Is RTÉ reporting the tribunal or building a gallows?
On February 21, the coverage of the evidence of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at Dublin Castle was, by any analysis, excessive in the extreme.
On a day when our national airport faced crisis and many people faced potential job losses, RTÉ chose to dedicate its lead story to the events at Dublin Castle on virtually every single news bulletin, and even transmitted live from Dublin Castle courtyard on Six One.
Was this really the biggest news story of the day? I fully accept and respect the tribunal’s mandate to investigate issues of corruption — equally I recognise RTÉ’s responsibility to the public to inform them of the serious issues which are being investigated by the tribunal.
However, as chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications I feel duty-bound to ask questions on behalf of the Irish taxpayer and licence-paying public.
The treatment of this story in the station’s news sections was further sensationalised all day long by a series of journalists discussing and analysing the exchanges during the course of the day. In one single day, no fewer that 18 journalists (11 RTÉ journalists and broadcasters, seven additional journalists from other publications), a public relations expert, a barrister and two actors were used to reflect and parse and analyse this issue for the entire day. We were treated throughout to a constant series of journalists interviewing each other and we were expected to accept that this in some way represented a fair and balanced assessment of what transpired on the day and what has happened historically in relation to this matter over a number of years.
Having attempted to follow this story for a number of years I am weary, as I am sure are the public, of the constant attempts to have this issue exalted to the status of public execution by the media.
Many people depend on RTÉ for their news. I sincerely believe the coverage — coupled with the over-analysis by a number of like-minded individuals on the airwaves — is contributing to a disillusionment with the body politic and I suggest RTÉ looks at its coverage with a view to re-establishing some sense of proportion and balance. We should allow the tribunal to conduct its work and come to its conclusions. Equally, journalists should report the facts and allow people to make up their own minds on these issues. We should not be subjected to day-long opinions and conclusions, as is the case now.
RTÉ, in its mission statement, says it will “inform the Irish public by delivering the best comprehensive independent news service possible” and “operate in the public interest, providing news and current affairs that is fair and impartial, accurate and challenging” and “connect with our audiences by understanding and satisfying their needs”.
Failure to address this issue could very well leave the national broadcaster open to claims of agenda-setting and bias. For a broadcaster with such a strong and well-deserved reputation for balance and political impartiality, I believe this is not simply a matter of choice but a matter of necessity.
John Cregan TD
Leinster House
Kildare Street
Dublin 2
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