New Media doesn’t get Old Media. Bloggers don’t get why Old Media is wary of two way communication, and become irked when they can’t respond with their opinions on news websites. After all, information wants to be free. Information may be free, but libel is expensive, Old Media replies. New Media knows this in its… Continue reading »
Mar
31
Mar
30
Comeback
Nine days from now, Brian Lenihan will stand before the Dáil and announce the government’s latest budget. The cabinet has made quite display of how seriously they take the crisis in public finances, even holding a meeting on a Sunday. Things are so bad they’ve even given up their weekends, you see. The cabinet still… Continue reading »
Mar
28
Generation Gap
Old Media doesn’t get New Media. Old Media thinks New Media is a bunch of grungy geeks with nothing to say. In short, Old Media thinks new media should get a haircut and a job. Journalists and bloggers come from different worlds. Journalists are deadline orientated. Bloggers are instant. Their focus isn’t on getting the… Continue reading »
Mar
26
Eyes Only
Gardai question artist under caution: The Irish Times. Police quiz man over naked images of Irish PM in national gallery: The Belfast Telegraph. Cowen artist ‘could be charged’: BBC News. Artist Conor Casby faces jail after Brian Cowen made unwitting model for toilet humour: Times Online (Entertainment section). Irish PM bogged down by nude painting… Continue reading »
Mar
25
Bare Faced Cheek
‘The visit by a Garda detective today to the offices of Today FM radio station, demanding that staff from the Ray Darcy Show hand over information they might have had about the artist of these pieces was astounding,’ Labour party Senator Alan Kelly said. ‘Does this investigation really represent the best use of scarce Garda… Continue reading »
Mar
25
The Emperor’s New Clothes
FG Justice Spokesperson Charlie Flanagan criticised the decision by Gardaí to demand emails relating to the artist who painted nude portraits of Brian Cowen hung in two Dublin galleries. ‘At a time when the majority of gangland murders remain unsolved, to have Gardaí spending their time investigating what amounted to a practical joke that offended… Continue reading »
Mar
25
The Naked Taoiseach
Yesterday, I wrote about RTÉ removing a film report on caricatures of Brian Cowen smuggled into two Dublin galleries. [Kudos at this point to Maman Poulet, who's blog tipped me off to the story.] Since them, things have grown more serious. The images on the RTÉ website were removed, copy has been edited, and the… Continue reading »
Mar
24
Bare Arse Biffo
You can tell a lot about the powerful by how they react to satire. In Ireland, the powerful tend to react badly. Older politicians still smart at the memory of Hall’s Pictorial Weekly, and can barely bring themselves to smile through gritted teeth when Scrap Saturday is mentioned. The result is a pale imitation of… Continue reading »
Mar
22
Mar
20
Heartstopping
Some time ago, I wondered hereabouts how much the Garda PULSE system cost taxpayers. At the time, several media reports suggested a cost to date of €60m. I didn’t know the half of it. A parliamentary question from Jimmy Deenihan last year revealed that PULSE was originally projected to cost £36.5m (€46.4m) way back in… Continue reading »