Rip-off Republic Episode 4
- Thread starter Brendan Burgess
- Start date
contemporary said:
Aren't you lucky that you're an intelligent person, who can use a computer, and make yourself aware of so much that is going on in this country, either on this forum and on the internet as a whole......
There are hundreds of thousands of Irish people who don't have what you have, and may not be aware of the things that you are, and who may have been very interested to hear what they heard, either for the first time, or in a way in which was easier to understand than the Irish Times Business section.
Television is a mass media outlet, and as such, you have to appeal to people in such a way as to keep them watching - which we've seen done over the past few weeks.
If you didn't like the tone, or you felt you heard it all before, you've very much entitled to turn it off.
contemporary
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ronan_d_john said:
I am
ronan_d_john said:
ignorance is no defence, just ask any judge
ronan_d_john said:
I did
I liked Hobbs "show me the money" programme and felt that RRR was a great opportunity to expand what he had being saying in SMTM but between trying to make the show lighthearted yet serious it was a failure IMO. If you talk to people like adults they will act like adults if you talk to them like simpletons....
ubiquitous
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I don't think its correct to assume that there are "hundreds of thousands" of people out there who are not intelligent or who cannot inform themselves on current affairs and events simply because they can't use a computer. (On the other hand, given the amount of rubbish on the internet, anyone (intelligent or otherwise) who relies on it to inform themselves on any subject is not exactly guaranteed wisdom...)
Its also a bit ludicrous to think that large numbers of people were unaware of,(or worse, did not understand) the "Rip off Ireland" debate until they saw Eddie's show, given that the Irish Indo and other mass-market media have been pushing this story (or non-story, perhaps) for several years now.
Its also a bit ludicrous to think that large numbers of people were unaware of,(or worse, did not understand) the "Rip off Ireland" debate until they saw Eddie's show, given that the Irish Indo and other mass-market media have been pushing this story (or non-story, perhaps) for several years now.
Thought it a bit dissapointing that he won't be appearing on the late late show. Im sure his detractors will make alot of this "afraid to defend himself". However he maybe right, I think he may have been hoodwinked by the Late Late trying to get some of his record ratings. I don't think a shouting match on the late late would be much good. All it would do is work in the politicians and vested interests favour by clouding the issue again. They have been very successful at this over the last few years. Eddie Hobbs has lifted the bonnet on the issue and let everyone have a look.
Dearg Doom
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I don't agree with the thinking that format of the program not allowing his comments to be challenged is an issue. When we are shown advertising telling us what great value such-and-such a product is, or quotes from ministers telling us about our low tax economy and what a good job they are doing, etc. we don't see those (biased) opinions being challenged immediatly to give balance. So it makes sense that someone should be able to give contrary opinions unchallanged. Probably neither paints a completely accurate portrait of reality, but hopefully the bias of one will challange the bias in the other and get people to examine what we are being told, look at things from all sides instead of taking it at face value.
How would an invitation to appear (if such an offer was extended) constitute hoodwinking?joe sod said:
At least a shouting match would hold out more promise of a more balanced treatment of the issues than Eddie's unchallenged unilateral shouting performance on RoR?
ubiquitous said:
I never said people were unaware (or ignorant as implied elsewhere above), my point was that people were tuning in to have things further explained to them.
In fairness, you'd need some sort of higher education degree to decipher some of the arguements regarding ROI on this bulletin board.
What are the circulation figures for The Sun, The Mirror etc., and how many people don't read the Irish Indo for one, and newspapers at all for another.
From mass media, the only newspapers to give much time at all to the alleged Rip Off Ireland have been the Irish Indo, the Irish Examiner, the Evening Herald and The Sunday Indo.
ubiquitous
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Hardly true, but a little basic research would go a long way towards avoiding erroneous statements such as
From [broken link removed]
ubiquitous said:
I'm talking about a discussion of ripoff Ireland, not simply easy and lazy media coverage of the pronouncements of the Fine Gael party in their press releases that just happen to include the terms "ripoff.ie".
For example, many of the contributors here, myself included, based on their statements and opinions, would find that most of the above newspaper articles cover aspects of business and consumer activity in Ireland that does not fall within the remit of "ripoffs".
ClubMan said:
Both sides of the arguement. I was specifically thinking of the discussion around the definitions of a ripoff, and the discussions surrounding tax take/payments and whether or not their a ripoff.
As an example, Clubman, you mention frequently that you're paying 17% tax on you and your partners income (if I remember correctly - open to correction).
I'm relatively intelligent (my ma told me, and I can't get her to log on to back that up with facts), but I'm sure I'm like many people, I get my paypacket at the end of the week, and stick it in the drawer, as long as the money is in my bank account.
It's purely from here that I've sorted a PRSA and the tax-relief associated, and the tax-relief on other things.
This kind of information and discussion isn't generally available to Joe Public, in a manner in which they understand, and in a fashion that provides them with simple to follow instructions on what to do, and hence the tone and direction of Eddies show.
The fact that he didn't take the opportunity to provide a Tips or Hints set of instructions on certain things was definitely an oppotunity missed. The programme doesn't even have a website.
Speaking of opportunities missed, where are the Consumers Association of Ireland, the ODCA or the NCA, waiting in the wings to follow up on the interest generated to re-inforce the message in order to keep consumer more aware, rather than an Eddie-induced blip in the normal course of events?