Good news or what

by Ken Reid, Political Editor

Published Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Peter Robinson was on his high horse last week and his target was the media. He told a conference there was too much emphasis on bad news and the success stories were given scant attention.

Perhaps he has a point....but the Executive decisions do need scrutiny.

Without naming individual journalists he is clearly unhappy at some of the comments made recently.

He said he wanted to encourage the media to desist from dominating the news with negative stories and only reluctantly allowing positive stories to squeak through.

''I find it perverse that job losses are reported with greater drama and enthusiasm than the new jobs created,'' he said.

Fair enough, but the executive and politicians could help themselves as well.

Take the good news that the First and deputy First Ministers are going on an exciting economic mission to China.

Excellent, but we found about it in a tweet from the DUP leader.

Now I am quite fond of a tweet myself, but sometimes the Executive presentation could be improved.

The presentation of the programme for government was the way to do it.

Well presented, easy to understand.

The result... a very positive message in the media.

Bad news will always receive attention but there is generally an appetite for the up side as well.

Peter Robinson has a good argument but you cannot expect journalists to close their eyes.

Job losses are human tragedies and cannot be ignored.

But bring on the good news as well.

The more the merrier!

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Comments

5 Comments

Esdale in Belfast wrote (438 days ago):

Well said Lucie -- You pose the question as to who Peter Robinson thinks he is. In my opinion. unlike a well educated barrister such as Jim Allister, he is a self opinionated upstart who cannot be trusted, consider for a moment the false promises this man and the D.U.P. made to the electrate and subsequently broke every one of them. NEVER NEVER NEVER - NOT IN OUR TIME - NO GOVERNMENT PRIOR TO THE HANDING OVER OF ALL GUNS AND EXPLOSIVES - DOUBLE JOBBING - THE EMPLOYMENT OF FAMILY MEMBERS, on and on it goes. I guess I'll end here and let the electrate respond.

Lucie in Belfast. wrote (440 days ago):

Who does this man Peter Robinson think he is and by what right or who's authority does he feel compelled to criticize the media in Northern Ireland? We in Northern ireland are blessed to have such excellent and unbiased media programme presentations and some of the best presenters, reporters and journalists anywhere within the United Kingdom or anywhere else. Pity one cannot say the same about the Ministers and M.L.A's sitting in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Jim Allister being the only exception.

J OHare in newry wrote (441 days ago):

The media is very good by UTV, What they say is the thuth by our jounalists making fair account of news and events. We cant all live in mars like Peter Robinson.

Charlie in Belfast. wrote (443 days ago):

Well well, so now Peter Robinson is endeavouring to dictate to the media and experienced reporters as to how they should do their job regarding what they report and publish. He is not so good at dictating to his buddy's in IRA/Sinn Fein to whom he capitulates at every opportunity. Thank God for Jim Allister.

Mark A Stott in Bolton, LAncs, England wrote (444 days ago):

I find it perverse that organisers of impending grovel missions destined to visit China are expecting to receive positive treatment by the media, And at the expense of the Media foregoing the opportunity to focus upon the human rights abuses of this of abhorrent regime. In scenario, how would this intention to enter into economic relations, differ from one proporting to enter into economic relations with fuel smuggling ‘butchery brained’ paramilitary overlords, in the name of increasing the economic prosperity of Northern Ireland?

Ken Reid’s UTV blogs

Good news or what

Peter Robinson was on his high horse last week and his target was the media. He told a conference there was too much emphasis on bad news and the success stories were given scant attention.