Intimidation of journalists and disinformation 'threaten' the truth

Susan McKay said hard times had become 'normal times' for the press in Ireland. Picture:  Sasko Lazarov/Rolling News

There is no greater threat to the freedom of the press – and, in turn, to the truth – than the intimidation of journalists and the spread of disinformation, the newspaper watchdog has said.

Press Ombudsman, Susan McKay, said this was made “all too clear” by the scenes outside the Dáil three weeks ago, when far-right agitators hurled vicious abuse at politicians and media alike.

“All those who believe in social solidarity reject, as members of the Press Council do, the ideas and behaviours of those who seek to stir up hatred on the basis of race, religion, nationality, colour, ethnic origin, membership of the travelling community, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, illness or age,” Ms McKay said.

Speaking at the launch of the 2022 Annual Report of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, Ms McKay said hard times had become “normal times” for the press in Ireland.

“But there is no greater threat to the freedom of the press than the intimidation of journalists,” she said, “and there is no greater threat to the truth the press exists to tell than the spreading of disinformation, and these are issues with which we are now also faced, as recent scenes outside the Houses of the Oireachtas made all too clear.” 

She said her office and that of the Press Council will resist these efforts to undermine the press “and thereby our democracy”.

She said they also did that by insisting that its members, the newspapers, uphold the principles they signed up to, in the council’s Code of Practice, and by urging the public to “call out bad journalism” and support good journalism.

Ms McKay said falling revenues in the newspaper business meant there was pressure on editors to cut budgets to produce the kind of journalism that is envisaged by the Code of Practice.

“Journalists are by and large respected in Ireland,” she said. “We must learn from the crisis at RTÉ and ensure that the loss of confidence it has given rise to will not afflict our press.” 

Press council chair Rory Montgomery also made reference to the payments controversy in RTÉ.

“The dramatic events at RTÉ over the summer have brought the question of the funding of public service media into renewed focus,” he said.

He noted that the broadcasting authority, Coimisiún na Meán, had recommended that public service media funding should be open to all providers, not just TV or radio stations.

He said the Government was also working on a scheme to support local newspapers in their court and council reporting.

In relation to social media, he said the regulation of this was a “mammoth task” for Coimisiún na Meán.

“It is vital for everyone in tradition media – broadcast, print or online – that it succeeds in getting to grips with this task,” Mr Montgomery said.

“Social media are already to a large degree setting the new agenda – above all for younger people – and we are all aware of the very serious political and societal consequences that can follow when the global platforms are not held accountable.”