[Resolved] Mod Warning inability to challenge in discussions

RoTelly

RTÉ Needs a proper 24 hour news channel - Page 2 — boards.ie - Now Ye're Talkin'

The poster "Drury…" posts

The app is giving plenty of coverage to the jermaine jennas story. English pundit gets fired for sexting , dunno how that's of much interest here

Questioning the interest of Irish audience on the RTÉ App on this on going story.

I reply with

Well as no one has been fired from RTÉ this week … oh! wait! :)

This was done purely in jest as we know that a former member of the executive board left RTÉ this week (due to leave on 31st of August). Clearly a story which might be of more interest to Irish audiences following the leaving of a number of RTÉ executives. But one which has had little cover, indeed RTÉ told their own Drivetime that they would not discuss this further.

The Mod @icdg then pops in a message to state

To be clear there is absolutely no suggestion that anyone has.

Clearly not seeing my joke in relation to the leaving of an RTÉ executive that went to the Workplace Relations Commission as he was unhappy with the terms of his leaving the organisaton.

In the rest of the interaction I jokingly point back to jermaine jennas story, so point out it is being reported that he has been fired. Again the mod does not get the joke or is sensitive to the joke. (You can see they demand no further discussion of either).

You will note that the RTÉ executive is not named at any point in the thread.

I then preceded to post to another thread in the RTÉ statement of the leaving of their executive to

The future of RTE after Tubsgate. - Page 12 — boards.ie - Now Ye're Talkin'

I use the word "exit" and "exited" in quotes as this is the term used by RTÉ Director General in the Oireachtas Committees in relation to the leaving of a number of executive in the broadcaster in the last year or so.

https://about.rte.ie/2024/08/22/rte-statement-jim-jennings/

this statement states

"I am pleased we have been able to reach agreement around the terms of his departure with the support of the Workplace Relations Commission."

The statement makes no reference to the health of the executive or that his leaving has anything to do with his health (Bakhurst confirmed that he was still being paid by RTÉ in one of the oirechtas committees while out on sick leave, however he failed to clarify RTÉ sick leave policy, he did however talk about how difficult it was to "exit" people from the organisation due to laws, he also stated at another point that the Executive would not return to his leadership team, though he made no mention of the person in question leaving the organisation at this point).

To anyone following the scandal at RTÉ they would clearly see that my use of the word "exit" is used as RTÉ have used the word in the past

There is nothing untrue in what I said, an executive in RTÉ was let go or as they put it "exited" from RTÉ. The reason for his leaving is not stated nor do I state my perceived opinion of the exit.

RoTelly

And just to say that I have brought this up first with the Mod and they up hold their decision.

Spear

There's no available Technology cmod currently, so it'll have to go the admins instead.

Beasty

I will take a look at this

Could you post your PM discussion with the mod

Thanks

RoTelly

My reply

Please provide clarification as to what the problem you have with said posting.

The issue is a large issue across broadcasting. You seem to want to avoid any conversation about this serious topic surrounding the mismanagement of RTÉ. Perhaps the use of the words "Fire" or "Fired", the second posting clearly said "exited" this is the term was used by Kevin Bakhurst in relation to these "resignations" from RTÉ.

It might be good to understand what words can and cannot be used in relation to the people in RTÉ that have left the organisation in the manner in which they have left over the past year.

The early response were I had said "It wasn't like some was Fired from RTÉ this week" was in direct response to some questioning why a person who was "fired" from the BBC is of such interest to RTÉ, I was responding in a joking manner about the fact that that same week some "left" / "retired" from RTÉ for some reason or another and that they didn't highlight this much on their news services.

The mod's

There are two issues. The first and foremost reason is that you not only ignored a mod warning but went out of your way to do so after referring to it indirectly, which made your original comment, which you were warned for, much worse. You were essentially looking for to be banned, in my view.

The second and more serious reason, and the reason you were warned in the first place, is that you cannot make an inaccurate statement about a named person who isn’t here to speak in their own defence. And let me be clear - what you said was totally untrue. Jim Jennings wasn’t fired. He left, as far as what is in the public domain, on an agreed settlement having been on health related leave for some time. That’s not a dismissal, in law or fact. It’s not remotely the same at all. And you putting quotation marks around “exited” making it quite clear that you intend to say he was fired doesn’t make it any better or lessen the exposure for boards.ie to potential defamation proceedings.

So to sum up: the issue isn’t you discussing mismanagement at RTE. Come back and do that when your ban is served. The issue is with you naming a person and making a plainly untrue statement about them. And not only ignoring a mod instruction but going out of your way to do it, when you hadn’t named them the first time around

That is as far as I am going to discuss this.

Beasty

Do you accept the mod issued an instruction for you not to refer to this issue in this way?

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579684#Comment_122579684

no as both warnings did not come with a mod warning rather they just bolded the text, and that clearly I was tongue in cheek on my first comment, the second comment was to point out that it had been reported in traditional media that jermaine jennas had been sack / fired, again tongue in cheek.

I would also argue that mod warnings were not necessary in the first instance, as the conversation had ended and it was unlikely that anyone would have continue on that thread.

the posting in the RTÉ was a reminder that an ongoing thread had not been updated with the details of the exit at RTÉ.

At that point the mod makes a ruling.

Beasty

Bo;ded text in a post is indicative of a mod warning/instruction. You ignored the warning. Whether you agree with the reason nbehind the warning is irrelevant. If you felt the warning was not appropriate you should contact the mod via PM to discuss it. You should not simply ignore it as in this case. I think a pointed warning is entirely appropriate.

RoTelly

This really means that the mod will restrict any discussion of anyone leaving RTÉ over the last year or so, due to the mismanagement of the company.