Benefits St

My name is URL · 14-01-2014 12:14AM

Lenin Skynard wrote: »

I thought it was funny. I switched over to it from RTE One where Irish people were paying Indian women to have babies that they could take home to Ireland. That was extremely grim in comparison.

It is funny, and most of the people in it seem at least a bit likeable too.. I mean compared to Fair City.

Samsgirl · 14-01-2014 01:39AM

mickydoomsux wrote: »

They could do numerous concurrent series of this for Ireland.

You could start with Carlow 'town', then Athy, then Clonmel and then move on to the entirety of Wexford county. And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to utter kips in around the country.

You forgot Tipperary Town!

WilyCoyote · 14-01-2014 02:14AM

Chucken wrote: »

Thats it in a nutshell.

warning: may contain nuts

Fred Swanson · 14-01-2014 02:19AM

This post has been deleted.

shruikan2553 · 14-01-2014 02:21AM

Phoebas wrote: »

TV3 on the other hand....

Only if they can bring in travelers. My big fat travelers on benefits street

WilyCoyote · 14-01-2014 02:35AM

Candie wrote: »

Nice comment piece.

Laughed myself silly at this bit:

Come again?

WilyCoyote · 14-01-2014 02:39AM

Gabriel Purple Bagpipe wrote: »

You know that street in Dublin 7... Can't remember the name.....you know it.....they all wear sheepskin lined slippers...deal in second hand cars......what's it called again?????????

Lots of Skodas scobies in Prussia Street last time I passed through

qdawg86 · 14-01-2014 02:49AM

Gabriel Purple Bagpipe wrote: »

So what do you want? Us to slag off an area of high unemployment here in Ireland so we can say they are all spongers or something? Of course we have areas with massive percentages of homes relying on welfare. What exactly do you want to discuss about it?

'Hit him Frank !!!!!!....I'll hit him !!!!!!'

BillyMitchel · 14-01-2014 02:59AM

Hootanany wrote: »

Its about a street in Birmingham that 90 percent are on benefits a fly on the wall type of thang

Sure who wants to watch flies?

Sir Arthur Daley · 14-01-2014 03:02AM

BillyMitchel wrote: »

Sure who wants to watch flies?

Would beat Fair City any day

FTA69 · 14-01-2014 01:23PM

The biggest problem I have with this show is that it portrays an entirely inaccurate picture of what the benefits system and the welfare state actually is in Britain. From watching this program people could be forgiven for thinking that most people on benefits are substance-dependent layabouts who are allergic to work and predisposed to crime.

The reality of the situation however, is that the majority of people on benefits in the UK are in work, usually full-time employment for that matter. The fact they get paid so little by their employers leaves them below the poverty line and thus eligible for state assistance; we now have the ridiculous situation where the taxpayer is actually subsidising poverty wages. Secondly, it's also important to realise that benefit fraud constitutes less than 1% of state benefits expenditure. The biggest claimant from the welfare budget in Britain are pensioners, but to look at shows like this you would think it goes on the feckless rump of the unemployed.

This isn't a serious journalistic effort at all. It doesn't look at factors like the lack of jobs in Britain or make a fair assesment of the welfare state. It simply picks a few unrepresentative examples, laughs at them and then tries to pass them off as an example of those out of work in the UK today. There is enough sh*t and scare-mongering heaped on the poor without Channel 4 wading in contributing to it.

looking_around · 14-01-2014 01:44PM

FTA69 wrote: »

This isn't a serious journalistic effort at all. It doesn't look at factors like the lack of jobs in Britain or make a fair assesment of the welfare state. It simply picks a few unrepresentative examples, laughs at them and then tries to pass them off as an example of those out of work in the UK today. There is enough sh*t and scare-mongering heaped on the poor without Channel 4 wading in contributing to it.

It's called benefit st.
I don't think it was meant to be serious.

Bit like limerick being called "stab city", not a great portrayal of the whole of limerick and the people in it.
It's not meant to be either.

FTA69 · 14-01-2014 02:14PM

looking_around wrote: »

It's called benefit st.
I don't think it was meant to be serious.

Bit like limerick being called "stab city", not a great portrayal of the whole of limerick and the people in it.
It's not meant to be either.

Well if RTÉ commissioned a TV show called "Stab City" which portrayed everyone in Limerick as feckless rogues who drank super-lager at 10am on a weekday there'd be absolute uproar.

In this case you have a supposedly reputable channel commissioning a sensationalist load of nonsense that feeds into the wider demonisation of the unemployed. There is enough of that out there already without Channel 4 contributing to it. It's gutter journalism.

kneemos · 14-01-2014 02:26PM

FTA69 wrote: »

Well if RTÉ commissioned a TV show called "Stab City" which portrayed everyone in Limerick as feckless rogues who drank super-lager at 10am on a weekday there'd be absolute uproar.

In this case you have a supposedly reputable channel commissioning a sensationalist load of nonsense that feeds into the wider demonisation of the unemployed. There is enough of that out there already without Channel 4 contributing to it. It's gutter journalism.

Don't see how it's sensationalist when it's a reality show.If anything I think people will have sympathy for the plight of these people,plus it portrays them as quite likeable mostly.

Hootanany · 14-01-2014 02:43PM

Did you see their uproar when the travellers moved in:eek: a bit racist me thought

looking_around · 14-01-2014 02:46PM

FTA69 wrote: »

Well if RTÉ commissioned a TV show called "Stab City" which portrayed everyone in Limerick as feckless rogues who drank super-lager at 10am on a weekday there'd be absolute uproar.

In this case you have a supposedly reputable channel commissioning a sensationalist load of nonsense that feeds into the wider demonisation of the unemployed. There is enough of that out there already without Channel 4 contributing to it. It's gutter journalism.

But the show isn't about the whole welfare system, its about an area where most people are on welfare.

I would say the attitudes of those people are very similar to areas like in moy ross.

It's not sensationalist when it's true for the area.

Its not a description of the majority of people, just that area.

FTA69 · 14-01-2014 02:47PM

kneemos wrote: »

Don't see how it's sensationalist when it's a reality show.If anything I think people will have sympathy for the plight of these people,plus it portrays them as quite likeable mostly.

It's sensationalist because it leaves people with the opinion that "those on benefits" are a load of feckless scroungers when the reality of unemployment and benefits in Britain is much, much different. The vast majority of people on benefits are the working poor who receive Working Tax Credit, why didn't they show any of that instead of the tiny minority who have addiction issues etc?

As for people having sympathy for them? There's comments being left all over the internet calling for these people to be shot and gassed etc. The unemployed and the disabled are already being lambasted from every direction by the government and aspects of the media without Channel 4 weighing into it as well.

nc19 · 14-01-2014 02:51PM

markesmith wrote: »

Willow Park in Athlone.

I'm sure there are a few streets in Dublin like this?

One big street called danortside....

Soft Falling Rain · 14-01-2014 02:59PM

Channel 4 notch up yet another fine documentary to their list of stellar work.

14-01-2014 03:17PM

WilyCoyote wrote: »

Come again?

I SAID IT WAS A NICE COMMENT PIECE, DEAR.

Leslie91 · 14-01-2014 03:20PM

Fox_In_Socks wrote: »

Fade street.

Quality Street.

Dark Magic.

Lily o Briens.

Though I'd say the best was probably Bailey's chocolates.

What was the question again?

Dark Magic?....

PLUG71 · 14-01-2014 03:33PM

Most of the people on this program ARE scumbags and Birmingham or other claiments should not be judged by these lazy basturds!!

Moaning and bitching about being broke yet they can all afford to drink, smoke and have a big tv's.

Bragging about shop lifting and blocking the street with rubbish.

I have no sympathy for them and they should never be given air time by Channel Four!

PLUG71 · 14-01-2014 03:36PM

Most of the people on this program ARE scumbags and Birmingham or other claiments should not be judged by these lazy basturds!!

Moaning and bitching about being broke yet they can all afford to drink, smoke and have a big tv's.

Bragging about shop lifting and blocking the street with rubbish.

I have no sympathy for them and they should never be given air time by Channel Four!

sasta le · 14-01-2014 03:38PM

Tv3 irish version soon?

Annasopra · 14-01-2014 11:26PM

Bambi wrote: »

We could do NAMA street

"Our Mercs- Your Money"

great idea

Annasopra · 14-01-2014 11:30PM

kneemos wrote: »

Don't see how it's sensationalist when it's a reality show.If anything I think people will have sympathy for the plight of these people,plus it portrays them as quite likeable mostly.

Oh come on ffs - "reality shows" are never "reality" and editors always sensationalise them. I know this. I was in one and the editing made me look like a complete prima donna bitch. They highlighted the parts where I was giving out and demanding and barely showed any of the parts where I was nice and agreeable.

Donkey Oaty · 14-01-2014 11:33PM

mango salsa wrote: »

Oh come on ffs - "reality shows" are never "reality" and editors always sensationalise them. I know this. I was in one and the editing made me look like a complete prima donna bitch. They highlighted the parts where I was giving out and demanding and barely showed any of the parts where I was nice and agreeable.

Any clips on you tube?

Annasopra · 14-01-2014 11:33PM

looking_around wrote: »

But the show isn't about the whole welfare system, its about an area where most people are on welfare.

I would say the attitudes of those people are very similar to areas like in moy ross.

It's not sensationalist when it's true for the area.

Its not a description of the majority of people, just that area.

These types of programmes are deliberately edited in a sensationalist way. Having been a "reality tv star" myself in 2007 I know for a fact so called "reality television" is. It's not reality. It's deliberately edited and produced sensationalism.

Annasopra · 14-01-2014 11:35PM

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

Any clips on you tube?

No thank fcuk

Nodin · 14-01-2014 11:35PM

mango salsa wrote: »

Oh come on ffs - "reality shows" are never "reality" and editors always sensationalise them. I know this. I was in one and the editing made me look like a complete prima donna bitch. They highlighted the parts where I was giving out and demanding and barely showed any of the parts where I was nice and agreeable.

I believe ye.

Zillions don't, but I do.

Benefits St

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