Madam, - I am writing to you as a journalist and a concerned member of the National Union of Journalists. I'm concerned because, in my opinion, more and more reporters and sub-editors, especially in certain tabloid newspapers, are simply making up stuff and allowing it go to print.
There is massive pressure on many journalists working on big stories, a pressure which comes from certain news desks demanding they have the "real" story first and that a rival doesn't scoop them.
In relation to the Clonroche tragedy, The Irish Daily Mailthis week reported that six-year-old Mark Flood "was woken by a shotgun blast. . .left his bedroom and went out to the landing to see what had happened and this is where he died at the hands of his deranged father".
In fact Mark died in his bed and never left his bedroom. This report must have been a terrible thing for relatives to read, especially when it just wasn't true. Similarly, at least one article in the Irish Daily Mirrorthis week speculated on what thoughts were going through Diarmuid Flood's mind and on his relationship with his wife Lorraine. Pure and utter conjecture, not grounded in the truth. And the use of the words "deranged" in the Mailand "Evil" on the front page of the Irish Sundoes nothing to help people who are suffering depression or know people who have taken their own lives.
The NUJ's code of conduct specifies that a journalist has a duty to maintain the highest professional and ethical standards and strive to ensure the information he/she disseminates is fair and accurate. There are also guidelines for the media on the portrayal of suicide.
Journalists, editors and sub-editors should read them. The Press Council should also investigate recent matters. Gardaí too have a responsibility to work more closely with journalists and avoid information vacuums which spawn lies and innuendo.
Journalists in Ireland have, in the main, a great tradition of telling the truth and we have spent decades building up the respect of the public. That respect is being undermined by relentless pressure from the market, the competition between newspapers and the stupidity of some journalists in failing to check the facts.
The headlong rush for circulation is ruining the proud tradition of journalism. - Yours, etc,
DAMIEN TIERNAN,
Chairperson,
NUJ Irish South-East Branch,
and Chair of the NUJ Irish Executive Council,
Passage East,
Co Waterford.