Cheap Headlines in The Irish Times 2 July 2005
mayo |
rights, freedoms and repression |
opinion/analysis 
Sunday July 03, 2005 01:00
by M.M. McCarron - Ogoni Solidarity Ireland
Rossport Gas Pipeline Issue
Today the Irish Times had some alarmist headlines in its content about the Rossport issue. This diminishes an otherwise good record of reporting to date.
Examples:
P4: Multinational accuses jailed landowners of having 'wider 'agenda than health and safety. The phrase was repeated but not explained in the article without giving a reference as to when and to whom it was said and in what context. This gives a very sinister connotation which is surprising since Shell is pursuing its case in Court. Or is it now going to add to its accusations therein?
P4 News Features The battle of the Corrib field. This is an issue and not a battle.
Vapour trail: tabloid expression in this context. Please include those dates when laws were stretched and changed to accomodate Shell in the Irish State.
Comments (6 of 6)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6Good points, but even broadsheets like to stir it up a little, it's not reserved exclusively to tabloids. Who's covering the story again?
"landowners of having 'wider 'agenda than health and safety. " Fancy. Wouldn't be more money, would it?
There has been utterly dismal coverage of this issue on indymedia.ie - "landowners" being defended by anarchists? How much money have these landowners received already? Are they open to having their land turned into public walks? How much are they worth? Did they sell any of their land for building? Surprised that Senator Joe O'Toole hasn't rushed to their aid - he should know all about it.
QUOTE: "There has been utterly dismal coverage of this issue on indymedia.ie"
So get off your duff and write some instead of complaining about other people! Indymedia.ie is about Open Publishing. It's where YOU write the coverage so that you don't have to complain about it not being perfect. Unless you've been on the scene reporting or helping out in some other way your comment is way off base.
As for the crack about "anarchists" ... you have no idea who comprises indymedia.ie There are a variety of viewpoints in the editorial collective.
That said I can see no problem with anarchists objecting to the mistreatment of these people. Unless you are a rabid sectarian that will only defend people that are ideologically pure (and surely no one is as pure as you?) then it makes sense to object to unjust treatment like this.
Fair enough point about there being a problem with farmers wanting to keep people off their land, but unless you can show that these are people that have that attitude then again it's a foolish accusation.
I appreciate the time taken to reply to my comments,
For further clarification, the President of the High Court thought compensation might work over the duration of the hearings. It was difficult for him to grasp that the Right to Life was the priority.
One does not stir things up when the Right to Life is under threat.
There is an appropriate style for broadsheets and one wonders why suddenly there is a deviation. It happened recently when Kevin Myers bordered on the defamation of the charecter of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa whose family are considering on action to take. Was this about an ugly defence of Shell? We pay our money for a style to be adhered to.
The tabloids are interested and they reach the hearts of the public. I refer to the coverage in the Daily Mirrror this week which was good and I look forward to the Sunday World which had a reporter down in Rossport.
I was wondering when you'd find the place.
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