Information often scarce in a world of news

national | arts and media | opinion/analysis Wednesday December 29, 2004 14:15 by Michael Hennigan - Finfacts.com

In a world of 24/7 news, there is often a failure to provide both useful information and to focus on significant issues. We in Ireland needn't look beyond our own front yard.

According to the UK’s Guardian newspaper, free music in the form of cds, has a much greater impact on circulation than editorial innovation. However, the free cd will eventually have a sell-by-date as the music industry struggles to respond to the tide of free music on the web.

In the small mainstream Irish media market, there is little prospect of significant editorial innovation and Vincent Browne’s promise to shake-up the ‘cosy media consensus’ with the launch of Village magazine, has fallen short.

While there are many sources of news, there are also many significant issues which either do not get attention or there is a failure to provide adequate information.

There have been many media stories since 1997 on tribunal lawyers becoming millionaires on public funds but I have never seen a story which provides a breakdown of the chargeable hourly rate. This is a very relevant issue and has been highlighted by the Monica Leetch PR contract where she apparently did not have significant overheads (e.g. office, staff costs ) to cover from her income.

It is hard to believe that the reform of the corrupt land-rezoning system is not a political priority as a tribunal investigating planning corruption is heading for its eight year.

There are surely other systems where rezoning does not increase the value of land twenty-fold?

Last May, Mary Harney told her party that she may get the Competition Authority to investigate and identify the hoarders of development land. Nothing has been heard from her since. Any chance thatt he media will take up the challenge?

Finally, in early December, a business operation named Dundalk Business School folded with debts of about €600,000. It appears that many of the creditors are Indian students and would be students who made advance payments to attend IT courses. It appears that India was a particular target of the company’s marketing although India itself is a world leader in IT.

The education industry is just one of the many areas, which merit the attention of the media.