A New Low For TV3 - Release of Lenihan Illness News

dixiefly

If the article below in the Sindo is correct this has been a very low act from TV3. i dont disagree with release of information that has gradually leaked out. But to do it only days after the minister got the news himself and had not told his family and ALSO to tell all the newspapers to selfishly build uo publicity is incredibly callous.

It's the pits really.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/public-anger-at-tv3-intrusion-into-lenihans-serious-illness-1990191.html

Independent.ie
Public anger at TV3 intrusion into Lenihan's serious illness
By DANIEL McCONNELL, JODY CORCORAN and RONALD QUINLAN
Sunday December 27 2009

THE nation was shocked last night at the manner in which TV3 News disclosed that Finance Minister Brian Lenihan was suffering from a serious illness.

Senior government sources spoke of "outrage" across the political spectrum at the insensitive content and tone of a news bulletin broadcast at 5.30pm yesterday, which the station had earlier in the day flagged as a "news story of national importance".

A senior government source said: "TV3 was a total disgrace, at one stage speaking of the minister in the past tense. That was the most disgraceful broadcast I have ever heard."

The station's political editor Ursula Halligan reported: "It's shocking news for members of the public. Brian Lenihan was... eh, is regarded as one of the more popular members of the Government."

A spokesman for the Department of Finance last night felt obliged to issue a statement on the health of Mr Lenihan as a result of mounting speculation throughout the day that he is seriously ill.

Several of Mr Lenihan's Cabinet colleagues did not want to publicly comment on the manner in which TV3 News handled the report because, they said, the Finance Minister had not yet publicly confirmed the nature of his illness, reported by TV3 to be pancreatic cancer.

Andrew Hanlon, TV3 Director of News, last night defended the broadcast.

"We held it for two days to enable him to inform his family," he said.

Asked about the broadcast last night, former minister, Mary O'Rourke, an aunt of Mr Lenihan, was too upset to comment immediately after the broadcast.

It was left to opposition TDs, Mr Lenihan's constituency colleagues, Labour Finance spokeswoman Joan Burton and Fine Gael Enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar, a medical doctor, to reflect the growing anger.

Mr Varadkar said he thought it was "absolutely inappropriate" for TV3 to broadcast details of Mr Lenihan's condition, particularly when the Finance Minister had only received the initial diagnosis in the past few days.

Mr Varadkar said: "I had heard about this last week, but I wasn't sure if it was true. I don't think it was right for this to be aired on the news.

"I think Mr Lenihan should have been given the opportunity of at least a couple of weeks to digest the news with his family before deciding whether or not he wanted to make a statement."

Ms Burton also expressed her anger at TV3's decision: "I think it's a terrible intrusion into Brian and his family's privacy and especially at Christmas. The man has young, teenage children.

"It's certainly not a departure in the media that I would welcome. I'm really shocked that a story like that could be broadcast at Christmas. I just want to wish Brian well."

John McCormack, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, said that the correct course of action was to give the Lenihan family space, especially as the family themselves had made no public announcement.

Last night there was mounting anger that the news was broken on St Stephen's Day while the minister was on holiday with his family. It is understood that not all of Mr Lenihan's family and friends were aware that he was so ill.

The insensitivity of which TV3 is being accused was exacerbated, according to government sources, by the broadcast of comments by consultant oncologist, Professor John Crown, which implied a poor prognosis for Mr Lenihan.

TV3 had earlier contacted all newspapers in Dublin in what government sources regarded as an attempt to gain maximum attention for the bulletin.

Behind the scenes, serious pressure was yesterday brought to bear on TV3 not to disclose the nature of Mr Lenihan's illness before the minister had decided to make a personal statement.

Last night Mr Hanlon sought to defend the station's handling of the report. He said: "TV3 has handled the matter with sensitivity and compassion. We had the story on Christmas Eve and we decided to hold it for two days to enable him to inform members of his family.

"We believe this to be a story of national importance. He is the most important minister in the Government at the moment," he said.

Mr Hanlon also denied that TV3's interview with Prof Crown was inappropriate, claiming Prof Crown was not talking about Mr Lenihan but about pancreatic cancer in general.

The sweeping rumours about the health of the minister led Mr Lenihan's spokesperson to state: "We are not commenting on the rumours except to say the minister is well and enjoying the Christmas break with his family and does not propose talking to the media about anything until the new year."

However, the Sunday Independent understands that, following treatment in hospital earlier this month, Mr Lenihan is now facing a significant "health challenge" in the new year.

It is understood that the 50-year-old minister, who has bravely contended with a difficult 20 months in office, has received a diagnosis within the past three to four days and will undergo further tests, as well as treatment, early in the New Year.

A deeply private man, Mr Lenihan did not wish for details of his illness to be revealed in the lead up to what was, by widespread agreement, the most difficult Budget in living memory -- the Finance Minister's third Budget in just 20 months.

The last six months have, perhaps, been the most stressful in the tenure of any finance minister in the history of the State.

Mr Lenihan has had to contend with the virtual collapse of the banking sector, culminating recently with the passage of legislation giving effect to Nama, the State's bad bank, the design of which was overseen by the minister to help restore financial viability to Ireland's banks.

He was also to the fore in facing down the militant trade union movement in the days and, indeed, hours leading to his Budget earlier this month.

His performance as minister has attracted widespread praise from his admirers, and indeed from his political opponents, who have singled out Mr Lenihan as one of the most impressive performers in Irish politics.

He is now regularly referred to as a potential future leader of Fianna Fail and the Government.

Mr Lenihan has been under unremitting stress in recent months, an image which was starkly highlighted by the economist and journalist, David McWilliams, who, in his recent book, painted a picture of the minister as a man under severe pressure, memorably chewing on cloves of garlic, to help keep him alert -- but also known for its widespread health benefits.

Last night, sources close to the minister were anxious to downplay the significance of his health difficulties, but he was said to be "very positive" and of the belief that he had faced bigger challenges in the past and had overcome them.

However, the past few weeks have been a very worrying time for Mr Lenihan, his wife, Circuit Court Judge Patricia and their two children.

Original indications that Mr Lenihan went into hospital for a routine hernia operation now appear to have been designed to play down the significance of the health issues that the minister is facing.

Mr Lenihan admitted himself to the Mater Private Hospital on December 16 for treatment on what was officially described as a "hernia problem". He was forced to miss the Dail vote on the public sector pay cuts, which was passed 80 votes to 69.

The previous evening, he had attended the Oireachtas Finance Committee Christmas dinner at Fire Restaurant in the Mansion House in Dublin. He was described as being in "good form" and he left relatively early.

It is believed that the minister pulled out of a number of agreed engagements in the run up to Christmas and this led to a rumour in Dublin financial circles about the state of his health.

While Mr Lenihan was diagnosed in the last few days, he spent Christmas with his family, but will return to hospital for treatment early in the new year.

Friends say that Mr Lenihan is "positive" and "not unduly worried".

- DANIEL McCONNELL, JODY CORCORAN and RONALD QUINLAN

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Happy Monday

Completely agree.
Looks like TV3's definition of Christmas was Christmas day only.
Everyone else took it to mean the whole holiday season.
Shame on you TV3!
Best wishes to the man in question and his immediate and extended family.

m@cc@

IBTL. Already done. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055779929

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055779668

GSF

It was probably the case that the Indo were going to splash it on Sunday anyway. :rolleyes:

Since the markets are open again on Monday, I dont really understand this 2 week public holiday stuff. Must be a public sector thing?

Sponge Bob

There are ructions in TV3 right now. Politicians have apparently withdrawn from all of their programmes until Andrew Hanlon is dealt with and at least one major advertiser has pulled all their ads .

bolton1

The fact that TV3 [ or any other news media] went public on Mr Lenihans suggested illness is just proof that our media continues to head for the bottom of gutter journalism.. sadly the gutter type press hides under the banner of so called free speech etc. where has 'common ' decency gone from our sick society, where is the consideration for mr lenehan and his family at this time of xmas . who decided that being a public figure gives us the right to know about such a private matter. certainly not before it is announced either by the family or the persons medical team..
no doubt i will hear of the ''publics right to know'' i am a member of the public and i do not want to know of a familys private difficulties at such a traumatic time......... sadly we have followed the gutter press of other countries , much to the detriment of decency and respect for our fellow man,, of course this is part of the new ireland where respect for our fellow human beings are long gone ..
just ask yourself,,, IF IT WAS YOU, your BROTHER OR DAD THAT WAS SICK would you want it all over the media [ maybe even before you had told your own children] .. i doubt it very much.. DO ONTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE DONE ONTO YOU

we certainly need to reappraise our values and not allow the gutter journalists to drag us further into the mud.. untill we stand up for whats right and decent and tell these people that we have had enough we will continue down the road of disaster.... no doubt i will be slagged off for my opinions.. but the proof of the pudding is in the eating... just look at our society with murders everyday ,, corruption from the top down,, i could go on and on and on ...

Gordon

bolton1 wrote: »

The fact that TV3 [ or any other news media] went public on Mr Lenihans suggested illness is just proof that our media continues to head for the bottom of gutter journalism.. sadly the gutter type press hides under the banner of so called free speech etc. where has 'common ' decency gone from our sick society, where is the consideration for mr lenehan and his family at this time of xmas . who decided that being a public figure gives us the right to know about such a private matter. certainly not before it is announced either by the family or the persons medical team..
no doubt i will hear of the ''publics right to know'' i am a member of the public and i do not want to know of a familys private difficulties at such a traumatic time......... sadly we have followed the gutter press of other countries , much to the detriment of decency and respect for our fellow man,, of course this is part of the new ireland where respect for our fellow human beings are long gone ..
just ask yourself,,, IF IT WAS YOU, your BROTHER OR DAD THAT WAS SICK would you want it all over the media [ maybe even before you had told your own children] .. i doubt it very much.. DO ONTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE DONE ONTO YOU

we certainly need to reappraise our values and not allow the gutter journalists to drag us further into the mud.. untill we stand up for whats right and decent and tell these people that we have had enough we will continue down the road of disaster.... no doubt i will be slagged off for my opinions.. but the proof of the pudding is in the eating... just look at our society with murders everyday ,, corruption from the top down,, i could go on and on and on ...

Moved from Feedback.

adamski8

I dont get it.Thats the sort of thing that can happen when in public life. I dont see what christmas has to do with anything!!! Its not going to make the cancer worse or anything! They are journalists, they report things people want to hear. Should certain people get special treatment???

thomond2006

ITV Ireland TV3 is a tabloid channel.

Nothing they do should come as a surprise.

I wish Mr Lenihan a speedy recovery and my thoughts are with his family.

m@cc@

adamski8 wrote: »

Should certain people get special treatment???

No, no one should have their cancer reported in that way.

Run_to_da_hills

thomond2006 wrote: »

ITV Ireland TV3 is a tabloid channel.

Nothing they do should come as a surprise.

I wish Mr Lenihan a speedy recovery and my thoughts are with his family.

Unfortunitally gutterism sells.

I am a person of free speech but there is a balance between showing some common dignity. TV3 went over the edge.

SV

Well this might just be the most OTT reactions out of people I've ever seen.

jpfahy

Ireland faces a monumental economic crisis. Brian Lenihan is the only person in Government who seems to have a clue. The whole country is depending on him for survival. The fact that he is seriously ill is of huge importance to all of us. This is major news and we were entitled to hear it straight away. TV3 did their duty in reporting it. The other media have failed in their duty by hiding it - what else have they failed to report???
Brian Lenihan is in public life, he entered it voluntarily. Loss of privacy is part and parcel of that and well he knows it.

GSF

jpfahy wrote: »

TV3 did their duty in reporting it. The other media have failed in their duty by hiding it - what else have they failed to report???

RTE seemed to be gloating last about not reporting stories, although it seemed to be as much Davin Power being pissed off at having to come in over the holidays when he had planned to be off for 2 weeks

Mossy Monk

This enforces my belief that TV3 are gutter trash broadcasting company.

baalthor

Such a sanctimonius tone from the organ that brought us the "Liam Lawlor + whore" story.
They're probably pissed off because they didn't get to break the story.

fly_agaric

jpfahy wrote:

The whole country is depending on him for survival.

:rolleyes:then god help us all.

baalthor wrote: »

Such a sanctimonius tone from the organ that brought us the "Liam Lawlor + whore" story.
They're probably pissed off because they didn't get to break the story.

Perhaps but he is one person (I think) they have regard for because of cuts to the "bloated public sector" (TM) and "dole scroungers" (TM) in his budgets.

snubbleste

Our minister for finance is not well.
That is news
and
should be reported as such.

Seriously misleading headline 'Public anger at TV3 intrusion into Lenihan's serious illness'

bolton1

I COULDNT AGREE MORE,, WHAT THE MEDIA HAS DONE IS A DISGRACE,, HOW DARE THESE OVERPAID YOBS IN THE MEDIA TELL ME THAT I HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT SOMEONES PRIVATE BUSINESS, WHETHER THIS PERSON IS EMPLOYED IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE OR NOT .. THESE LOW FORM OF HUMANITY WILL BE PEEPING INTO MR LENEHANS HOUSE TO SEE WHAT THE FAMILY ARE DOING ''UNDER THE GUIDSE OF OUR RIGHT TO . THE SOONER THE BETTER WE BRING IN LAWS THAT PROTECT US SCUM REPORTING AND GIVE US BACK OUR PRIVACY THE BETTER

Schism

snubbleste wrote: »

Our minister for finance is not well.
That is news
and
should be reported as such.

Seriously misleading headline 'Public anger at TV3 intrusion into Lenihan's serious illness'

Yes, it is news but for God's sake let the man break it himself. Are you any better off knowing this now than you would be in two weeks or a month?

Just because he's in a position of importance doesn't mean he isn't still an everyday man just diagnosed with a serious illness.

mike65

Before anyone thinks the media bar TV3 were hiding something they weren't, they were merely allowing the Lenihan family a bit of time and space before an official statement is released. I'm quite sure the government was informed quickly and that Cowen will have a successor penciled in for the dept of finance.

Ordinary man

A lot of people seem to be saying they had heard and speculation was growing about it so why should they not get it out in the open. Ireland needs foreign interests to be confident about our running of the country and speculation doesn't help that. He needs to step down and look after himself now and let someone else take over. Yes, i have symphathy for him and his family but the finance minister is a vital job at the minute and the way he/she is viewed by others has a massive bearing on the future for us all.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Christmas or not, this is something that should be left ot the individual to report. If I had a serious illness and someone told my family before I decided to tell them in my own way, I'd be livid too.

And Lenihan's position does not make it an issue of national importance. He's not on his deathbed.

EDIT - That Ursula one always looked a bit overly dramatic to me. That said, she seems to have toned it down a bit.

ateam

"THE nation was shocked last night at the manner in which TV3 News disclosed that Finance Minister Brian Lenihan was suffering from a serious illness."

- Sindo

Talk about gutter press, this is sensationalist nonsense.

Mark200

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Christmas or not, this is something that should be left ot the individual to report. If I had a serious illness and someone told my family before I decided to tell them in my own way, I'd be livid too.

And Lenihan's position does not make it an issue of national importance. He's not on his deathbed.

What makes you think that TV3 managed to find out before his own family did?


TV3 shouldn't have reported it this close to Christmas... they should have waited a few weeks. But at the same time they did nothing seriously wrong. They lacked empathy but if the reaction of:

"Politicians have apparently withdrawn from all of their programmes until Andrew Hanlon is dealt with and at least one major advertiser has pulled all their ads ."

is true, then that's way over the top.

Kimbot

The man is a public figure. This news is of major importance to the public, we already have a cr@p government and now it may get worse if he steps down and someone else is appointed.

I think TV3 should not be getting this much bad rap for reporting it cos any other news station/paper would do the same.

gcgirl

To be very honest if TV3 had not ran it it would have been in the Sindo today! Anyone remember they ran the Liam Lawlor in a crash with a hooker story Which was a complete hash of lies! I do feel sorry for Brian Lenihan i would not wish anything like this on my worst enemy but thats what happens when your in the public eye!

ateam

gcgirl wrote: »

To be very honest if TV3 had not ran it it would have been in the Sindo today! Anyone remember they ran the Liam Lawlor in a crash with a hooker story Which was a complete hash of lies! I do feel sorry for Brian Lenihan i would not wish anything like this on my worst enemy but thats what happens when your in the public eye!

The Sindo taking a higher moral ground is pretty laughable alright.

Mark200

Actually it appears that the anger isn't about the fact that it was reported, but how it was reported:

The station's political editor Ursula Halligan reported: "It's shocking news for members of the public. Brian Lenihan was... eh, is regarded as one of the more popular members of the Government."

TV3 had earlier contacted all newspapers in Dublin in what government sources regarded as an attempt to gain maximum attention for the bulletin.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/public-anger-at-tv3-intrusion-into-lenihans-serious-illness-1990191.html

dixiefly

adamski8 wrote: »

I dont get it.Thats the sort of thing that can happen when in public life. I dont see what christmas has to do with anything!!! Its not going to make the cancer worse or anything! They are journalists, they report things people want to hear. Should certain people get special treatment???

There is a certain period of time that should be given in these cases no matter how "public" the person is. Christmas, whether you like it or not, is a special time of the year for families and an organisation with any semblance of decency would have respected that.

LookingFor

I'm sort of split on this.

It's a journalist's duty to report where something's in the public interest, and this likely falls under that.

It's not their job to be dictated to when and where to report by the government. They have to use their own judgment on that.

Referring to him in the past tense was of course poor form though. But simply reporting the news given that he is a figure of public interest? I dunno. It is a bit TMZ, but then some people would say TMZ and the like are truly journalists, truly uncovering news and not waiting for some PR person to deliver it to them.

If TV3's handling was insensitive, however, RTE's sounded like it was written by the government's press department. And after getting their digs in at TV3 for scooping the news, they then proceeded to ask the exact same questions of their political corrospondent as TV3's news presenters did with Halligan.

I also dislike journalists who claim to know the mood of the nation on something and speak for 'the nation' as in that Sindo article. I somehow doubt 'the nation' was shocked by TV3's handling of it. The government and political spectrum is not 'the nation'.

Sharpshooter

m@cc@ wrote: »

IBTL. Already done. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055779929

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055779668

We don't need another thread on this.