Coverage of Furlong case

Snickers Man

OK This might be a tricky time for a discussion such as this and I have no intention of debating the merits of the Nicola Furlong murder trial which is ongoing at the time of writing.

But I am surprised at the amount of effort and resources our national broadcaster is putting into coverage of same. RTE seems to have despatched former US correspondent Robert Shortt to Tokyo for the duration (how expensive is that?) and also conducted an in-depth interview with the deceased girl's family before they left for the trial in Japan.

Other national media are taking a big interest in the story, although not so far as I can see to the point of flying a dedicated staffer to the other side of the world to cover it.

I don't mean in any way to belittle its importance to the family or the gruesome experience they have to undergo of listening to strangers discussing the last hours of their daughter's life. But why are RTE committing so much effort to such a story?

Is it because the defendant is a black man?
Is it because, as the weasel words have it "drink was a factor" in the case and we all have to be warned about its fatal consequences?
Is it because the violent death of a beautiful young woman is deemed by some to be more newsworthy than more mundane matters closer to home like bank bailouts, property tax, austerity drives etc?


I am mystified. Although maybe only in my non ultra cynical moments.

mike65

Seriously if you think race is an issue you probably need a slap.

My own suspicion for RTEs ludicrously excessive coverage is that is all a bit "exotic", Irish woman in Japan killed by another foreigner who is a musician and the suggestion of kinky angle to the killing. Thrown in the 'emotional journey' of the grieving family members, the potential for a death sentence and the almost 100% conviction rate for "sex crimes" .Its all very soap opera friendly.

The case regarding the rape/murder of Jill Meagher in boring old Australia has got a fraction of the coverage.

catallus

mike65 wrote: »

Seriously if you think race is an issue you probably need a slap.

My own suspicion for RTEs ludicrously excessive coverage is that is all a bit "exotic", Irish woman in Japan killed by another foreigner who is a musician and the suggestion of kinky angle to the killing. Thrown in the 'emotional journey' of the grieving family members, the potential for a death sentence and the almost 100% conviction rate for "sex crimes" .Its all very soap opera friendly.

The case regarding the rape/murder of Jill Meagher in boring old Australia has got a fraction of the coverage.

The crime in Australia is being covered just as much as the one in Japan.

Correspondents are sent over there so we don't have to get our news from facebook.

And to say that either one is "Soap opera friendly" shows a mental detachment from reality and emotionally stunted mindset from you. Really, if you listened to the news instead of trolling about RTE you wouldn't make such childish comments.

Snickers Man

mike65 wrote: »

Seriously if you think race is an issue you probably need a slap.

Just threw it out as a possibility. That's all.

For what it's worth, I think it's more likely to be option 2, the drink factor. Given the moral panic about how drink is the ruination of the country at the moment, I think that it's not too hard for editorial management to use the cautionary tale of "Don't go drinking with guys you don't know" as an excuse to prise open some travel budget.

But that's just me.

mike65

catallus wrote: »

The crime in Australia is being covered just as much as the one in Japan.

Correspondents are sent over there so we don't have to get our news from facebook.

And to say that either one is "Soap opera friendly" shows a mental detachment from reality and emotionally stunted mindset from you. Really, if you listened to the news instead of trolling about RTE you wouldn't make such childish comments.

I'm a veteran media watcher. I have a good understanding why they do what they do and the calculations they make regarding story value, resources and air time.

catallus

Ok, Mike65, fair enough but to put the tag of soap-opera onto the heinous death of a woman is a bit crass and cynical, when we can all see and hear the circumstances of that death; the reporters there are doing a good job of communicating the trial.

Can anyone explain why RTE radio are taking reports from the Irish Independent reporter instead of Shortt? Pat Kenny is talking to the Independent's reporter since last week; not knocking him, he's doing a great service.