Changing media landscape in Ireland between 2002-2008 and its implications for public opinion about the European Union

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Between the Nice 2 Referendum in 2002 and the Lisbon Referendum in 2008 we have seen a change in the Irish media landscape. The principal trends show:

  • A growth in readership and distribution of Eurosceptic British press
  • The outsourcing of editorial by indigenous Irish titles to UK and other syndicated news services
  • The development of a conservative religious press
  • The proliferation of the internet as a magnet for anti-establishment opinion formers (as well as the introduction of viral communication)
  • The shift away from state television and radio towards smaller private radio stations that have a greater focus on entertainment than news

The main trend is that newsrooms have become victim to cost pressures and objectivity has been reduced. Print, TV, and Radio have all come under financial pressure, leaving them to invest less time in getting to the heart of the story and editors more inclined to buy content from UK titles.

Download full document (pdf file 179 kb) Media_in_Ireland.pdf

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