THE TV and radio blackout on election coverage has begun with the start of the loftily-worded “moratorium” period.

It sounds like a room where the news goes to die.

It’s a fitting image of an election where sheep-minded media put fairness and objectivity through a meat grinder.

Coverage has whinged about how ‘boring’ the election has been, as if it isn’t the media’s job to make it interesting.

Despite a dull campaign, the results promise to be the most dramatic for decades. A hung Dail beckons, star names will fall and previously peripheral entities like Sinn Fein and Independents will win big.

While everyone in the media failed to predict the FG-FF alliance now expected, it has been a dreadful election for journalism in worse ways.

The most alarming feature has been the ferocious campaign against Sinn Fein. The State has never witnessed such a biased agenda across all media organisations against a political party.

Broadsheet newspapers were the worst offenders, with constant attacks on Adams, Mary Lou McDonald and the party’s policy on crime and the Special Criminal Court. Editorialising adjectives including “embarrassing”, “under pressure” and “biggest loser” were used in headlines.

READ MORE:

Not sure who to vote for? Make your mind up with our Party Game

Irish Sun poll: Who will you be voting for in the General Election?

In one article, a headline suggested Sinn Fein was in trouble in its stronghold of Donegal, with Fianna Fail set to beat them. When you got into the piece, it turned out both parties were on identical poll figures. Similarly, a newspaper reported Leo Varadkar was on course to top the poll in Dublin West, ignoring that Sinn Fein candidate Paul Donnelly had the same opinion poll rating.

At best, subjective opinions on Adams’ performance in debates and interviews were passed off as hard news.

IRISH SUN POLL DAY 1: Is this the Enda the road for Fine Gael?

IRISH SUN POLL DAY 2: 50% of voter don’t trust either Enda or Joan

Irish people see cost of living spiral

At worst, the outburst of gangland crime in Dublin was directly linked to the party. Some commentary suggested a vote for Sinn Fein was a vote for drug dealers. Another Sunday newspaper report on Mary Lou was filled with such scathing anti-Sinn Fein sentiment, it bordered on sexism.

Reports on the final leaders’ debate on Tuesday night focussed again on Adams having an “uncomfortable night”. Enda Kenny’s bombshell that he made the Minister for Arts appoint the man at the centre of a cronyism row two years ago wasn’t highlighted comparatively.

Gerry’s poor grasp of economic policies was again underlined by journalists who appear to consider the Taoiseach’s shaky knowledge of economics less important.

A detailed analysis of the anti-Sinn Fein editorialising over the past three weeks would make a very interesting thesis for any media students. It had a significant negative effect on opinion polls.

The party was slow to take issue with bias until its poll numbers were hit. Even then it only focussed its ire on RTE.

Claims that the Taoiseach got softer treatment are untrue. That Enda looked unruffled by interrogations gave the appearance of an easy ride.

It’s just impossible to grill someone who prepares for interviews like it’s a Junior Cert Irish Oral. No matter what Dobbo or Sean O’Rourke or Miriam asked him, Enda had his “bhí mé ar mo laethanta saoire” stock answer ready. There is no doubt anyone who even suggests Sinn Fein have been badly treated leaves themselves open to accusations of being a closet Shinner.

Let me be clear, there is no whiff of diesel from my clothes and I have no agenda for or against any political party. As a former student of journalism and its ethics, I have merely watched this campaign with dismay.

In Northern Ireland, the most conservative unionists with deep personal reasons to loathe Sinn Fein have shared power with ex-Provos. Do we so revere the offices in the Republic held by flawed men such as Haughey that a Shinner is not worthy?

The media class has a sneering attitude that those who vote for Adams’ party are more ill-informed than the average centre-right FF/FG voter. There is also a seldom-challenged view that Adams is a liability for the party on the canvass, which has zero basis in fact.

Despite these sheep-like views, support for Sinn Fein has grown in every election since the 1990s. Electoral success came even though there is no other party leader subjected so intensely to the same repeated questioning quite like Adams.

READ MORE:

Dail over bar the creaking: Last leaders’ debate outshined by RTE set

Enda Kenny says he regrets if any offence was caused by his ‘whinger’ remarks

Gerry Adams mutters ‘sweet Jesus’ after apparently losing his cool in radio interview

Housing crisis leads to ‘shocking’ rise of 134 families left homeless

If most believe that Sinn Fein and the IRA were one and the same, then why obsess over which organisation Gerry says he was a member of? Everyone knows he cannot say he was an IRA commander as it would leave him open to prosecution.

There is an argument that Sinn Fein might do better if Adams retired but it is doubtful Pearse Doherty or Mary Lou would get better treatment.

Adams’ major achievement in bringing radical elements of Republicanism into the peace process will never be acknowledged by the present media, even in death. However, history will remember him long after the scant achievements of Enda, Joan or Micheal are long gone.

For now, one of the big stories from Election 2016 will be the incredible rise of Adams’ party from one TD in 1997 to more than 20 after tomorrow.

The future of the print journalism that so despises the party is in serious peril, but Sinn Fein isn’t going away you know.

Also Read:

Election 2016: Voting starts in the most unpredictable poll of recent times

Eoghan McDermott: Leaders’ debate dodged stormy issues

They’re troopers! Irish soldiers cast vote on mission abroad

Donald Trump’s letter to Yank voters



HEY losers. I’m Donald FU Trump, soon to be President of the United States.

I tell ya, when I get to the White House, I’m gonna turn it into a classy downtown casino.

First thing I’ll do is tear down Lincoln’s bedroom.

Lincoln was an idiot who got rid of free labour. He gave us a classy car and won three Oscars but he’s an idiot.

Eighty per cent of Americans say my election as President will make them proud again. The other 20 per cent said my election will make them Canadian.

A lot of folks are angry at my proposals to stop Muslims entering the US, unless they are classy hot blondes who might be involved in my next three weddings. Even that hardass Dick Cheney says it goes against everything he believes in. And he’s a guy who shot his friend in the face.

I want to stop Mexicans getting in by building a wall. Failing that, I’m gonna create a giant tortilla chip the size of Texas, rename the Caribbean Sea Guacamole Ocean and watch Mexicants drown trying to dunk it.

Yeah, yeah I know the stuff I say about Mexicanites and women and the Irish offends people.

But don’t worry, I’ll say worse tomorrow.

I’m going all the way because America is like toast and fear is peanut butter that I’m spreading all over this country. Although I could focus on something all Americans are REALLY afraid of.

Diet and exercise.

Lucinda party is needing renua-l



RESULTS will focus on Labour losses, but the real loser in this election is undoubtedly Lucinda Creighton and Renua.

The Fine Gael rebel was handed the biggest open goal in Irish political history when the public cried out for the creation of a new party. Lucinda dithered and delayed so long she lost all momentum.

Eventually, a hesitant Creighton emerged with a poorly-named and badly-branded Renua, standing next to Eddie Hobbs whose unexplained presence made a joke out of the launch.

Terence Flanagan’s brain-freeze moment on RTE Drivetime, where he was heard flipping pages as he desperately tried to answer questions on policy, added to the atmosphere of incompetence.

Having refused to run as a candidate in the election, Hobbs’ involvement remains a mystery and damaged the new party’s credibility.

Lucinda was obviously flattered by the whiff of celebrity, but Eddie’s star had long faded.

Lucinda’s decision to have him join her on the Late Late for Renua’s first big interview was especially foolish.

Even after waiting two years to launch the party, Renua emerged with no clear policies.

She resigned from Fine Gael over her stance on abortion and her views on the issue have dominated much of the conversation about her new party.

Lucinda believes she is in a school debating competition and her amateur approach has not been bought by voters.

Renua failed to attract candidates and even lost some confirmed ones just before the election.

The party hardly featured in opinion polls and was eclipsed in debates and commentary by the Social Democrats, who came late to the campaign but made enough impact to have a future beyond this election.

It looks like Renua might even come back to the Dail with fewer than the three TDs it entered the campaign with.

Lucinda’s political future hinges on whether she can make her way back to the bosom of Fine Gael, if her personal friend Leo Varadkar one day leads the party.