Friday, April 04, 2008
Taking a stand against censorship
Lisburn SDLP councillor Matthew McDermott is reported by the Irish News to have returned his young achiever (“40 under 40”) Belfast Media award in protest at their handling of the Squinter column and subsequent front page apology to Gerry Adams MP MLA. “A columnist of any repute should be allowed to do what they are paid to do and criticism of politicians or political parties, including my own, is part of the rough and tumble of this business,” he said, unable to accept the award, believing that “newspapers should be free to comment “without fear of censure or interference”.”
A COUNCILLOR given an award by a newspaper for being a young achiever has handed it back in protest at its handling of a complaint from Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams.
Matthew McDermott (23), who was recognised by Belfast Media Group in its ‘Top 40 Under 40’ awards, said he felt “unable” to accept the honour.
The Lisburn SDLP councillor returned the award yesterday.
Mr McDermott said his decision was related to a recent decision by the Andersonstown News to apologise for an opinion article carried last month.
The column criticised Mr Adams, the West Belfast MP, saying he should take his share of responsibility for rising crime in his constituency, following the murder of Frank McGreevy at his lower Falls home.
However, the next edition carried a front-page apology to Mr Adams.
Mr McDermott said newspapers should be free to comment “without fear of censure or interference”.
“A columnist of any repute should be allowed to do what they are paid to do and criticism of politicians or political parties, including my own, is part of the rough and tumble of this business,” he said.
Will any of the other award recipients follow suit?
Rusty Nail @ 06:09 AM
Mark,
The way I see it, the point of reporting the news isn’t to pander to the readers. It’s to impartially tell the news and if that’s hard for people to hear then so be it.
but i t wasn’t the ‘news’it was squinters own individual opinion
Posted by on Apr 04, 2008 @ 01:15 PM“Perhaps shoppers will boycott Sainsbury’s, one of the sponsors ...”
Did Curley’s offend Sinn Fein?
Posted by on Apr 04, 2008 @ 01:16 PMGav,
“The way I see it, the point of reporting the news isn’t to pander to the readers.”
They are trying to make money!!! You cant alienate your readers.
Do you work for the Newsletter?
Posted by on Apr 04, 2008 @ 01:17 PMI wish I did work for the newsletter. Probably get paid better.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2008 @ 01:34 PMAch Gerry Adams has lost it as has his party. The animal farm comparisons now doing the rounds may be predictable but they’re not any less true because of that.
Control freakery in hyper-drive - and then the ATN bending over to satisfy the frustrations of his bruised ego.
I’m getting T-shirts printed - Vote SF: 4 legs good, 2 legs better.
This stoop trying to hop the band wagon though is faintly ridiculous - as are the outbursts by many posters condemning the censorship by SF. I don’t really remember so many appalled voices when it was the shinners being censored.Posted by on Apr 04, 2008 @ 02:16 PMI wish they would stop be referred to as Sin nFein, they isn’t anything Sinn Fein about them at all, sure.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2008 @ 02:41 PMI think Matthew was totally right in highlighting the ATN censorship. Papers should be allowed to print things even if Gerry Adams disagrees with them. Spin Fein obviously don’t get the whole ‘democracy’ thing yet, it’s more than winning elections.
Posted by on Apr 04, 2008 @ 03:21 PM1967,
Exactly! FFS Mugabe and Putin can win elections!
Posted by on Apr 04, 2008 @ 03:38 PMDK
Sainsburys bought Curley’s late last year.
Posted by on Apr 05, 2008 @ 08:06 AM“I wish they would stop be referred to as Sin nFein, they isn’t anything Sinn Fein about them at all, sure.”
Is you cajun?
“Papers should be allowed to print things even if Gerry Adams disagrees with them.”
They are, they did. Thats why this thread exists.
Posted by on Apr 05, 2008 @ 10:06 AMLets remember “Squinter” got Newton Emerson sacked from his “geeky” “anorak” job in Poleglass, cause the Newt was slagging Robin Livingstone in “The Portadown News”....... mind you it was just “the Oxygen of publicity” that Emerson needed to launch his media career….. thumbs up to squinter….. Result, you numpty.
Posted by on Apr 05, 2008 @ 10:12 PM
