From coup to overthrow: The Irish media coverage of Portugal Data-Source Follow Oct 25, 2015 · Unlisted

It will come as no surprise that coverage of the current political crisis in Portugal is heavily biased on most if not all of our national media. Uninformed listeners and readers might not be equipped to fully decipher what is currently unravelling in Portugal, and this represents another failure to report facts accurately and fairly.

After all they are the echo chamber of the government, terrified the very same events might occur in Ireland in the spring of 2016 when electors go to the polls. Portugal setting such an example will not be tolerated.

So the coup became an overthrow. The socialists “vow to topple Government”:

The same contrived headlines are used elsewhere, here at The Irish Times:

And The Independent:

NewsTalk ran a nice little explainer, and we learn The Left “were given a chance”. Elected might have sufficed.

None of these articles offer the reality: that the Anti Austerity Left alliance were elected but denied power after the intervention of the EU.

That they received 50.7 percent of the vote and 122 seats is not reported.

The Right-wing coalition came a distant second, with only 38.5 percent of the vote and 28 seats.

It is simply quite extraordinary. And it is not mere lazy journalism, but distortion and deception.