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Understanding tonights RTE apology for bias in Corrib gas dispute

category national | arts and media | news report author Wednesday December 07, 2011 16:32author by Andrew

Station’s crime correspondent Paul Reynolds falsely reported that recording of Garda rape conversation was ‘tampered with’

Shell to Sea has revealed that RTÉ is being compelled to broadcast an apology ahead of Wednesday's Six-One and Nine O’Clock TV news programmes, as a result of RTÉ's biased coverage of Shell's attempt to build an experimental gas pipeline and refinery in Erris. In this specific case, RTÉ chose to ignore the facts as explained to them by Shell to Sea around technical issues concerning the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) investigation into the conversation Garda had about threatening to rape two women Shell to Sea campaigners they had arrested in April this year. RTÉ instead reported as fact the false suggestions of Justice Minister Alan Shatter, that part of the recording of the arrest had been deleted
gardarapedailprotest.jpg

The requirement for the RTÉ apology follows a complaint to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) by Jerrie Ann Sullivan, one of the women whose arrest led to a senior Garda and his colleagues recording themselves talking about raping the women who were in their custody. RTE falsely reported that the recording had been tampered with, a claim the BAI investigation found to be "harmful", "inaccurate" and "unfair. Continues at http://www.wsm.ie/c/rte-apology-bias-corrib-gas-dispute...-gsoc

Comments (2 of 2)

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author by Des - Nonepublication date Wed Dec 07, 2011 17:06author address author phone

Just doing their job, RTE is the state broadcasting service!!!!!!!!!!!!!

author by Martinpublication date Wed Dec 07, 2011 22:38author address author phone

Well done to all on that exposure.   The more the State broadcaster is held to its own self lauded standards of accuracy the better.

It is only a pity more people would not demand balance and exposure of deeply corrupt practices, exemplified by what is happening with our resources and human rights violations in Rossport.

It is a given and well understood by people who follow or study politics and power, that the state broadcaster will not upset certain power elites, but they can be made bend to their own standards of balance and accuracy.

Well done again to all concerned, it will not rock the State but the INFORMATION front of this or any  war is a critical
component of its prosecution. The oil companies know that, always have, and the gombeen politicians know it, as well as the civil servants who grease the wheels and allow the frame-work to take shape.

Information is a crucial component of  power in all of its dimensions and aspects. That might be an obvious statement but it is it seems, frequently forgotten.  


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