Getting the News media we deserve

This published by the Celtic League:

Getting the News media We deserve

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The remark by Peter Karran, MHK, about the Isle of Man having a ‘Mickey Mouse’ news media may be dismissed as just a throwaway remark in the Keys during one of Mr Karran’s interminable clashes with the establishment.

However, as we remarked in an early item for CL News the alacrity with which a government spokesman denigrated Mr Karran and praised the press must beg the question; Has the Manx media become ‘a creature’ of government?

The striking thing as twitter and facebook feeds have mushroomed on the Isle of Man in the past few years is how often there is criticism of the main stream media (MSM).

Initially the gripes appeared to focus on accuracy or were personality based. However of late the news content and an alleged adherence towards toeing the government line has been a feature of some complaints.

It’s not just a phenomenon in Mann. In Scotland during the recent referendum the MSM was castigated vigorously and a plethora of new media sources mainly internet driven sprang up.
Once the genie was out of the bottle in Scotland there was no putting it back and a number of internet sites are now well established as news sources. A broadcast news facility is also well advances and of course most significantly a new newspaper (The National) appeared at a time when in the print media the trend was towards closing titles down.

In Scotland the catalyst for a great swathe of people to realise they were not getting the media they deserve was the referendum. The most focused anger there was on the BBC which on several occasions had its headquarters besieged by large crowds of protesters. If there’s anything worse than a bad news media source apparently its one you have to pay for through tax which doesn’t deliver!

In Mann as more and more people suffer under increasing austerity they also are starting to realise that ‘the same old soporific tripe’ served up by the Manx media is not what they deserve!

J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information

08/02/15

(Please note that replies to correspondence received by the League and posted on CL News are usually scanned hard copies. Obviously every effort is made to ensure the scanning process is accurate but sometimes errors do occur).

ISSUED BY THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE.

The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues

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