RTÉ failing to keep us in the picture

THE fact that the main RTÉ evening news was jammed in between Eastenders and Winning Streak and 10 minutes before its scheduled time on the last day of the year epitomises the failures of the media during 2010 and, indeed, in previous years, to adequately inform people about events which eventually resulted in Ireland being declared bankrupt.

It highlights the contemptuous attitude of the programmers in a licence-funded, public service broadcasting organisation towards informing the public about issues which have serious impacts on the lives and livelihoods of very many people.

The state the country is in is due to this attitude of giving people the ‘mushroom’ treatment by keeping them in the dark about what is happening and feeding them plenty of manure.