Even though we can no longer accept any more students for work placement in The Irish Times for this school year, we still love to hear from Transition Year students with opinions on various subjects. Send us your thoughts (200 words maximum) on a media-related topic - and if your submission is published, we'll send you a book token.
Peter Ryan, The Abbey CBS, Tipperary Town
Increasingly, the media, especially the print media, is losing its freedom to give balanced, unbiased assessments of issues thanks to the growing influence of the so-called "media moguls". People such as Rupert Murdoch and Tony O'Reilly are well known for using their media holdings to propel one-sided stories and give certain issues a particular angle that has affected public opinion. The publications controlled by both men have unashamedly urged readers to vote for one alternative party over another.
They do not stop at simple favouritism for one side and are indeed, on occasions, openly hostile to certain political groupings. An example of this is the widely discussed controversy of an alleged campaign, on behalf of Independent Newspapers, to drive the Labour Party from office at the last election - culminating in the infamous front-page editorial in the Irish Independent urging people to vote for Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats. This was one of the most blatant examples of manipulation in recent times.
Is it not morally questionable to use the media as a lever for highly suspect political views? Is it not, perhaps, time for legislation to curb the powers of the media barons?
Rosa Tomrop-Hofmann, Mercy College, Woodford, Co Galway
The Millennium poses a big threat to the computer-structured world and I, as a young person, am immensely afraid of the consequences.
At this point in time, the extent of the effects is unknown. Some computer technicians and experts believe that newer computers are immune to the "Millennium Bug". However, there is also a widespread belief that some central computers could crash at 00:00 on January 1st, 2000. This implies that banks, government and computer-controlled satellites would not be able to operate properly. In turn, our digital lives would be altered and the things we take for granted destroyed. We are not prepared for the knock-on effects of this inevitable disaster. I think we should be getting ready.
It is said that we fear the Millennium, but for all the wrong reasons!
Write to media scope by posting your comments to Newspaper in the Classroom, The Irish Times, 11-16 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2, or faxing them to (01) 679 2789. Be sure to include your name, address and school, plus phone numbers for home and school.
Or you can use the Internet and email us at mediapage@irish-times.ie.
media scope is a weekly media studies page for use in schools. Group rates and a special worksheet service are available: FREEPHONE 1-800-798884 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
media scope is edited by Harry Browne.
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