Thursday, March 27, 2008
Andersonstown News Rebellion Shortlived
The Andersonstown News accepts that the tone and the timing of the Squinter article last week during a period of community mourning was inappropriate and unnecessary and apologises to Gerry Adams and our readers for any hurt caused.
“Hold me now.
It’s hard for me to say I’m sorry.
I just want you to know.
Hold me now.
I really want to tell you I’m sorry.
I could never let you go.After all that we’ve been through,
I will make it up to you. I promise to.
And after all that’s been said and done,
You’re just the part of me I can’t let go.”
Rusty Nail @ 10:55 AM
Has this been some sort of Easter ‘parable’ for a paramilitary, a ‘crucifixion’ followed by a ‘resurrection’? Did Squinter get his 30 cents worth?
Back at the time of the Cahill funeral I referred to the ‘duck waddle’, the quaint slow stepping march. How long can the PRM’s lame duck President hobble on?
PS Did anyone else note the curious left foot slapping style at Edendork?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqaUZW6EYSU
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 11:41 AMPathetic. Utterly pathetic.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 12:27 PMRumours going around have Adams on the phone to Livingstone within hours of the paper coming out, demands for a SF meeting with the editorial team the following day and then a follow up of certain West Belfast advertisers threatening they’d be pulling out.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 12:39 PMIt is reassuring to all of us that the ‘normal’ levels of tolerance of criticism and free speech have been resumed by the Provisional movement in the heartlands.
‘Move along nothing to see here’.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 01:12 PMThirty pieces of silver, maybe Maundy Money.
I have this vision that the Last Supper was at Goodfellas and now Judas is being hung(out to dry?)
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 01:30 PMIs it just me or does it strike anyone else as odd that you can’t read about Mairtin’s ‘kick in the balleex’ on BBC online?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 01:39 PMNot at all strange. [See Commenting Policy - edited moderator]
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 01:40 PMIs anyone listenting to Talkback?? This is unbelievable - everyone getting their knickers in a twist because someone dared to write a criticism of Gerry Adams!?
And by the way, talking about ‘the timing being insensitive’ compounds the shame. And very clearly a line that some bright spark in the press office came up with.
But then again, using the dead for their own political ends is nothing new in provisional sinn fein circles.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 01:41 PM“Rumours going around have Adams on the phone to Livingstone within hours of the paper coming out, demands for a SF meeting with the editorial team the following day and then a follow up of certain West Belfast advertisers threatening they’d be pulling out.”
That’s better the ATN is getting in line with the mainstream media its boss M O’M so much wishes to be a part of. If the paper keeps this up, siding with business and the political elite against the mass of its readership, it can look forward to a whole raft of State advertising coming its way. By the way it would be interesting to know if any of the UK state advertisers were amongst the group who allegedly threatened to withdraw.
Where does this leave Robin? and what caused his momentary, although brave lapse, as the man had much to loose?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 01:56 PMAnd by the way, talking about ‘the timing being insensitive’ compounds the shame.
Yes, it’s pretty insulting (The apology to ‘our readers’ has a tagged-on feel), but this is how Adams has always dealt with ‘internal’ dissent so it should come as no surprise, least of all to the editorial team at the paper.
The real question still remains: who ‘greenlighted Squinter’s piece in the first place?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 02:00 PMThe grovelling apology on the front page was disgusting. Instead of the Andersonstown News backing its journalists, it stabbed them in the back. Shame on them
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 02:14 PMThis changes nothing - the problem remains. SF would have been better advised to have an open letter or an indepth interview with Adams.
This obvious interference will undermine them even more - the people of WB are many things but stupid is not one of them.
I think Adams had a point when he argued that SF could not be blamed - read Davy Adams in Irish Times today - but this censorship is unnecessary and ill advised.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 02:39 PMI see a libel comment on this thread from SRR is allowed to remain.
I hope Slugger mods don’t consider BBC journalists fair game.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 02:56 PMIt’s only libel if it’s defamatory.
Are you saying that it’s defamatory to call someone a Sinn Fein stooge? If so, you may well have to sue yourself.Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 03:00 PMHogan,
no, apart from you and unionist crank SRR, no-one else finds it strange. Here, listen and learn, the BBC NI news website didn’t cover Squinter’s piece in the first place, so has no real call to publish a follow-up. Also, why would they even be interested in this piece as newsworthy item when it didn’t even make the Belly Tele.
Are you really SRR teeing up questions for yourself and then answering?
If so, being a crank is the least of your worries.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 03:00 PMThe fact that it didn’t follow the piece in the first place is only further evidence of its party bias. Radio Ulster led with the piece and has now led all morning with the retraction.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 03:01 PMNo mate, you are calling into question his professionalism and impartiality. A half-decent trainee solicitor would get a settlement on that basis.
You’re not too smart, are you?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 03:02 PM“If so, you may well have to sue yourself.”
Does Pete Baker live on the Shore Road? Either that or jumping to a conclusion on a person’s political orientation on the basis of a few posts seems ot be catching on this forum.
Surely it couldn’t be anything more sinister?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 03:05 PMJust the facts, ma’am. Just the facts.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 03:10 PMI can confirm i am not a Shore Road Resident (no offence), but since you have raised the question i may get on my knees and say a Rosary every night to thank our blessed mother Mary Queen of the Gael that i do not reside there.
As an avid Gerry Anderson fan i heard the story being trailed for talkback during the 11:00 news break.
Imagine my ‘shock’ when i went to one of the bbc’s main NI news outlets to discover that not even the briefest details of the story were being offered?
I merely raised the question.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 04:00 PM“Here, listen and learn, the BBC NI news website didn’t cover Squinter’s piece in the first place, so has no real call to publish a follow-up. Also, why would they even be interested in this piece as newsworthy item when it didn’t even make the Belly Tele.”
Can someone identify the logic in this argument? Here’s a clue.. it may take a while.
A little understanding of media is a very dangerous thing indeed.
Yes if a news outlet does indeed cover a story they may feel an increased duty to follow-up, however it is not the be-all and end-all in the decisions of editors.
A minor column in a minor newspaper criticising the local MP may well have been minor news, not worthy of comment.
On your basic understanding of media you may not be aware of this but stories do change.
The geniuses in SF ensured this.
Let me spell it out for you, where does every other newspaper normally publish apologies? I don’t know, my best guess is somewhere in the bottom corner of page 36 in between the announcements of marriage for the son of Col. and Mrs Symmington-Smythe of Grove Manor Surrey and someone looking to sell a Ford Fiesta with 72,000 miles on the clock?
Printing a flagellationary headline the following week after criticism in a newspaper who’s independence from a political movement has long been called into question a week after is a bigger story.
To emphasise the point, try and think of the last time a paper printed an apology on the front page? Normally it is only after expensive court proceedings, the only one i can think of is the Sun/Hillsborough distaster?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 04:20 PMNevin,
I believe they are saying (certianly the chlé bit):
chlé chlé chlé máirseáil
(left left left march)
My Irish isn’t very good so I am not sure about the march bit. It’s the tradition republican style of marching.
Sombody once told me it was because the British army led their marches with the right foot. But that might be as genuine as the journalistic integrity of the Andytown News.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 04:27 PMVideo is no longer available.
What was in it?Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 04:28 PMRusty Nail, your commentary on the nearly beyond parody apology is pitch-perfect. (As are the University of Vermont Top Cats, btw. Can they sing something for all Slugger threads from now on?)
Anyway, somebody once said, “Freedom of the press is only guaranteed to those who own one.” Whoever said it, seems he or she was unduly optimistic.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 04:38 PMcle cle cle dheis cle
left left left right left
march along now....
Posted by on Mar 27, 2008 @ 04:39 PM
