RTE Propaganda angers Senators

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday January 31, 2003 09:49 by James McKenna jimmymac61 at hotmail dot com

'The Marianne Finucane Show'

Senators yesterday expressed their shock and anger at the unbalanced nature of the RTE Radio 1 " Marianne Finucane Show" , Thursday 30th January 2003. Calls were made for the Oireachtas to challenge allegations made by an acedemic on the show.

Thursday 30 January 2003

Seanad Eireann

Senator David Norris referring to "The Marianne Finucane Show" - 30 Jan 2003:

"..One of the most unbalanced programmes I have heard in a long time and I was very surprised.....a not terribly articulate woman from the Peace Camp was ambushed by a whole range of people.....an acedemic was unchallenged in questioning Irish Neutrality and saying the Government had effectively lied about the state of Neutrality in this country and I think the Oireachtas must challenge it."

Fianna Fail Senator Leabhras O'Murchu referring to the same show:

"I was absoloutely shocked at how unbalanced the programme was. I was so angry I almost had to pull the car in off the road because I couldn't believe what I was listening to on the radio and I think one of the reasons this is happening is because we are not providing the leadership here ourselves. There are many issues to be discussed.

It's a matter of taking a moral stand as a country which has suffered itself in the past."

Senator Mary Henry said:

"The hypocracy of this situation is unbelievable."

Brendan O'Connor, journalist with the Sunday Independent and self-styled comedian was openly allowed to sneer at anti-war activists and make sexist remarks .

Professor Trevor Salmon of the politics an international relations Dept of Aberdeen University made unbelievable and unchallenged assertions about the state of Irish Neutrality.

Perhaps a letter to you local TD or former trainee priest Bob Collins as he weasels away behind the scenes in RTE? This is the man who went to court to preserve the Broadcasting Ban on RTE ! Imagine a Turkey going to court to make sure Christmas was preserved? I think it's time to pluck this Turkey and his friends in high and low places and institute a free and fair National Broadcaster.