There are two fascinating elements to this story. The first is to note who is absent:
THE JOURNAL AND a number of other Irish media organisations have collaborated to launch a public fundraising campaign for Ukraine.
‘Ireland for Ukraine’ aims to raise money for people impacted by the Russian invasion – including those who have had to flee their homes….
…. Organisations taking part in the campaign are The Journal, RTÉ, Virgin Media Television, TG4, SKY Ireland, The Currency, DMGM, Radiocentre, the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, and Irish Independent publisher Mediahuis.”
Note well the absence of the Irish Times.
To its very great credit, the Times has been much more reluctant to cross the line from journalism to activism in recent years. It was, people might recall, the one major Irish outlet not to run the “Carlow Teachers” story a few years ago. It was also much more willing to buck the trend on the Covid 19 story than other mainstream outlets. It might not come as a surprise then to see it declining to take part in a project which very much blurs the lines between journalism and activism.
There is, of course, nothing wrong with supporting Ukraine. Yours truly is very much on the Ukrainian side of the conflict, and indeed, I’ve sent a few quid of my own money to the Ukrainian Red Cross. But it makes it a little harder to trust that the media will be objective and fair in their coverage of the war, and present unfiltered facts, when whole newspapers and radio stations and broadcasters are fundraising for one side. Would we trust them, for example, if they were fundraising for Alcohol Action Ireland while covering laws around minimum pricing?
That’s the first strange and fascinating thing – that it is happening at all.
The second is this:
“The Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the government will allocate €5 million to the fund to “help start its focused charity work for the people of Ukraine at home and abroad”.
“I want to congratulate the national and local media outlets who have worked and cooperated for the first time to enhance the incredible public goodwill and generosity of the Irish public on their determination to aid and assist the people of Ukraine,” Martin said in a statement.”
Why on earth is the Irish Government giving five million euro to media outlets for media outlets to give to Ukraine? Why wouldn’t it just… give the five million euro directly to Ukraine?
There is no obvious answer for that one. The Government has many channels – direct aid to the Ukrainian state, for example, or Irish charities working in Ukraine – that it could use to direct cash quickly and efficiently to the beleaguered country. Why on earth would they need to give it to media organisations, so that media organisations can hand it over?
Would they do the same if, say, the Irish Farmers Association started a donations drive? Perhaps. But it feels very unlikely.
This has the feeling, then, of spending taxpayer’s money – a vast sum of taxpayers money – to buy a little friendship and affection with our campaigning media. And to do so, by the way, under the guise of helping sick and starving and displaced Ukrainians. We cannot say for certain that this was the motive, but, I’ll be honest, it’s very hard to think of an obvious alternative.
The whole thing is very strange. And oh, so very cosy. Like much of what happens in establishment Ireland.