{"id":21908,"date":"2019-04-11T17:28:04","date_gmt":"2019-04-11T16:28:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/?p=21908"},"modified":"2019-04-11T17:28:04","modified_gmt":"2019-04-11T16:28:04","slug":"journalismul-celebrates-ten-years-with-debate-about-the-state-of-journalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/index.php\/journalismul-celebrates-ten-years-with-debate-about-the-state-of-journalism\/","title":{"rendered":"Journalism@UL Celebrates Ten Years with Debate about the state of Journalism"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Mike Finnerty<\/strong><\/p>\n

Journalism and New Media celebrated its 10th anniversary today with an event in the GEMS Building.<\/p>\n

Keynote speaker Fergal Keane, BBC Africa editor, had his keynote address delivered over phone as he was due to travel to Sudan at short notice to report on the coup that is taking place in the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the nature of the business\u201d he wryly stated, apologising to those present about his absence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re a journalist, often times the plan for the day you have at 9 o clock has gone out the window by five past 9.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Sudanese
Scenes from the Sudan coup. (Photo via Sky News)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Following that, a debate on populism and \u201cfake news\u201d was had, chaired by Mary Dundon, head of Journalism at the University of Limerick.<\/p>\n

Taking part in the debate and giving their thoughts about the general state of journalism were Miriam O\u2019Callaghan, broadcaster with RTE, Mark Hennessy, News Editor with the Irish Times, Kevin Doyle, Political Editor with the Irish Independent, and Professor Maura Adshead of UL.<\/p>\n

Hennessy, in particular, gave a candid view about the state of journalism today, stating that \u201cat a time when the industry is shrinking, it is harder than it ever has been to be a journalist.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that small, local papers are the \u201creal heroes\u201d and that they \u201cneed to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hennessy said that it is crucial for journalists to allow sources to tell their story in full before jumping in.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best quote I\u2019ve ever gotten from someone is because I kept my mouth shut for 30 more seconds and let them speak.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mariam O\u2019Callaghan gave her view about the topic with verisimilitude, saying that she is \u201cprivileged to be a journalist,\u201d but at the same time there is a \u201chuge responsibility\u201d for the media to report the news correctly, stating \u201copinion is less important than fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to get the absolute basics right\u201d she stressed.<\/p>\n

This was backed up by Hennessy who said: \u201cfacts are king.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Image\"
This mornings debate on “fake news” and populism (L-R Matt Hennessy, Miriam O’Callaghan, Kevin Doyle and Professor Maura Adshead.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This sentiment was echoed by Limerick Leader Eugene Phelan who was present in the audience, saying that in modern news there\u2019s \u201ctoo much opinion and not enough news.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin Doyle – fresh from another late night of trying to keep up with Brexit \u2013 said that the term \u201cfake news\u201d is misappropriated by the culture, and has been hijacked somewhat by the media outlets that wish to set their agenda.<\/p>\n

When asked about what his life as a reporter will be like if the Brexit debacle ever ends and the Trump administration is out of office, he remarked: \u201cthere\u2019s always something else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doyle recalled an anecdote of when he was starting out as a journalist in 2008, saying that because he knew a murder victim had a Bebo page, he could show the \u201cseasoned crime writers of 40 years\u201d this new thing called social media.<\/p>\n

He reflected on how astonished these older journalists were at this development in crime reporting, but now in any story, taking photos off people\u2019s social media is a foregone conclusion.<\/p>\n

Hennessy said that modern journalists aren\u2019t adequately equipped to deal with sensitive stories like accidents or tragedies, and asserted that \u201cthe story you write about an accident is the story the family members will pull out of a shoebox in 40 years\u201d.<\/p>\n

Professor Maura Adshead, also gave her two cents on the state of journalism, and particularly how the rise of populism has tied in with the increase in media distrust.<\/p>\n

She posited that holding the media and higher power to account was the cornerstone of contemporary populism, and what we\u2019ve seen with the likes of Bolsonaro election in Brazil and Brexit as examples of how the voters \u201canger was correct, but the blame was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adshead \u201cconcluded the debate by saying \u201cWe\u2019ve never had more information at our fingertips, but we\u2019ve never been more confused.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Infographic on how to spot fake news published, by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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By: Mike Finnerty Journalism and New Media celebrated its 10th anniversary today with an event in the GEMS Building. Keynote speaker Fergal Keane, BBC Africa editor, had his keynote address delivered over phone as he was due to travel to Sudan at short notice to report on the coup that is taking place in the […]<\/p>\n

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