Media Criticism

The Irish Independent is one holding of a multinational media conglomerate called Independent News and Media PLC. The term “Independent� is thrown around quite a bit between Ireland’s largest publication and a company with more than 150 holdings throughout the world. The title of the Irish Independent would be changed to The New York Post: Dublin Edition by media observers who like to apply black-or-white dichotomies to journalism.

There are salient points made in the Irish Independent beneath the veneer of tabloid formatting and sections on entertainment and sports. Columnist Kevin Meyers is one shining beacon in the Irish newspaper’s glossy pages. His recent diatribe against tribunals into corruption in Irish politics show the sophistication of thought in the newspaper’s editorial department. Meyers states that there are many examples in his own life of Irish corruption that are fairly typical of life throughout the nation. His opening sentence states that if you “sink a spade into any part of Kansas, and you will find dirt.� The broad focus of tribunals, the frustration of the general public and the dejection at the state of affairs in Irish religion and politics could be applied in most countries.

I think that media writers, journalists and casual observers need to look beneath the surface when thinking about conglomerates. Editorial departments don’t want to have their papers deluged with advertisements, “fluff� stories and reprints from international news services. Journalists and editors want to speak about the issues instead of the “sexy� issues of the day (in the United States, this would mix traditional sexiness with hot button issues). I spoke about Milena Gabanelli from Italy’s RAI earlier in the week regarding journalistic bravery. Kevin Meyers and other writers at the Irish Independent need to exercise greater control of other sections of the newspaper to expose the entirety of Irish culture to sunlight and thoughtful analysis. The Independent News and Media PLC may seem quaint compared to Fox News Corp and other international conglomerates but further growth could cast the pall of mediocrity over places like Ireland.