Seanad to debate 'excess RTÉ negativity'

Essexboy

Start of FF attack on the media?
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1020/seanad_rte.html

FF have never been happy with RTÉ. Now they want to use it as a scapegoat for their own unpopularity.
Look at the complainants eg Terry Leyden, close friend of "Stroke" Fahy.
maybe Pat Kenny should demand "due process"!
What next? licensing newspapers?

Lenny Lovett

Essexboy wrote: »

Start of FF attack on the media?
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1020/seanad_rte.html

FF have never been happy with RTÉ. Now they want to use it as a scapegoat for their own unpopularity.
Look at the complainants eg Terry Leyden, close friend of "Stroke" Fahy.
maybe Pat Kenny should demand "due process"!
What next? licensing newspapers?

Typical. Sick kids can't get treatment, the country is broke and all the Seanad have to concern them is whether RTE are having a pop at them. The sooner they disband that debating club the better.

super_furry

That's pretty scary Soviet-era type stuff there.

donkey balls

I thought i was hearing things on the last word when Matt said they would be doing a story on it,Never got a chance to listen to it must check out the podcast.Just goes to show what type of morans we have as so called public reps:mad:.

Augmerson

Your tax Euro's at work people.

Lenny Lovett

And we are soon due the Greens attempt to ban dogs chasing wabbits. You just couldn't make up the sh1t that these clowns come up with:pac:

drBill

Bloody hell. Surely to God they have more important things to be doing?!

If it was any other country I'd say this was a wind up but only in Ireland would you be paid a salary to engage in this kind of nonsense.

Perhaps they could save time by suggesting that Pat Kenny commit suicide, and move on.

PanchoVilla

drBill wrote: »

Bloody hell. Surely to God they have more important things to be doing?!

It's the Seanad, they really don't.

maynooth_rules

This is the same RTE that apologies for running an article about painting of Biffo

Overheal

He was supporting a call for such a debate from Fianna Fáil Senator Terry Leyden who said that RTÉ was obliged, under legislation, to be impartial and objective in its programming.

I'd like to be pointed to this body of Legislation, thanks.

bleg

Things are pretty negative at the moment. They're just reporting what's going on and how people feel. Though senators living in cloud cuckoo land might not realise how bad things are for people.

mikemac

Overheal wrote: »

I'd like to be pointed to this body of Legislation, thanks.

The key pieces of legislation for public service broadcasting are the 1960 Act, the Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act 1976 and the Broadcasting Act 2001.

Section 3 of the 1976 Act added to section 18 of the 1960 Act states that:

(1)(a) All news broadcast by it (RTÉ) is reported and presented in an objective and impartial manner and without any expression of the Authority’s own view
(1)(b) The broadcast treatment of current affairs, including matters which are either of public controversy or the subject of current public debate, is fair to all interests concerned and that the broadcast matter is presented in an objective and impartial manner and without any expression of the Authority’s own views

http://www.rte.ie/about/pdfs/programmeguidelines2008_eng.pdf

Wasn't difficult to find in fairness

Overheal

So wouldn't this entire ploy be indicative of the Authority's own views? And what case examples do they provide for RTE violation?

Again driving the point home, that there needs to be more Privately-controlled media.

Liam Byrne

Given the usual fare on The Late Late Show and Prime Time, I'd say that RTE are far too pro-FF.

Anyway, I'm surprised that FF is even worried; they didn't even realise that people were listening to RTE back when Cowen made a fool of himself.....sure didn't they blame Twitter for pointing that out ?

goose2005

Comrades! A glorious new dawn is arriving! Tractor production in the Leitrim Autonomous Oblast has increased by 20%! Crush the forces of Kennyite-Gilmorite reaction!

the groutch

any chance of RTE being impartial has gone out the window a long long time ago

jock101

The Seanad and RTE are both a waste of taxpayers money! So it makes me laugh to see one useless "so called" institution slag off another!:):rolleyes::pac:

imme

Nice to see the Senator taking time out from his important representational responsibilities to tackle this big issue.:rolleyes:


He usually reserves his energies for more important issues.

http://www.terryleyden.com/index_files/Page1089.htm

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Micky Machiavelli

Essexboy wrote: »

Start of FF attack on the media?
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1020/seanad_rte.html

FF have never been happy with RTÉ. Now they want to use it as a scapegoat for their own unpopularity.
Look at the complainants eg Terry Leyden, close friend of "Stroke" Fahy.
maybe Pat Kenny should demand "due process"!
What next? licensing newspapers?

There is definetely an anti FF element in RTE, and its unjust. You dont see FG or Labour getting the same criticism. This sort of thing is not on in an democratic society.

Liam Byrne

Micky Machiavelli wrote: »

There is definetely an anti FF element in RTE, and its unjust. You dont see FG or Labour getting the same criticism. This sort of thing is not on in an democratic society.

You also don't see FG or Labour leaders getting their arses licked on TLLS.

Micky Machiavelli

Liam Byrne wrote: »

You also don't see FF or Labour leaders getting their arses licked on TLLS.

Not true, there is a shocking degree of anti-FF bias in the media and its not on anymore. Equality and respect for all.

The Raven.

Micky Machiavelli wrote: »

There is definetely an anti FF element in RTE, and its unjust. You dont see FG or Labour getting the same criticism. This sort of thing is not on in an democratic society.

There is an anti-FF element everywhere - for darned good reasons! Do you expect people to pretend? Oh wait...:eek:!

Liam Byrne

Micky Machiavelli wrote: »

Not true,

What ? Show me where Kenny or Gilmore have been fawned upon like Cowen & Ahern.

Micky Machiavelli wrote: »

there is a shocking degree of anti-FF bias in the media and its not on anymore. Equality and respect for all.

Correction : equality and respect for those who deserve it / have earned it.

This is yet another case of shooting the messenger.

If and when FF stop screwing up and being corrupt and costing us billions, THEN they might deserve some respect.

PeterIanStaker

Micky Machiavelli wrote: »

Not true, there is a shocking degree of anti-FF bias in the media and its not on anymore. Equality and respect for all.

Low-postcount FF troll makes suprise appearance!!

Also the Seanad is a waste of space, and isn't Bertie's little lapdog Harris still involved in RTE or has he alienated all his former WP cronies by ratting on them?

Sir Oxman

Essexboy wrote: »

Start of FF attack on the media?
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1020/seanad_rte.html

FF have never been happy with RTÉ. Now they want to use it as a scapegoat for their own unpopularity.
Look at the complainants eg Terry Leyden, close friend of "Stroke" Fahy.
maybe Pat Kenny should demand "due process"!
What next? licensing newspapers?

This is an outcome of their PP meeting Monday night:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1020/1224281544135.html?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4cbe2bfdc35eec33,0

“Generally the feeling was The Frontline was a bit like Joe Duffy with pictures. Seán Ó Fearghail said they were actually depressing people and were so negative. It wasn’t about politics, it was about the national psyche,” one deputy, speaking on the basis of anonymity, said."

I like that first part of the quote!

Also, this is undoubtedly a threat:

"It was suggested the Government should continue to pay for “free” television licences for citizens who qualify for them, but the money should not go to RTÉ." (!)

The good, moral upstanding parliamentarians of FF speak!

I'd love to see this can of worms opened up as RTE's output is dreadfully biased towards FF in my opinion.

Sir Oxman

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

Low-postcount FF troll makes suprise appearance!!

Also the Seanad is a waste of space, and isn't Bertie's little lapdog Harris still involved in RTE or has he alienated all his former WP cronies by ratting on them?

That lickspittle was allowed time on the national airwaves this morning and the interview by McCoille was unsurprsingly, insipid.

This verbose chameleon is allowed unfettered access to the media in Ireland merely because he's one of Ahern's 'mates' who was placed in an extravagant salaried job for doing his 'bit'

PeterIanStaker

gambiaman wrote: »

That lickspittle was allowed time on the national airwaves this morning and the interview by McCoille was unsurprsingly, insipid.

This verbose chameleon is allowed unfettered access to the media in Ireland merely because he's one of Ahern's 'mates' who was placed in an extravagant salaried job for doing his 'bit'

Exactly. Couldn't have put it better myself. He's an FF mouthpiece bought and paid for. And RTE are supposed to be "neutral" :rolleyes: Mark my words that viper will be on the Late Late if a GE is called. Just like the last time . Pathetic, but people will continue to fall for it.

smellslikeshoes

Absolutely amazing that they think RTE is biased against them. I'm of the opinion that RTE go far far too easy on them compared to the opposition. And don't even get me started on the nauseating appearances on the Late Late.

Absolute waste is space is all the Seanad is, abolish and be done with it.

Shea O'Meara

The Late Late is a disgrace. Pro FFail sentiment every week. 'We have it bad, but it could be worse' FFail mouthpieces on every other week introduced as friends of the show, one of the collective 'us'. And when a FFail party member isn't a guest they have Tubbs himself on anyway.
I don't hear them bitch about Tubbs.

I honestly believe this move is to have a whinge so they can curtail any genuine reporting on their actions and in-actions. Basically, they ****ed us, they are still ****ing us, but we don't need to know about it.
If they get their way we'll only hear bull**** fluff and 'Johnny in Carlow got himself a job, well done Johnny. And now here's our Brian to tell us about his budget.'

dan_d

To be honest, my response to that is ' so what'??
They can debate away.What does it achieve?As I understand it, they've no power anyway.So they can have their little chat.
Good to see they've got big, important things to think about..

Brussels Sprout

Don't like the message? Shoot the messenger.

Lenny Lovett

Micky Machiavelli wrote: »

Not true, there is a shocking degree of anti-FF bias in the media and its not on anymore. Equality and respect for all.

Ah will you stop FFS! I'd call it concise reporting of facts. If they will insist on lying to us, mis-appropriating our tax revenue, making cock up after cock up then it deserves to be posted. The big sh1t hasn't even got near the fan yet. Wait 'til we hear the true extent of the damages to the country's finance and see what happens.

dan_d wrote: »

To be honest, my response to that is ' so what'??
They can debate away.What does it achieve?As I understand it, they've no power anyway.So they can have their little chat.
Good to see they've got big, important things to think about..

In a sense I'd agree but the real tragedy is that we're paying these clowns to participate in the world's most expensive and cosseted debating club and that cannot go on. The money they're embezzling being paid would be far better spent in so many sectors of Irish society.

mike65

FF are a bunch of big girls blowses, they should have a look at C4 News or BBC Newsnight to see how things could be if anyone in RTE had balls and so how easy a time of it they actually have. The Late Late Show is an embarrasment on many levels but the blantent use of it by FF (thanks to Tubbers complicity) is a new low.

drBill

Terry Leyden was talking to Matt Cooper again today. Didn't hear the whole article but the gist of it seemed to be (and excuse the bad mafia speak):
'You donta showa da respecta to da fianna faila, you losa da license fee money'
He even commented that the RTE director general was on too high a salary.
Or to paraphrase it (without the mafia speak)
'If you want to keep your nice salary and pension Mr Director General, you better give your boys a shout and tell them to start being nicer to fianna fail.' .
This really is a banna republic.

jmayo

Essexboy wrote: »

Start of FF attack on the media?
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1020/seanad_rte.html

FF have never been happy with RTÉ. Now they want to use it as a scapegoat for their own unpopularity.
Look at the complainants eg Terry Leyden, close friend of "Stroke" Fahy.
maybe Pat Kenny should demand "due process"!
What next? licensing newspapers?

I await the ff led Seanad motion to sanction fellow senator Shane Ross for being too negative with his book The Wasters for pointing out how much money was wasted by the ff regimes over the last numebr of years and for his book The Bankers for being overly negative about the supporters/friends of ff, errr otherwise known as the bankers and the developers.

they have no need to license newspapers as they are already on side.

Liam Byrne wrote: »

You also don't see FF or Labour leaders getting their arses licked on TLLS.

Well we have had bertie, biffo, mary weapon o'rourke and willie liar/slanderer o'dea as guests.
I am waiting in anticipation of the arrival of stroke fahy and ray burke.

Shea O'Meara wrote: »

The Late Late is a disgrace. Pro FFail sentiment every week. 'We have it bad, but it could be worse' FFail mouthpieces on every other week introduced as friends of the show, one of the collective 'us'. And when a FFail party member isn't a guest they have Tubbs himself on anyway.
I don't hear them bitch about Tubbs.
...

A comatose Gay Byrne would be a more honest presenter on that show.
Hard to believe but he makes Pat Kenny look world class.

Liam Byrne

jmayo wrote: »

Well we have had bertie, biffo, mary weapon o'rourke and willie liar/slanderer o'dea as guests.
I am waiting in anticipation of the arrival of stroke fahy and ray burke.

I only noticed today that I mistyped "FG"......must edit that post in case it looks like I'm a liar!

Memnoch

Overheal wrote: »

So wouldn't this entire ploy be indicative of the Authority's own views? And what case examples do they provide for RTE violation?

Again driving the point home, that there needs to be more Privately-controlled media.

You mean like Fox News? Because privately controlled media can't have a political agenda or be influenced into dropping journalistic standards?

No F'ing THANKS.

Organisations like RTE and the BBC are vital to the fabric of true democracy. And while they are far from perfect they are also far, far better than the potential alternatives.

RDM_83 again

What I can't understand is why they don't include a bit of debate about INM's near monopoly since they're doing media stuff anyway

daltonm

It's bully time again - remember the "Crowne Affair"...


.http://www.independent.ie/national-news/harney-was-offered-to-rte-if-crown-axed-1222548.html

Shea O'Meara

Liam Byrne wrote: »

I only noticed today that I mistyped "FG"......must edit that post in case it looks like I'm a liar!

I'd thought you'd gone rogue:eek:

goose2005

Micky Machiavelli wrote: »

There is definetely an anti FF element in RTE, and its unjust. You dont see FG or Labour getting the same criticism. This sort of thing is not on in an democratic society.

FG and Lab have virtually no power, therefore far less responsiblity, therefore far less criticism.

gurramok

Why don't they criticise TV3 'negativity'?

Of course, its nothing to do with the RTE TV tax!!(you get it, semi-state controlled tv at stake here)

Lenny Lovett

gurramok wrote: »

Why don't they criticise TV3 'negativity'?

Of course, its nothing to do with the RTE TV tax!!(you get it, semi-state controlled tv at stake here)

Because we don't directly fund TV3 like we do RTE and hence TV3 would (as RTE should) tell 'em to f**k off. It smacks of the old Soviet era.Do these Morons really think RTE is their solely for their benefit and to spread their gospel? Maybe they should re-name RTE as Pravda for the duration of this Government if they insist on telling RTE what they can say or do.

bigbluesky

the big stick is being waved

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rtes-euro55m-for-pensioner-tv-licences-under-threat-in-budget-2388831.html

Liam Byrne

Fianna Fail Limerick West TD Niall Collins said TDs should boycott the [Frontline] show, which he described as entertainment rather than current affairs.

Any chance you'd get them to boycott TLLS as well, Niall ? I mean, that's MEANT to be entertainment.

Liam Byrne

Shea O'Meara wrote: »

I'd thought you'd gone rogue:eek:

Never, Shea.....unlike our so-called leaders, I have principles!

It's funny, actually, I remember discussing having a talk-show that had politicians on, and I reckoned that after a week or so, none of them would have the guts to come on.

Those talk-show hosts do have to strike a fine line with lots of fragile "I did nothing wrong / this is a witch-hunt" egos around the place.

Of course, if they did the job they are paid for correctly and weeded out corruption and self-serving expenses, there'd be nothing to criticise them for.

A fact that they refuse to even consider.

Laminations

The idea that RTE should be balanced and neutral is being misinterpreted and twisted by many (mostly in the FF camp) who are feeling hard done by. RTE are like a scales and should accurately reflect the news and sentiment of the day. A scales becomes useless if you think it should be even Stevens when measuring any two objects. RTE are excessively negative because the scales are weighed down by so much ****e. RTEs requirement of neutrality and balance kicks in if it tries to treat a FF government failure differently from a FG etc government failure. It cannot assert fairness by reporting opposition failures to balance out government failures (not that that'd be any more positive) because the two aren't comparable. The Seanad debate is daft and flags them up as being redundant.

I should ask Terry Leydon to bite a banana and a chilli and complain if he has different reactions to the taste. Balance is about even handedness, and it's fair to say a chilli is hot just like it's fair to report the economy is on life support and the government have induced a coma.