Varadkar, Martin & Ryan walking off a stage together to avoid a journalist. Is this acceptable?

Pete Moss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121801796#Comment_121801796

Do you know where the press conference took place and arrangements for those within the press association?

Do you know the protocol from the Communications Unit for submitting a question or a request to ask?

No, you don't and that's quite apparent from your witty (but not really) retorts. What you do know, or at least claim to know, is how the question was asked or the "content created" by using no more than the video in circulation.

Of course, the crux of your issue is the person and media outlet at the centre of it. Perfectly understandable, he and they are not everyone's cup o'tea. Certainly not mine. Still, a stopped clock is right twice a day, and the key matter you're overlooking, due to your obvious disdain for the journalist, is the question he was asking.

Potatoeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121802691#Comment_121802691

Well they are deaf to the will of the electorate they are supposed to represent. The public feedback on the proposed hate speech legislation was overwhelmingly negative. The only people in favour of it lack the foresight to imagine it being used against themselves, especially considering it’s incredibly vague and open to interpretation.

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803038#Comment_121803038

There's a general election next year so if it's that wildly unpopular, I'm sure we'll see it in the voter's preferences. Although this has very little to do with the topic of nobody actually hearing Ben's question.

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121802877#Comment_121802877

Is he asking questions though or just trolling the event? Gript have been sending along people to these press conferences in recent weeks, but it seems to be all about staging 'gotcha' moments for their own followers on social media than trying to find out real info.

Most journalists who attend press conferences don't film their own question and the answer given and upload this onto social media looking for likes. It's as if Gript are trying to become the story, rather than talking about it.

spaceHopper

Aren't these the same people who named and innocent man as the Parnell Square attacker.

Cry me a river will ya

RoyalCelt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803123#Comment_121803123

When the government are lying through their teeth there is room for a lot of gotcha moments especially when most media will report and spread the misinformation but won't call them up on it.

Oh I see the other posted now claiming conspiracy theory when the truth hurts. Ah well.

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121802989#Comment_121802989

Well no, the crux of the issue is he made a bogus claim and the video he uploaded debunks his own claim.

Again this isn't difficult, it's explained dozens of times on here already.

I cannot see how anyone could be struggling at this stage.

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803273#Comment_121803273

Staging 'gotcha' moments doesn't sound like proper journalism though. It's almost as if Gript see themselves as a rival political party and are campaigning on the election trail.

jmayo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121799343#Comment_121799343

You mightn't believe anyone is your better, but I could surmise you may think a hell of a lot of people are beneath you.

Every time Gript is mentioned the comments fired at those supporting or giving reasons for them even being allowed to exist are treated with contempt and ridiculed as idiots or morons.

Almost every single anti Gript poster has to have some sort of pop are their readers.

Hell in the other thread one poster claimed Gript subscribers were criminals.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121802877#Comment_121802877

And? Not every journalist gets called to ask a question at every press conference.

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803376#Comment_121803376

Every time Gript is mentioned the comments fired at those supporting or giving reasons for them even being allowed to exist are treated with contempt and ridiculed as idiots or morons.

By supporting do you mean buying their "merchandise"?

https://gript.ie/shop/

A couple of mugs, a calendar and some dodgy looking book you can't actually buy.

Thank God they have a secret backers financing them, you couldn't run a blog on that alone.

RoyalCelt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803400#Comment_121803400

How do you know. There's not exactly a huge number of journalists at these.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803376#Comment_121803376

Thats nothing to do with me what other people say and do and you surmising whatever , this is a personal attack on me when I have said nothing of the sort. You read what I have said me and you will see that you owe me an apology.

As for Gript and thinking people are stupid for reading it, I have not said that in my posts at all.

People can read what they choose. My discussion has been about the publication not the readers.

If your only retort to somebody is to attack them and make up sxxx , well, yeah I very much consider I am better than that!

Could you not think of something else to come back with without the personal attack?

For example this is one post just after that one about having a mix of publications available..

"Think if they are given the room to prove themselves, as is their right, they will... right, or wrong ,

People will decide for themselves in the end."

If your aim in this post was to undermine so called 'anti Gript' poster/s , think you may have scored a bit of an own goal here.

buried

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121801481#Comment_121801481

It was a total fraud, that's what it was. As was found out in court. And judging by what's been going on in that kip, fraud seems to be the main hobby within that media organisation for the last decade, but nobody in any authority above them gives a $hit, Revenue, The police, Government etc. Wonder why that is

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121799891#Comment_121799891

Don't really know why this is addressed to me sciprio?

I think if they did hear it they should have just answered and have said that in my posts.

Is it that I don't rate Scallan that irks you or what?

And I don't agree with the premise that other interviewers don't ask hard questions.. Thats just nonsense being disseminated by those who try to' big up ' anti MSM.

I have seen and heard many others putting these politicians on a pin many times. Asking probing questions that cleverly get to the nub of what everyone wants to know without being rude or aggressive.

Don't know where you all live but Ireland is not America and most people are very sceptical of anything government even when they vote for these guys.. Everyone wants to see them getting a hard time in press conferences and interviews. Its a national pastime and entertainment.

I think some who think those hard questions aren't being asked are either not varying their intake of media sources and need to mix it up a bit, or expect rudeness or aggressiveness as investigative journalism.

There is a way to ask questions so that one is not ignored / avoided and can never be seen as superficial and therefore easily dismissed.

Maybe Mr Scallan needs to take a course or watch some educational videos on assertive interviewing techniques?

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121801526#Comment_121801526

Ah jeez Mullen..

Unbelievabull!!

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121805107#Comment_121805107

But it couldn't have been pre-planned. The tweet was literally posted in the middle of the TV debate - it was more a case of them reading out something libellous about one of the candidates without even bothering to check the source or the veracity.

Even then, Gallagher could have batted it away by saying 'I haven't a clue what that is about or what it refers to' (and picked them up on the libel aspect after the debate).

buried

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121805199#Comment_121805199

But why didn't they check the source or the veracity? You put it down to incompetence but that is total nonsense, as I've asked you, do you think the same sort of bull$hit tweet would have been slapped at Higgins? McGuiness? Plenty tweets at the time would have been slandering McGuiness for his past endeavours, why didn't the incompetent fools within RTE slap any at him?

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121805232#Comment_121805232

It was very clearly libel and they ended up paying Gallagher €130k in compensation. I would say it was more total incompetence though at editorial level.....the publicity they got afterwards was very bad and it was embarrassing for them that they had to pay damages.

buried

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121805249#Comment_121805249

Singling out Gallagher is what happened, because he was leading the polls. As I've said, and you have refused to even acknowledge, why didn't they single out a tweet from some unknown singling out McGuiness for his past? There would have been thousands of them. Why was Gallagher singled out? Because he was leading the polls. You know it. I know it. Anybody with an ounce of actual cop on knows it, so chalking it down to "silly Pat Kenny" or whoever else, ain't going to wash it.

Ten of Swords

Mod - Can we get back on topic please. Start another thread if you want to revisit that presidential election

Homelander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803491#Comment_121803491

Because that's how press events work. There's limited time. Often the loudest voices win out. If people are chosen to ask questions, absolutely not everyone gets their shout in. This is standard stuff at any press event, door-step or otherwise anywhere else in the world.

Contrary to the picture being painted here the media have pretty free access to the top politicians in this country. Leo, Martin, Ryan, any of the other cabinet Ministers. While this is a more formal event they do general door-steps at events all the time, and 95% of the questions are nothing whatsoever to do with whatever said event is....usually questions about housing, topical issues/scandals of the given day, lately RTE, etc.

Questions absolutely aren't vetted before hand, and tough questions get asked all the time. That's literally politics, in any country. Leo Vardakar, Eamon Ryan, whoever else, aren't afraid of questions, though I'm sure they don't like some of them. But that's literally the job and anything that's asked will get a response, whether it's a good answer is a different debate. Same as it works in every other country.

Whether people work in national or local media they'll tell you the same thing - access to politicians in Ireland generally is extremely lax. It's not difficult, to ask the questions you want to ask, or to get into a position to ask questions in the first place. There's minimal security, zero vetting, in 90% of cases.

Personally I find the idea that Gript asked such a bomb of a question the three had to walk away pretty naive. I wouldn't even call it a difficult question despite the way it's phrased and I doubt Leo, Martin or Ryan would have the slighest problem or hesitation answering it had it been asked earlier.

It seems to me the simple explanation is the most obvious - press allotment had ended and the audio is the Gript guy talking in his own microphone, what you can hear on the video is 100% not what was heard in the room, but it's deliberately intended to be misleading to paint a narrative.

I'm sure they don't like Gript. That's not the same as being afraid of them.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803246#Comment_121803246

no they didn’t name him they’ll make sure you know that!

But they’ll neglect to mention what they did was left enough identifying information that some whackos on Twitter had his name within the hour.

But they didnt name him so it’s not their fault obviously.

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121796804#Comment_121796804

To attend any government press conference you have to be on an approved list. Everyone on the approved list is emailed from the Press Office email address telling them where and when a press conference or event is taking place. I know this because I am a journalist who gets emailed all the time from the Press Office email address and I have attended a few press conferences.

Here is what a typical email looks like.

REMINDER: Minister Harris available to the media ahead of opening address at DCU Futures conference

What? Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD will be available to the media as he opens the DCU Futures conference.

Where? The Helix, DCU, Glasnevin, Dublin 9

When?  Today, September 5th, 9.45am

Please note: 

- All media attending are asked on receipt of this media notice to register your place by email to this address.

To attend any press conference Ben, would have to be on the approved list to be emailed about any press conferences and or events. Once Ben receives the email, he only has to email back saying he will be attending and when he arrives on the day his name will be on the confirmed list so he can be let in.

Scipri0

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121805115#Comment_121805115

I didn't mean to reply to you in person. More so, it was the thread in general, so don't worry about it. It goes to show that they feel the easy questions all the time from the main media sources and when someone who shows up and actually asks the hard questions they can't answer or try to avoid and walk off when it gets uncomfortable because they don't like to be challenged. All they want is softball questions or to just give their point of view. It wasn't specifically for you, so don't worry there. 🙂

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121811562#Comment_121811562

This is a misrepresentation of what happens at these press conferences. Journalists from press, TV and radio do ask hard questions at conferences and put politicians on the spot.

The Gript crowd are creating an entirely bogus narrative for their social media followers that they are the only 'real' journalists in Ireland and the only ones prepared to ask hard and challenging questions and go against the cosy media consensus. It's total b****ks of course, but their supporters are lapping this stuff up.

Northernlily

As much as I do not like GRIPT - their questions should not be ignored by our elected officials.

Anyone who thinks this is ok should reconsider. It is a dangerous path to be providing responses to some news publications and ignoring others. Favouritism and sets a dangerous precedent.

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121811919#Comment_121811919

In theory I would agree with you, but they do have form for showing up at these conferences and asking random questions not even relevant to the topics being discussed (we saw this this week when they lobbed a curved ball question out of nowhere at Holly Cairns about something one of her TDs had said in the Dáil a year ago, when she clearly had no idea what they were talking about or what the quote even referred to).

They are a very unconventional outfit in how they operate.

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121811919#Comment_121811919

Jesus Titty Christ.

He wasn't ignored.

😕

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121811944#Comment_121811944

If it can be called journalism at all it is more the Jack Charlton style of journalism.

"Put em under pressure...."

It's performative, time wasting and yields very little information in the public interest.