Social Correspondents - Why Do They Do It?

uvox

Remember Trevor Danker of the Indo? Terry Keane?

What motivates these kind of reporters? It cannot be the money (I doubt any are in the Nigel Dempster wealth league). The career prospects are zilch (can you imagine making it onto the Irish Times Trust). The abuse heaped on them is massive (translation: Barry Egan). Yet, they go on and on and on, year after year. It's not like it's a punishment being sent out as a court reporter or something.

So, is it the fame by association (Gavin Lambe-Murphy anyone)? The birds? The parties? Free drink? Pics in the paper with famous people? Chance to be a judge on X-factor, or the all-Ireland talent show? Therapy? Revenge? Just a laugh?

I must say though I do enjoy the snarkier approach of Michael O'Doherty:

http://bit.ly/agngdl

"I used to like Bruce Forsyth. Now I think of him as an older, albeit more talented version of Mark Little. Which is no compliment in any man's language. "

(What's all that about? The Sunday Tribune tries something similar but hasn't got the cojones to sink it in to the hilt.)

All said, we knock 'em, but they're responsible for selling a geansai load of copies.

jdivision

Probably because they're amongst the best paid in the business. A sad reflection on the industry

Sergeant

In the case of Egan I would imagine it goes someway toward feeding his astonishing ego.

IRE60

the sh1t isn't heaped on Mr Egan - he willingly courts it. If he sees a pile of it he throws himself prostrate on it (while sneakily sliding a bit for later into a spare pocket).

Aidric

Anyone know who writes the dedalus column on the back page of The Sunday Times?

sundaypapers

John Burns or Richard Oakley I'd say,

jdivision

There's a few people involved, including one surprising name from the past

Plowman

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Sergeant

Plowman wrote: »

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Brilliant stuff, he was always bumping into Gerald Kean and George McMahon "who plays Mondo in Fair City".

The Irish "celeb" scene is ripe for parody. Butler pulled it off well.