RTE & the GAA

[Jinxy]

Another story that portrays the GAA in a negative light on Primetime this evening.
It's either no coverage or negative coverage the last couple of months.
Are they going out of their way to put the boot in?

[Hardy]

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).

[Croí na hÉireann]

Another story that portrays the GAA in a negative light on Primetime this evening.
It's either no coverage or negative coverage the last couple of months.
Are they going out of their way to put the boot in?

Exactly my thoughts last night, you'd think there was enough scandal in Europe to concentrate on. Recent Primetime episodes about the GAA that spring to mind are:

The Cork Hurlers
Payments to managers
The Handball Center

The Late Late is another useful tool for bashing the Jay Aye Aye

I presume the egg chasing U20s are live again on RTE2 this weekend?

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Another story that portrays the GAA in a negative light on Primetime this evening.
It's either no coverage or negative coverage the last couple of months.
Are they going out of their way to put the boot in?

Exactly my thoughts last night, you'd think there was enough scandal in Europe to concentrate on. Recent Primetime episodes about the GAA that spring to mind are:

The Cork Hurlers
Payments to managers
The Handball Center

The Late Late is another useful tool for bashing the Jay Aye Aye

I presume the egg chasing U20s are live again on RTE2 this weekend?

Don't know what the handball Centre thing is about, but the other 2 probably merited attention. Didn't think either of those features were overly critical of the GAA.

U-20's are live,why wouldn't they be when they're playing for a grand slam..don't see why you're dragging that in.

[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?"

[Declan]

And just as they have replaced the church with themselves as an unelected priesthood and FF with the untouchable left

Hardy is Leo Varadkar in disguise

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Another story that portrays the GAA in a negative light on Primetime this evening.
It's either no coverage or negative coverage the last couple of months.
Are they going out of their way to put the boot in?

In short, I don't think so.  Don't know the background on handball centre but don't think GAA managers payment was exactly negative coverage.   RTE noses are definitely out of joint about the "no coverage" aspect and the fact that the GAA opened up intercounty to TV3, Setanta and TG4.   For a long time RTE took it for granted they were kingpins and treated negotiations as such.  In recent years they paid the price.  They'd love to get their hands on Saturday night League games (haven paid lip-service to League back in the monopoly days) but can't pay the shekels.

U-20's are live,why wouldn't they be when they're playing for a grand slam..don't see why you're dragging that in.

U-20 match is on Sky Sports, not RTE.

/Jim.

[Hardy]

And just as they have replaced the church with themselves as an unelected priesthood and FF with the untouchable left

Hardy is Leo Varadkar in disguise

Ah God!

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?"

That's well put, OK.

[Tubberman]

When I heard Primetime were covering another "GAA scandal" I had the same thoughts - RTE out to do another GAA-bashing.
But watching the report, I didn't think it was overly negative - in fact, I thought the GAA came out looking pretty fair-minded and the local handball club were the ones who were holding up the redevelopment of Croke Villas.
But I still don't see why the issue merited a Primetime report in the first place - it's hardly an issue to grab the attention of the nation. A dispute over ownership of a building... nothing unique there.
I remember the IRFU had something similar with Wanderers RFC when they were redeveloping Lansdowne Rd. Wonder did that get a report on Primetime?

[Jinxy]

It's not that the discussion of these issues is unwarranted from a journalistic perspective, it's how they are presented.
Remember the Primetime where they had the feature on payments to managers and how they tried to dump the issue of violence in on top of it, only they ran out of time?
Ryan Tubridy playing the clip of the Derrytresk row for Eamonn Dunphy on the late late show was bizarre in the context of the wider interview.
The absolute abomination of a programme that is 'League Sunday' seems to be a token (and very minimal) effort to satisfy demands for improved GAA coverage.
I think across the media in general at this time of year there is an attitude of "We don't need you till the summer" when it comes to the GAA.
I was looking at Ciaran Murphys (Off the Ball) twitter page the other day as I wanted to know the result of the Connacht schools final (he's ex-Jarlaths) and one comment caught my eye.
Someone asked him was there going to be any GAA stuff on the show that night and he more or less said (and I'm paraphrasing here), "There'll be plenty of time for that later on in the year".
I think that attitude is reflected across the board to be honest.

[rosnarun]

i would not fault OFF THE BaLL for GAA coverage anytime of the year . they are the only one who seem to be able to bring a bit of fun to thoer coverage, and they seem to have the best most laid back analysts (Apart for Tom tommy thomáa Carr)
Daithi regan is excellent in the hurling and D brady is alway Very listenable no mater what you think of him

[thejuice]

the fact that they continue to employ a certain gollum-esque presenter for a lot  its GAA shows might suggest it hates the GAA.

That said they let Ryle Nugent cover rugby so perhaps not.

[Jinxy]

Is it right that the head of sport in RTE should currently be active as a commentator?

[seafoid]

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 .

[seafoid]

Is it right that the head of sport in RTE should currently be active as a commentator?

You'd have to ask the finance head in RTE. It probably makes financial sense the way things are at the moment.