Is this payback time for RTÉ?

In every healthy democracy, there should be a tension between the body politic and the media.

The reason for this is so the media can act as a watchdog on behalf of the people, but also so politicians can use the media to communicate their point of view. They should never get too close, as seems to have happened between Rupert Murdoch and some British politicians. But nor should they get too far apart, where communication breaks down completely.

Among thinking politicians and thinking media people, there is a recognition of this. Sometimes, with the daily cut and thrust between the media and politicians, maintaining tension “not too tight and not too loose” is forgotten. This can result in the media losing its objectivity and becoming vindictive in pursuit of a politician.