RTÉ response to tweet ‘very worrying’

A free press is sacrosant in protecting our democracy and, indeed, protecting our people from abuse by the powerful institutional forces that exist in our country i.e banks, government, church etc.

This is why the response of RTÉ and other media outlets to the ‘tweet affair’ at RTÉ is very worrying.

RTÉ’s decision not to hold a public inquiry into the affair is incredulous.

All the evidence suggests that the Frontline programme and the errant tweet basically decided the outcome of the presidential election campaign, yet it would appear that most media outlets are quite happy to accept RTÉ’s handling of the consequence of the BAI ruling.

RTÉ’s relative silence on the matter is reprehensible.

If a Government minister or, indeed, a Catholic bishop, reacted in a similar manner in dealing with such a complaint there would be an avalanche of hostile media reaction and calls for resignations would echo through the studios of RTÉ and justifiably so.

It appears that the last great pillar of Irish society, RTÉ, remains as arrogant and unaccountable as the Catholic Church and State institutions were in the past.

They have effectively silenced some media outlets by paying their editors and correspondents for contribution to various current affairs programme.

James Furlong

Ballindaggin

Enniscorthy

Co Wexford