Disrespect to Taoiseach by news coverage
Dear Editor, Just how low can the State broadcaster go by showing an absolutely disgraceful depiction of our Taoiseach on the 9pm news on Monday last. We say this as floating voters who are not committed to any party.
We note the statement that RTE 'had deemed the report to be inappropriate before complaints were received'. Am I to take it that the organisation obviously did not consider it so before showing the item?
If it was considered necessary to mention this item on the 9pm news, why show the caricature thus ensuring that the item had the highest possible dissemination.
So well the organisation might have apologised for 'any personal offence caused to Mr Cowen or his family or for any disrespect shown to the office to the Taoiseach by our broadcast', but as far as we are concerned, the wording is inadequate.
My annoyance is compounded by Pat Kenny's defence of what we considered to be the indefensible and his arguments did not hold water as far as we were concerned.
Are we to take it that he does not agree with the line already taken by your organisation? We may not always agree with certain policy decisions of the Taoiseach but the idea of mocking his physical appearance is something we could not accept. This is personal, not political. Where are the quality standards in RTE? Are they reaching down to the tabloids?
You are very well aware that the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance have been dealing with a crisis the likes of which we have never contemplated and for which there are no ready-made solutions.
Decisions have to be tough and unpalatable but we would hate to think that anybody could get their own back by demeaning him in a personal sense.
George Lee can report the facts fairly about the economy, even to the extent of disagreeing with policy decisions already taken by Mr Cowen, but he never encroaches into the area of the personal. He has standards.
Yours sincerely,
Patrick and Anna Howard
207A, Ballyroan Road,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.
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Thursday 17 May 2012
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