Galway Beo

Homelander

I can't put into words how much I hate this website. It's been around a while but I usually ignore it, they take click-bait to levels I wouldn't even have thought imaginable. They make The Sun look like The Business Post.

Their headlines aren't just tabloid, they are literally invented and completely false and misleading in the extreme, not to mention the articles are written like a child's school essay. It must be so embarrassing to say you are a 'journalist' but you work at Galway Beo.

Anyway, take this latest example which prompted me to make this post. Galway Bay fm had a story about anti-social behavior in Merlin Park.

https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/demand-for-action-on-anti-social-behavior-at-merlin-park-hospital/

Galway Beo ripped it off with "Galway Hospital Hell as gangs use new method to take advantage of lack of Gardai".

What is the "hospital hell"? Who are these "gangs"? What is this "new method?"

The entire article is ripped straight from the Galway Bay story and sound clip, but neither at all mention any of those words.

It's literally a story about teenagers bushing at Merlin Park and Galway Beo have invented a ridiculously scandalous fake headline to farm clicks.

If anyone from Galway Beo is reading this, you are absolutely pathetic in the extreme, an absolute embarrassment to the words journalism and news. If I was hiring, 'Galway Beo' listed under experience would be an instant shredder job.

Mrs OBumble

They employe copywriters, not journalists. Don't ever mistake the two.

ThePentagon

I read the website a few months ago when it reported on the death of young local person. The article actually quoted entries from the condolence book on rip.ie. WTF 😲

Gadgetman496

Couldn't agree more with the OP, shocking site altogether.

Who's behind it?

gammygils

Yeah I hate Galway Beo. Galway Daily is much better

Gadgetman496

This is all I could find about who's behind it, from a Near FM article about it's launch in 2021

Darragh Berry, editor of Galway Beo website, about the launch of the website in September 2021 and about what he and his team hope to achieve with the website. Galway Beo is part of the Reach PLC media company and is a sister website of Dublin Live, Belfast Live, Cork Beo, RSVP and Buzz.ie and The Irish Daily Mirror and The Irish Daily Star are also part of Reach PLC.

NIMAN

I have noticed that Ryan Tubridy has taken to quoting stories from this website in recent months.

And also Donegal Daily, another trashy website.

Then again , it's Tubs wrong are chatting about. He just needs 25mins daily of inane waffle to complete his riffin section.

xckjoo

I know of a few occasions they've taken someones tweet and concocted a whole article around it, including fake quotes and opinions. Editor didn't really care when made aware of it

JoeA3

Its like Waterford Whispers News, minus the humour and self-awareness.

The plagiarising of condolence messages from RIP.ie in one of their daily Local community in shock as some randomer dies from natural causes are particularly cringeworthy.

Another annoying tactic they have is that they seem to target genuine facebook groups and local community groups by spamming them no end with links to their "articles" until they eventually get blocked. A couple of their "journalists" seem to have slightly makey-uppy names too - I wonder why...

I can't understand how online rags like this make any revenue that makes any of this worth the effort or who exactly they're trying to target with their nonsense.

WillmaDickfit

some lad lost his arms to a lion 20 years ago and they had an article up about it 2 weeks ago !

Sigyn

My son came across their FB page with an article about something that happened locally and it's absolute BS. How do they get away with it?

Homelander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119835518#Comment_119835518

You're talking about a "news" website that resorts to spamming links on every community page they can on Facebook until they're banned.

They're an absolute embarrassment. Their "journalists" are basically fantasy fiction writers.

Saw a story today that was "Major Galway concert cancelled". The article was about some small-time trad event in a community centre.

Half their stories are "village in mourning after local legend passes" and it's just some random death notice ripped from RIP.ie.

They make tabloids like The Sun look like The New York Times. I've never in my life seen such a pathetic display of click-bait masquerading as journalism.

Sigyn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119835730#Comment_119835730

I had never even heard of them until my son showed and what I saw was enough for me...

skinny90

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119835518#Comment_119835518

Because people see it as news, people comment on it, share it etc

The lows this crowd will go to is beyond belief.

Iv started reporting to the community groups who wont do anything

Im now going to report to facebook for fake news and continue to do so

Id advise others to do the same

skinny90

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701531#Comment_119701531

They make their money because you simply click on the story and click accept cookies... revenue is then accumulated by liking it, commenting on it or even sharing as the story reaches more people without having to spend on reach/advertising...

touchdown77

This might be helpful to anyone considering making a complaint;

http://www.presscouncil.ie/office-of-the-press-ombudsman/online-complaint-form

skinny90

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119856995#Comment_119856995

They are listed there too for the online only news section , thats great to know!

Mrs OBumble

They are backed by the same group as the Daily Mirror and Star. So well used to dealing with complaints.

Their model is to make advertising revenue by getting eyeballs. As long as you keep looking (and you will, cos their writers know how to lure you in), they'll keep going.

rustyfrog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119856680#Comment_119856680

I always accept cookies from these sites, it's a generous offer but to this day have never received any cookies.

Sigyn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119856632#Comment_119856632

It's ironic though, FB has no problem with that sh*te but if one of your keys stick and you type "hoe" instead of "home" you get a 24hr ban for bullying :D :D ... We are ruled by algorithms...

Psychlops

I see this posted today but not on Galway Bay Fm?

https://www.galwaybeo.ie/news/galway-news/galway-beach-gardai-body-news-7809138

rustyfrog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119863675#Comment_119863675

Probably because most news outlets would treat that news with the sensitivity required for a terrible tragedy until there is any indication it's anything other than that. RIP.

skinny90

They have now started using bit.ly redirect url's to their site via facebook to disguise where its coming from lol

Keep reporting! :D

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119885002#Comment_119885002

Or just block their content, as I have, and you don't need to see it.

beardybrewer

One thing you should do is disable javascript for that site. At least if you do accidentally click it you don't have to wait while it loads who knows what.

It a good idea for news websites you literally only read articles from and often disables soft paywalls.