The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire
In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire
UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović
US Gives Weapons to Taiwan for Free, The... Fri May 03, 2024 03:55 | Anti-Empire
Russia Has 17 Percent More Defense Jobs ... Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:56 | Marko Marjanović Anti-Empire >>
A bird's eye view of the vineyard
Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog. We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader 2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by The Saker >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Julian Assange is finally free ! Tue Jun 25, 2024 21:11 | indy
Stand With Palestine: Workplace Day of Action on Naksa Day Thu May 30, 2024 21:55 | indy
It is Chemtrails Month and Time to Visit this Topic Thu May 30, 2024 00:01 | indy
Hamburg 14.05. "Rote" Flora Reoccupied By Internationalists Wed May 15, 2024 15:49 | Internationalist left
Eddie Hobbs Breaks the Silence Exposing the Hidden Agenda Behind the WHO Treaty Sat May 11, 2024 22:41 | indy Human Rights in Ireland >>
|
The Irish Times plugging for Shell Oil in Mayo again
national |
arts and media |
other press
Tuesday January 30, 2007 13:25 by Miram Cotton & David Manning - MediaBite editors at mediabite dot org
![Report this post to the editors Report this post to the editors](../graphics/report.gif)
Anonymous editorial reproaches objectors
MediaBite have just circulated the second of our MediaShots, which addresses the issue of press coverage of the objection to existing plans for Corrib Gas in County Mayo. Titled ‘Gas Gaeilge and the Media’, the timing is appropriate given developments this week and also in the light of how press coverage of this issue seems set to sing from the Shell Oil hymn sheet without demur. Read our analysis here:
http://www.mediabite.org/
In an extraordinary editorial in the Irish Times yesterday, objectors to the Corrib Gas terminal/refinery that is planned for Bellanaboy in County Mayo have had to withstand yet more finger-wagging from the ever-more paternalistic stable of journalism that characterises the IT. The unattributed piece heralds an imminent announcement from the Environment Protection Agency that they are minded to approve the project, despite many specific problems and oversights that have gone un-addressed and unacknowledged in several vitally important respects. The piece concludes:
"It would be wise for the agency to take this course. It would be wise also for those for and against the project to participate fully and vigorously in these proceedings. Let all have their say; let each side seek to persuade with expert assistance and throw their arguments open to challenge. And if procedures have been followed correctly, let everyone accept the eventual decision, whatever it may be. In the meantime, it would be better if the confrontations on the roads around Bellanaboy ended and more energy was expended on assembling arguments based on facts and reasonable hypothesis." [Our emphasis]
Either we are looking at an inexcusable degree of ignorance about this project or we have the IT in it’s comfortable pro-business role - almost an extension of corporate PR departments. The continuing misrepresentation of the Shell to Sea campaign can only be regarded as wilful at this point. Nobody is trying to prevent the extraction of gas from Corrib. The industry are being asked to locate their operations at sea in the interests of the legitimate environment, health and safety concerns of the local community - and as they would be required to do in many parts of the world. If this were California, there would be no debate - it would be unconscionable that the project would go ahead as proposed. Shell would be in disgrace.
If the IT editorial writer concerned were genuinely concerned to know whether application procedures have been followed correctly so far, it would not be difficult for that person to find out. As it stands, Shell have only to claim they are following correct procedure and the IT will obediently report it as fact. And the most blindingly obvious fact of all is of course that building work has begun on the site in advance of approval: it could not be more obvious that procedures have NOT been followed correctly. What are local people to do in the face of peremptory behaviour like that? Allow their community, literally, to be steamrollered? And as to describing the violence at the Bellanaboy site as ‘confrontations on the roads’, again the easily discernible facts are that peaceful protestors from all walks of life, of every persuasion and none, are being violently assaulted by the state’s police force on behalf of Shell Oil simply because they are upholding and defending the assault on our democratic processes, our national interest and their own community. Where are the fearless journalists?
Media complicity and indifference in this situation is a major concern for us all. The conduct of the Corrib Gas proposal has acutely exposed the true nature of the relationship between government, big business and the corporate mainstream media. We hope our analysis will go some way to shining a light on that phenomenon.
|
View Full Comment Text
save preference
Comments (11 of 11)