RTE & the GAA

[Jinxy]

They see themselves as having polished off the catholic church and Fianna Fáil. Now they see the GAA as the hat-trick in their imagined world where these were the three strands of the old Ireland that they see themselves as liberating us from. And just as they have replaced the church with themselves as an unelected priesthood and FF with the untouchable left, they see rugby as the only sport that reflects their right-on, cosmopolitan Eutopia (stet).

I think Paraic Duffy hit the nail on the head.

"Might it be that the lack of an international and professional dimension has created a form of condescension towards Gaelic games, or that there is a metropolitan attitude in Dublin-based media towards games with a strong -- although not at all uniquely -- rural following?"

Or is it just a persecution complex ? That kind of moaning does the GAA no favours. The whole urban rural thing is shite- a huge swathe of Dublin is first or second generation  "rural" anyway.

What media are condescending? The papers all need to cover GAA for their readership and to bring in the ads. Same for the telly. 

If people look down on the GAA, f*ck them anyway. Otherwise sell them a better story. The GAA is one of the very few Irish institutions to get through the financial crisis unscathed.  Maybe some more positive marketing is needed

Pat Spillane is a liability I think. he is very closer to a parody at this stage. 
The apres match skits on him are hilarious .

You're kind of all over the shop there Seafóid.

[Hardy]

All the same, a hit on Spillane would solve a lot of problems with the GAA's image. A button man with clear shot is the classic MO, but I'd favour something more colourful, like a wood chipper, as a graphic warning to the lesser gobshites. Get Marty looking over his shoulder or, with a bit of luck, considering a career in underwear sales.

You know it makes sense.

[Jinxy]

It's worth noting that RTE is the only channel that employs GAA caricatures as presenters and analysts.

[Rossfan]

There's a problem with RTÉ in general in that the body itself has became more of a nepotistic and political closed shop which has became too much of a self-absorbed monster with delusions of itself and especially among many of its presenters. In a small media market like the Irish Republic this is perhaps to be expected but it doesn't mean a good cleaning out is not required every now and then, the dead wood needs to be cast adrift.

My own opinion is that RTÉ is too D4 and to a lesser extent Dublin centric, and except for a small part-time station in Cork in the past, has never really done local radio with the result is that it's grown up too inwards. TG4 however on a fraction of the budget produces some good programming - If RTÉ was closed tomorrow and TG4 told "hey, here's some money to set up a couple of English language channels if you can" I don't think they'd do a bad job of it.

+1 particularly the bit about TG4.

[neilthemac]

The Handball Centre dispute is the first time the GAA have sued the individuals on the committee of a building/association rather than the organisation itself

I for one think it is a scandalous course to have taken
The parent body suing fellow GAA members??
the contempt that the stadium director appeared to have towards these GAA members and the local residents was astounding

What will the GAA do next to ensure Croke Park's will is done?

[Hound]

The handball issue is more to do with money and drink than actual handball!

No handled well by the GAA, but now at the stage its got to I wouldn't disagree with their current course of action.

[rrhf]

Don't know much about handball but I have real issues with ladies playing football.

[Main Street]

It's worth noting that RTE is the only channel that employs GAA caricatures as presenters and analysts.

However, RTE employ non-GAA caricatures as presenters and analysts to cover soccer and to a lesser extent rugby.

[Jinxy]

This is also true.