Irish media to blame for a lot of Ireland’s economic woes?!
Daragh | May 3, 2009From: TheEconomy@brightwater.ie [mailto:TheEconomy@brightwater.ie] On Behalf Of David Bloch
Sent: 01 May 2009 06:01
To:
Subject: Irish Media – Please stop spreading the misery!
Below is a copy of the 2nd email I sent to my address book, to massive and almost universally positive response.
Yesterday, The Media headlined an ESRI report about THEIR view on the miserable outlook for Ireland. Some people were angry about it, others like me disagree with the report and the majority shrug their shoulders, claiming it doesn’t affect them. It does!
We are a recruitment company and have seen real signs of some green shoots (and no new waves of redundancy announcements), with April the best month of the year to date. Yesterday (Wednesday, 28th April) due to the negative, sensational reporting making people nervous and anxious, we had 3 jobs pulled, 5 put on hold and no offers in at all. It DOES matter! Yesterday, The Media cost thousands of people their jobs across the country.
Please read the email below.
Thank you.
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The Irish media is spreading fear and panic!
I am the MD of an Irish Company. I have a job and I want to keep it. I also want to keep the jobs of my staff and my friends… and I want to live and work in an upbeat country!
The Irish Media is spreading fear and panic – it makes me think about cutting more costs, salaries, staff and saving money. If it affects me, it must affect other people.
With the positive American attitude, do we have any doubts that the US will recover?
Ireland has one of the youngest and well-educated populations in the first world (after the US) – let’s use our energy and can-do attitude and get out of this.
I sent a similar e-mail to a few people from my address book a couple of weeks ago.
Here’s a few comments from the dozens of replies I’ve had which show I’m not alone in my thinking:
From Senior Manager at Big 4 Accountancy Firm:
“…it’s giving a desperate impression to investors, commentators etc. Also too much time spent pummeling those who are easy to blame – bankers, developers etc. By all means accept there have been mistakes, learn the lessons, add regulations etc. but now time to move on and have plan for the future.”
From MD of major European Bank, based in Ireland:
“I know RTE would argue that in criticising them we are in danger of “shooting the messenger” but “the medium IS the message”.
“Those in RTE are relatively “bullet proof” in their jobs. They are playing “Russian roulette” with private sector jobs as visiting business people and others latch on to our depressive outlook. Other development agencies will also use this to argue against Ireland as a location to invest in, in favour of their own place.”
From Partner at medium-sized Law Firm:
“What irks Me about say RTE is that the doom laden voices of George Lee, Ann Doyle and others announcing yet more job cuts etc as the lead item. It is literally depressing. It is usually preceded by a really sad ad from one of the NGO’s with pictures of starving emaciated Africans. I know their plight is tragic but the continuous subliminal effect of all of this is to drag one down in terms of “mood”. The best piece of news is in fact “Nationwide” at 7pm with Mary Kennedy and Michael Ryan. They are cheery and upbeat.”
From Irish person recently moved to New York (don’t know her details):
“Hear Hear I say!! I live in New York and although things are tough here, people are getting on with the new reality and figuring out creative ways of dealing with the downturn.”
From Owner of private Irish company:
“Frankly, I’m enraged about what RTE specifically are doing. They’re destroying hope and thereby destroying Ireland. ”
From Director of Big 4 Accountancy Firm:
“I have come across a lot of clients who I am dealing with on other issues, non recruitment related and they are definitely looking at costs and savings because they feel they have to because everyone else is!!”
Anon – PLC Board Director:
“I am having to respond privately as Company Policy does not allow for me to endorse anything!
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I have voiced the same concerns privately in conversation with many people and whilst many agree with the view that the Media is spreading doom and gloom, there is no action being taken to reverse this”.
I’ve also started a campaign on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/10/336/ab7 and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=76003642139#/pages/David-Bloch/76003642139?ref=nf (you will need to be a member, and then become a ‘fan’ to comment / reply). Please feel free to add me to your network.
Most business people seem to feel this is an important message… Ireland is a special country, but this constant negativity (glass half empty) is very bad for the country – nationally and internationally.
If you agree with this email, please be brave and send it on. It might make a difference!
Thank you.
David Bloch
Managing Director
PS. In my company we have created a little enclave of positivity and energy, but it is hard to battle the daily media barrage of misery – please help!
PPS. If you want to read the hidden Good News, we have been running a “Good News Corner” on our website since October last year www.brightwater.ie
i completely agree. It just easy writing for them.
Those damn journalists, sitting on their piles of gold giggling in that independently wealthy manner and rubbing their hands together ….
“The Irish media is spreading fear and panic!” – that’s why we have recession!
I agree with what people are saying about positive attitude, we need that if we are to get out of this. However, there’s no use denying reality. Journalists report what is happening and a recession is happening now. The banks aren’t lending, builders aren’t building, tax returns are down and the jobless figures are high. We don’t have a recession because the media spread panic, we have it because the building boom could not continue and our economy relied too heavily on that. Also the recession is global and not confined to Ireland.
Further to my first comment, I do agree that bad news sells better and this may be the reason for the media focus on the negative. There is need for a focus on the positive side to remind people that the whole country is not unemployed. If there is 10% unemployment, unacceptable as that is, obviously 90% are working. I started a small business (with no capital or grants) in the hope that it will keep me off the dole.
i completely agree. It just easy writing for them.
Those who think the media talked Ireland into recession need to get a reality check. What about all those people who dishonestly or cynically talked Ireland into a speculative bubble, a bubble which has now burst? That’s what caused the recession. One third of the economy was built on cheap credit and reckless borrowing. Now it’s gone.
Get used to it.
The media have consistently underplayed the extent of the crisis, and give ample coverage to anyone foolish enough to talk about green shoots.
The reason this country is in a recession is because we have a Government who had a”jobs for the boys” mentality.
All the donations they were given assured. that the relatives of the donors got work in the already bursting at the seams civil service. The other donors got jobs on boards of banks or semi-state bodies and the developers got all the planning they needed and heads up on land for sale.
Even the Central bank had a mandate to go easy on the banks.
So, as time went on, these people were so cosy with the Government that they chose a “blind eye” mentality,why ruffle feathers, after all think of all the apartments you could buy with the extra income from the boards or the excellent pensions.
As we all know whistleblowers are nothing but an annoyance in the eyes of most of the public in this country. If you even look at the way the clergy handled the abuse stories, politicians the Mahon tribunal, the doctors in all the different enquiries, the gardaà in the McBrearty case, the common thread is arrogance. Starting from the Politicians down.
Unfortunately, there were huge problems in this country before the economic crisis globally hit in, the cracks began to appear even in the summer of 2007 when the Spinal clinic in the Mater started losing beds or the childcare subsidy in rural Ireland was abolished.
But until the people who have made the huge mistakes serve time in prison, we will not learn. Until there is a class action against people on the boards that chose not to do their fiduciary duties, we will never be a great country. It is sad really as we have the brain power to be, but just not the ethics.
As for the media, if they didnt let us know about the incompetence surrounding us, the Government would be blaming everything on the global markets.
As a friend of someone who works in the media. Probably 50% under 40 dont have full time jobs, dont have pensions or long term contracts, so why do they do it?
Because they love their work and actually want people to know what is happening in their country and elsewhere. Most of these people actually care about their country, not like the politicians who get paid far too much for their 9 months of work?
But, Im amused that the Government message (to erase their own culpability) still resonates with many of you which is: blame the media for the recession- not the Government or the many people in the country who have dubious ethics and believe they are beyond the law.