Dear RTÉ
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009To whom it may concern,
I am writing to express my sadness at the apology made by RTÉ News (Nine News, 24th March 2009) for their coverage of the ‘Brian Cowen nude paintings’ story. I also wish to express my anger at the censorship and revisionism undertaken by the broadcaster in the removal of the news piece from RTÉ.ie.
The story in question might be considered trivial however it did have uniqueness and a national relevance to make it news-worthy. In its reporting RTÉ was entirely accurate and was therefore within its right and remit to cover the incident.
RTÉ has apologised for the offence caused to An Taoiseach Brian Cowen, his family and his office however it was not the broadcaster’s place to do so - any offence caused was due to the actions of the artist and not those who spoke about his or her work.
It is unsettling to think that RTÉ sees it fit to apologise for the actions of others.
RTÉ is now failing its vision to ‘grow the trust of the people of Ireland as it informs’ (PDF file) and has also undermined its value of operating ‘in the public interest, providing News and Current Affairs that is fair and impartial, accurate and challenging’.
As a journalist I understand the importance of RTÉ in leading quality journalism in Ireland while as a journalism lecturer I am acutely aware of its importance in setting a benchmark for students and graduates.
Whatever damage RTÉ may have done in broadcasting this story it has done far more to the journalism industry by bowing to political pressure so quickly and completely.
To think that RTÉ sees it fit to apologise for doing its job does not inspire hope in the broadcaster at a time when we need it most.
Yours sincerely,
Adam Maguire
This is the first formal complaint I’ve ever written but I think it is necessary. Perhaps it will do nothing but it is possible that the more people voice their concern now, the less likely RTÉ are to give in to unwarranted pressure in the future.
Blogs elsewhere
March 25th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Well said. By apologising for accurately reporting on events RTE has seriously compromised journalistic standards and integrity in this country. As you said, RTE was merely reporting the fact, they are hardly responsible for any offense that may have been indirectly caused to the Taoiseach. I hope it will not go unnoticed by the public that the Gardai were swiftly mobilised to raid the offices of Today FM, while it took the Director of corporate enforcement one week to raid the offices of Anglo Irish Bank. It speaks volumes really.
March 25th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Well said. Important to be said too. What a travesty.
March 26th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
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March 27th, 2009 at 12:39 am
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March 27th, 2009 at 9:27 am
I believe we have had a few discussions on twitter RE RTE tabloiding the news. do you not think the rreport fell into that catagory?
March 27th, 2009 at 11:08 am
The way they handled it was tongue in cheek and was verging on the tabloid-side, no doubt. The topic itself was newsworthy, however.
March 27th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
My take on this is that RTE were not apologising on behalf of the artist or for doing their job (ie. reporting the news in a serious and factual manner), they were apologising for sliding into tongue-in-cheek satire themselves, something beyond their remit.
I don’t want satire on the main evening news and I don’t believe the original report was fair and impartial, accurate or challenging. They were correct to apologise for the sarcastic tone they adopted, it was highly inappropriate. Leave that to The Panel etc.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Hi Adam,
Your letter hits the mark. Public service broadcasting? I’m totally for it but incidents like this makes one wonder. A fecking mountain out of a molehill. (A mountainous belly anyway - my cowengate comment was slightly more dismissive!) Love your blog. I’ve just started so you have inspired to do all sorts of stuff. amynomad.
March 30th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Adam so is a lot of topics you have critised RTE’s coverage for.
March 30th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Adam so is a lot of topics you have critised RTE’s coverage for.
I suppose it’s a case of disliking what they do sometimes but defending their right to do so.
Being critical of someone/something is a far cry from supporting Government pressure on them.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:47 am
What government pressure? We don’t know if they had any government pressure. According to RTE they were going to apologise before they got the call from the government press office. Based on that RTE would still have apologised if the government had said nothing.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:55 am
RTÉ claims they decided to pull the story before they got a complaint, not that they were going to apologise.
I’d consider members of the FF party calling for Cathal Goan to resign as pressure and there’s an undoubted stink about the over-reaction of the Gardaí to the whole thing.
Few can say why the Gardaí acted as they did but I can’t see why they’d go so far off their own back when the galleries weren’t asking them to and no offence was caused by the paintings themselves.
I’d agree with Fintan O’Toole’s call for an Ombudsman investigation - the exact machinations of the Garda actions need to be made known.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:13 am
If RTE deemed a report inappropriate and pulled it from there website it is quiet possible that they would have apologised for it.
As for calling for Cathal Goan how many times do people in politics call for someone to resign?
The Gallery called in the police so I am not sure why you can say that the gallery were not asking them to investigate the thing. Should anyone be allowed to put a picture in the national gallery? If I wanted to put a doodle in should I be allowed to do it? Surely you will agree that some sort of deterant be put in place to stop that? Or do you think I should be allowed to hang what I like in the national gallery.
As for Fintan O’Toole’s piece
This is not burning of books or anything even close it is not the government trying to ban free expression. If Fintan thinks that they are then he should go to North Korea and see what attacking Free Expression really is. It is hysterical populism on his part.
As for an ombudsman investigation ya why not, lets put this issue to rest
March 31st, 2009 at 9:33 am
If RTE deemed a report inappropriate and pulled it from there website it is quiet possible that they would have apologised for it.
It is possible.
As for calling for Cathal Goan how many times do people in politics call for someone to resign?
What relevance is that? It doesn’t change the fact that members of the party of power are calling for the head of a supposedly independent organisation.
The Gallery called in the police so I am not sure why you can say that the gallery were not asking them to investigate the thing.
It’s a person or organisation’s responsibility to bring a potentially illegal act to the attention of the authorities, that doesn’t mean they asked them to investigate it.
Should anyone be allowed to put a picture in the national gallery? If I wanted to put a doodle in should I be allowed to do it? Surely you will agree that some sort of deterant be put in place to stop that? Or do you think I should be allowed to hang what I like in the national gallery.
It’s not a question of whether it should be illegal to do so or not; it’s a question of whether the charge (and focus by Gardaí) fits the supposed crime.
This is not burning of books or anything even close it is not the government trying to ban free expression. If Fintan thinks that they are then he should go to North Korea and see what attacking Free Expression really is. It is hysterical populism on his part.
If we could only judge things in the context of international examples we would never have the justification to get annoyed about anything. Planning “irregularities” and brown envelopes pale in comparison to what’s happening in Zimbabwe, so are they not corrupt?
Limitations on freedom of expression are not black and white. It’s not a question of being like North Korea or not.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:10 am
It’s a person or organisation’s responsibility to bring a potentially illegal act to the attention of the authorities, that doesn’t mean they asked them to investigate it.
So the Gallery called in the Gardaí just for fun? I realise the charges are abit tenious but should anyone be allowed to do what they want in the national gallery? Surely you will admit there would be a need to stop this kind of thing. As for the Garda resources being used 1 detective going to Today FM is not exactly massive use of Garda resources.
Who said it was? Limitations on freedom of expression are not black and white. It’s not a question of being like North Korea or not.
Freedom of Expression does not end with the government complaining about a report on RTE. Freedom of expression goes both ways including the governments right to express its opinion that the report on RTE was in bad taste. Do you deny that the government also has a right to freedom of expression? This is no where near the ending of freedom of expression in Ireland Fintan’s statement was a ridicules statement to make.
What relevance is that? It doesn’t change the fact that members of the party of power are calling for the head of a supposedly independent organisation.
Irish Nationwide Building Society is also an independent organisation. Do you condem them for/if calling for his head as well? Or indeed the head of Anglo Irish?
Does anyone have to right to call for the head of an independent Organisation. Can I? Or is freedom of expression limited in the case of calling from peoples heads?
March 31st, 2009 at 10:26 am
So the Gallery called in the Gardaí just for fun?
I can’t speak on behalf of the gallery but I wouldn’t be too quick to draw inference from them contacting the Gardaí as they would be legally required to do so even if they didn’t want to.
I realise the charges are abit tenious but should anyone be allowed to do what they want in the national gallery?
No but that’s not the argument here.
Surely you will admit there would be a need to stop this kind of thing. As for the Garda resources being used 1 detective going to Today FM is not exactly massive use of Garda resources.
You’re assuming that’s the extent of the investigation?
Freedom of Expression does not end with the government complaining about a report on RTE. Freedom of expression goes both ways including the governments right to express its opinion that the report on RTE was in bad taste. Do you deny that the government also has a right to freedom of expression?
Your rights only apply when they don’t infringe others’. The public need to know more so they can see if there has been any infringement or if the Gardaí were pressured into action.
This is no where near the ending of freedom of expression in Ireland Fintan’s statement was a ridicules statement to make.
His comment was that if the circumstances of the investigation were allowed to pass it would be an end for freedom of expression. So if people allowed this to go on without the relevant authorities proving that there was no undue pressure from Government then future Governments will know they can get away with such pressure without notice.
Irish Nationwide Building Society is also an independent organisation. Do you condem them for/if calling for his head as well? Or indeed the head of Anglo Irish?
Does anyone have to right to call for the head of an independent Organisation. Can I? Or is freedom of expression limited in the case of calling from peoples heads?
I never said people weren’t allowed to call for others’ heads, I was questioning their motives and so your comparison is invalid.
Calls were made for Goan’s head because the broadcaster aired something that may have offended the Taoiseach, not because he was found to be taking the public’s money while at the same time losing theirs.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:26 am
You’re assuming that’s the extent of the investigation?
You’re assuming it isn’t?
His comment was that if the circumstances of the investigation were allowed to pass it would be an end for freedom of expression. So if people allowed this to go on without the relevant authorities proving that there was no undue pressure from Government then future Governments will know they can get away with such pressure without notice.
Do we not operate on the principle of innocent before proven guilty. From what we know the government did not get this broadcast stoped. RTE decided itself to stop the broadcast before any government involvement. The fact of the matter is that the government did not stop RTE from covering the story in the manner RTE wished to cover the story. They complained about as is their right under freedom of expression and no one has offered any proof otherwise.To presume guilt and ask the government prove innocence is just backwards
I never said people weren’t allowed to call for others’ heads, I was questioning their motives and so your comparison is invalid.
Sorry what you said was
I’d consider members of the FF party calling for Cathal Goan to resign as pressure
Sorry in that statement it reads as if the mere saying of something by a politician is cause for alarm.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:37 am
Do we not operate on the principle of innocent before proven guilty. From what we know the government did not get this broadcast stoped. RTE decided itself to stop the broadcast before any government involvement. The fact of the matter is that the government did not stop RTE from covering the story in the manner RTE wished to cover the story. They complained about as is their right under freedom of expression and no one has offered any proof otherwise.To presume guilt and ask the government prove innocence is just backwards
Of course we do but there needs to be more transparency to determine who is innocent or otherwise.
Sorry in that statement it reads as if the mere saying of something by a politician is cause for alarm.
I commented on a specific case so I’m not sure why you would take it as a general condemnation of calls for resignation from politicians.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Of course we do but there needs to be more transparency to determine who is innocent or otherwise.
That is not how justice works it is not the duty of the accused to be transparent in determining their guilt or innocent it is the job of the accusers to prove their guilt And as of yet there is zero proof of any government wrong doing. And yet people are not looking for proof any more, they never looked for proof of this story people have jumped straight to the pronouncement of guilt.
the amount of blog inchs and column inchs devoted to this story over the last week and have we gained not one iota of new information about this story since the Today FM pronoucement?
The blog and columns have been entirily based on conspricy theories and histeria. Where is the investigator journalism trying to find out what actually happened?
No instead we get pronouncements that FF are trying to end free speech in this country.
I commented on a specific case so I’m not sure why you would take it as a general condemnation of calls for resignation from politicians.
Ok so in this case i.e a FF TD calling for the resign of the head of RTE is not also covered under Free Speech. Please point out that provision in the constitution
April 4th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
simon the police only interviewed conor after the rte report, so it wasn’t just the gallery who got the police involved
April 7th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Hi Adam,
I thought the RTE piece was terrible.In fact, it was lazy journalism; worse, it was snide and demeaned RTE. It was, in my view, a piece of comfortable, middle class, D4 nonsense.
They should have just kept to the facts and there wouldn’t have been a problem. They were right to apologise for that crap.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I wouldn’t mind so much if RTÉ apologised in general for their lazy, ‘and finally’ pieces but they didn’t.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
I don’t mind RTE apologising re the paintings but will they apologise to me for all the reporting that they do with regard to this Government’s mismanagement of the economy
April 20th, 2009 at 12:05 am
Now that we realise that this has been rip off Ireland.
Any chance of RTE either getting the Licence fee or Advertising revenue and nor both.
Get a grip. We’ve been ripped off enough, cut the cloth to the measure. If the so called jumped up stars in RTE don’t like it then let them walk.
Look at the excellent quality of BBC programs (God knows we show enough of them) and they only get the licence fee.
People of Ireland it is time to cop on. Pat Kenny, Gerry Ryan your new salary is €100,000, it’s enough for anybody. Take it or leave it.
It can be done, if anybody has balls.
April 20th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Tom The BBC has about 12 times the licence fee payers.
SW the police spoke to conor after today FM released his name.