist papers written by untalented hacks (Our best journalists work for British papers)

Hi Denerick. Just wondering who these journalists are? I don't read UK papers but I'd be really interested to find out more and see the differences.

Denerick

pog it wrote: »

Hi Denerick. Just wondering who these journalists are? I don't read UK papers but I'd be really interested to find out more and see the differences.

Conor Cruise O'Brien was the editor of the Observer for years. (Now deceased, an all round colourful character with strange politics) You see the occasional Irish name pop up in the Independent and the Guardian (The only British papers I read) There is also that guy who reports for the BBC foreign service. Perhaps my point was too all encompassing. I was referring to the likes of Fintan O'Toole and John Waters when talking about our indigenous mediocre hacks, who for some reason make my blood boil.

(I love Vincent Browne though)

kpbdublin

The Irish Times used to have an influential Workers Party faction, but this has declined in recent years. The paper is probably more right-wing than it was. Some commentators such as Fintan O'Toole are still a touch pink.


The workers party also infiltrated RTE for a time. Depending on the journalist it can still be left-wing in tone.

The Sunday Indo has a token leftie in the form of Gene Kerrigan.

Even though a lot of the commentary in various publications is right wing in tone, many of the news reports are revealing and hardly favourable to the running dogs of capitalism.

Village magazine attracts left-wing commentators, but after an early flourish it is now ponderous and infrequent.

For leftie anoraks, Cedar Lounge Revolution is a must . Want to find out about obscure socialist factions from the seventies? It's essential reading.
http://cedarlounge.wordpress.com

There is an opening for a left wing paper, but it needs to have a cutting edge. Too many socialists believe that worthiness is next to Godliness, and seem to leave their senses of humour at the gates of the commune.