EDITORIAL: RTE and the headlines that write themselves

RTÉ seems to be the gift that keeps on giving for those tasked with writing headlines.  

This week, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin announced a €725 million bailout for the national broadcaster, with €250 million of that ring-fenced for next year. 

And the broadcaster seems to be the only one happy. 

The announcement was blasted by many including Virgin Media who said they would need to review their public service commitments. 

The press conference was what we had come to expect, a mess with the Minister unable to even answer the most basic of questions, what the money would be spent on.

You would think they would see that one coming and at least make something up but alas no. 

And the press had had enough. The Ireland Editor at the Irish Independent and Tipperary journalist Fionnan Sheehan lost his temper when one of the Minister’s people tried to end the press conference despite being 45 minutes late. 

The Minister accused him of being disrespectful.  But obstruction in an even tone, does not manners make.

There is always going to be a natural conflict between the Government and the press. It is our job to get the information the Government does not want the public to know. After all, if they did want it out there, they would announce it.

But, sometimes, public representatives confuse journalists for their public relations team. 

It is not our job to parrot off the Government’s carefully worded points of view. It is not our job to make people look good or even bad, we are not on anyone’s side. 

You would have to feel for RTÉ journalists. Not only are they under-resourced and dismissed in the solutions to the companies many, many problems, but they can’t even get a good piece out of it. 

They must spend most days thinking if I worked anywhere else, this would be a really good story.