Irish Media Over Hyping Ganging Killings - Social and Economic Damage Caused By?

ClovenHoof

So I am over in my cousin's house and they are talking to her husbands in laws in Canada (on Skype) about their upcoming trip to Ireland and I hear. "Stay away from Dublin!...Murder Capital of Europe...People Being Gunned Down in the Streets!!! and 'YOU COULD BE SHOT IN BROAD DAYLIGHT!'

It was like Liveline on steroids. When I tried to interject that Dublin's murder rate is not even near the top of European stats, I get back. "Do you not see the news!!!"

It got me thinking. I do not read tabloids, but a cursory look at them in the newsagents in town - especially the Sunday World - there is almost a sexual obsession with gang violence among Irish newspaper journalists. It is almost like you get the impression that none of them will be happy until Dublin is Detroit. But who also remembers a decade ago when they were salivating over 'Limerick Murder Capital'. They descended on that city like leeches at the time saying the same.

I guess I was kind of naive thinking that most people knew this was media hype and murder rates in Ireland are not high at all. Yet, between my relations and listening to conversations in public places, it seems that most Irish people have indeed fallen under the spell of these sensationalist tabloid headlines.

When you see the potential economic damage it can have on the country in terms of putting off visitors from overseas, these journalists might be doing some serious economic damage on top of the social insecurities they already create at home.

Harry Palmr

Stupid Americans/Canadians are Stupid, how many Irish refuse to holiday in the USA with its rampaging killing sprees? (actually its been a while since the last one)

KERSPLAT!

That's a really long thread title