Texts and emails, Thursday 7 January 2010
Topic: Vincent and the panel discuss TV3's controversial broadcast, reporting on Brian Lenihan's illness.
Panellists: Stephen Price, Michael Foley of DIT, barrister and columnist Noel Whealan, and Ger Colleran of The Star
This Brian Lenihan story is a storm in a teacup. TV3 were on the ball and right! The Banks & NAMA is the real FF scandal!
Jack Feeney, Glasnevin.
***
The last time we had bad weather Garrett flew back from South of France.
Damien, Kilkenny.
***
TV3 should have broke the story on Christmas Day. What about Liam Lawler’s family when the Indo broke story of him in Russia when he died in car crash.
***
You know that TV3 were wrong in the Lenihan reports. Surely u know him as a decent and fair man. Be what u normally are. Honest.
***
Was this diagnosis firstly given by a hospital source? A breach of patient confidentiality. Was this confirmed by medical source prior to tv3 news flash? Not read out in your text flash just now??. All here asking the question? Who gave diagnosis to tv3 journalist?
***
Is this not a case of sour grapes on behalf of rte & other media outlets...the real cause of concern is the lack of pancreatic cancer services in general ..it’s interesting to note that Mr. Lenihan is attending privately & not on public waiting list.
***
Have messers Whelan and Foley conveniently forgotten the fundamental journalistic maxim in relation to the definition of news: 'when private grief touches public authority'? Timing has nothing to do with it. Fair play to Gerry Colleran.
Jim, Meath
***
This was a terrible intrusion on a man’s privacy at a very trying time. When one of you ever encounter such news personally you will know how terrible it was. An absolute disgrace tv3 and you can’t come on and defend it.
Geraldìne Folan.
***
Isn’t the main problem here that the doctor leaked this story when it should have been confidential?
Owen, Cavan.
***
It was extremely poor taste, apparent to anyone that does not have a commercial interest in journalism. No public interest.
Dave, Stoneybatter.
***
Who on the panel would like TV3 to give them an ultimatum about when to tell their family about their serious illness? Personal medical files are private.
***
What stomach churning rubbish from Ger Colleran. Most decent people accept it's a public interest issue but agree the timing was on tv3's interest only. Just like Colleran’s red top rag.
Kieran Gavigan, Mullingar.
***
TV 3 has done the country a great service because it is not clear when exactly did minister Lenihan intend to inform us that the person charged with guiding us through our most difficult period was in fact suffering from a potentially life threatening illness. I most sincerely wish the minister a full recovery as he is our best hope of true leadership for some considerable time.
Sean, Dublin.
***
As Ger Colleran should know, the electorate elect no individuals directly to public office, bar the President. If we did, we would have elected Lenihan to the office of the Taoiseach as he appears to be the only one capable of running the country. Given this, why the story is the public’s business before his cabinet colleagues know is beyond me. Is Ger suggesting that the shareholders of a PLC should be informed of the state of a board members health in a public manner also? As for people knowing of this story, I'm a nobody and I don’t work in the public or civil service and I heard about this ministers health on the day before Christmas eve!! Any jobs going in The Star??
***
It is one thing to report information. However TV3 made a prognosis and discussed how the illness will affect the minister. It is disgusting journalism the presenter referred to the minister in the past tense. Where are the ethics?
***
When are we going to debate the proposition "That Ireland has been ill served by a largely sycophantic media."
Maurice Curtin.
***
Irish journalism has reached a new low. Nothing is sacrosanct these days, not even one's private health issues. From my own experience some doctors and nurses have no problems breaching a person's patient confidentiality, no exaggeration whatsoever.
Tony, Cork.
***
'TV3 have stooped even lower by the unbalanced make up of their panel tonight. Why take so long to comment on their insensitive so called ‘scoop' Tonight’s unbalanced broadcast by Vincent is embarrassing.
Kevin, Dublin.
***
There are a lot more serious issues in the public domain at the moment for example the big freeze and where are any of the gov.ministers when this emergency is happening? Mr Lenihan is not concerned or taking any issues with tv3 so it should be left alone. Let the man get on with his treatment and his life.
***
Vincent I hope that you yourself haven't crossed that fine line from journalist to commentator. I feel that you are treading close to what you want to say but are holding back because the story being discussed involves your employer Tv3. What is your gut feeling on this issue. Would you have given the minister 48 hours to get his head around the fact that this detail was about to go public?
Ciaran, Donegal.
***
I think Ger Colleran had his head buried in the sand if thinks the person in the street is not appalled by the sheer coldness of T V 3 shame on them and Ger Colleran.
***
Would it not be possible for a barrister minister to gain an injunction within 48 hours Christmas or not?
***
It makes me laugh that the Irish times are sore that tv3 got in ahead of them in my opinion the times are increasingly pushing a right wing agenda the Irish times is like a mouthpiece for FF with a few notable exceptions such as your good self Vincent.
An employer is not entitled to know a person’s med prob. Only a medical dr. On behalf of empl'er is entitled to know nature of illness.
Breda Griffiths, D 15.
***
See the front page of today's Donegal Democrat for a story about a man in Killybegs with the same condition as the minister and his difficulties in getting treatment.
Pat, Donegal.
***
Either the coverage was based on rumour\hearsay, or some illegal act has been carried out as the only source of fact is directly from the minister himself or from the confidential medical report. Tv3 must clarify what their source was.
***
Prior to the broadcast the Minister was bashed every minute & since the broadcast it’s all nice it did him a great favour in my view.
Donal, Limerick.
***
Will somebody address the fact that the Dept. of Finance lied about the health of the minister in saying that he had a hernia problem. It is one thing not to comment on the minister's health. It is another thing altogether to mislead the public on the subject of his health.
Niall, Dublin.
***
As a person who came across Ms Halligan on several occasions, while she was reporting on issues with regard to me, her style and general approach on reporting has always been objective and non judgemental, and I think the over reactions by some public figures has been embarrassing, and somewhat hysterical.
Peter, Swords.
***
The shock of a cancer diagnosis is devastating. It takes weeks not days to absorb and come to terms with. My little daughter got cancer and the diagnosis was shocking and numbing. Would Andrew Hanlon be able to deal with similar news on national TV if it happened to him? Brian Lenihan has a family and private life and I am appalled the way this news was broken.
Margaret.
***
As an Environmentalist and health conscious citizen, am shocked and appalled at the widespread dispersal of "salt" into our waterways and atmosphere! This "willy nilly" policy is NOT exclusively a "lo-salt healthy option - at least til next week - and thirsty fish (fears of OD)/livestock etc have led many people lucky enough to live in coastal areas to sate their thirst on seawater.