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MANAGEMENT AT DENIS O’Brien-owned Communicorp have written to staff to ask them not to invite any journalists from a new Irish media outlet onto any of the group’s stations.
News website The Currency was launched today and the site’s editor Ian Kehoe had been due to appear on Today FM’s The Last Word programme to discuss an article he wrote about the finances of Sean Quinn and his family.
Kehoe told TheJournal.ie that the article was the result of six months of investigation but that he was subsequently informed that The Last Word segment would not be going ahead.
The Currency’s CEO Tom Lyons has also tweeted about the cancellation, saying it came at “30 minutes’ notice” and that journalists at his website have been “banned” from appearing on Communicorp stations.
In in an email to Communicorp staff seen by TheJournal.ie, Today FM’s assistant programme director John Caddell described The Currency as “a competitor platform” and asked that contributors to it not be invited onto the station.
TheJournal.ie understands that this applies to all Communicorp stations.
As well as Today FM, Communicorp also owns stations such as Newstalk, Dublin’s 98FM and Spin 1038.
The email to staff states:
Some of you may have already seen this announcement, there is a new current affairs and news website called thecurrency.news.This site will offer podcasts, events and news stories – competing directly with some of our brand offerings.While we have an advertising relationship (spot ads) with this site, I would ask that we don’t include members/staff of thecurrency.news on our contributors list, presenters or include in panel discussions – as this is a competitor platform.
Kehoe confirmed that The Currency had paid for radio ads for the new website to be broadcast during The Last Word but that they have now asked for these to be pulled.
He described the decision to exclude its reporters from Communicorp stations as “baffling and strange”.
“We were really surprised and baffled that a radio group, another player or media outlet would take such a decision. We just do not understand,” Kehoe said.
As of now, journalism matters more than ever, and to try and censor journalism, and stories and voices, as Communicorp are doing is damaging. And I just don’t understand it.
Earlier this year, Denis O’Brien lost a legal case he took against the Sunday Business Post over newspaper articles written by Lyons and published when Kehoe was editor.
Asked about O’Brien’s ownership of Communicorp and the decision taken by its management in relation to The Currency, Kehoe said:
He does own the station. Obviously, Tom and I were involved in a very high-profile litigation battle with Denis O’Brien earlier this year, we have moved on with our lives to such an extent that we booked ads on Today FM, so we have literally moved on with our lives. I don’t understand the rationale, or the editorial decision, for the decision of Communicorp.
There is no indication that O’Brien had any involvement with the email sent from Communicorp management to staff.
Almost two years ago, the CEO of Communicorp wrote to staff to inform them journalists from Irish Times journalists will not be appearing on any of the group’s stations.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has called for resolution to that effective ban, which it is understood remains in place.
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Rather petty this isn’t it, bit like a pub landlord banning another local pub landlord and its staff because they’re the competition.
@Uncle Montys oaf: Exactly, Except he also let’s in other pub landlords and their staff. Just not these ones.
@ObsidianShine: Hold on lads, if a pub landlord was sued by another landlord who then won, they wouldn’t allow them in the pub for a long, long time.
@Cynical: Got that the wrong way around: ‘..was sued by..’ should be ‘..sued..’
Still holds water, litigation leaves a very bad taste.
@Uncle Montys oaf: Denis has always been a petty little man
@Uncle Montys oaf: What’s the craic with all these pub landlords? Publicans won’t be happy
Well hopefully this backfires on he who shall never be mentioned.. I’d never heard of them until now but if it has him that concerned maybe it’s worth a listen? Hopefully enough do the same just to spite the unmentioned
@Mairead Hynes: They only launched yesterday I believe. Unfortunately they’re subscription only. Hopefully they do well and stay true and impartial, and good investigative journalistic work.
@Mairead Hynes: The Dobbie stations only supply news with angles that support his interests. That is why he spent so much to control the media in Ireland. Even the EU have raised concerns about how much control of public opinion his platforms have. If I say the name Jeremy Corbyn, everyone gags. They have brainwashed us to believe someone who is anti war is not fit to be prime minister in England.
Dinny at it again???
I wonder will the flag bearers Yeats and Cooper make a stand. Credibility at stake here.
@Seymour business: jobs at stake if they do
@Seymour business: In fairness, Matt Cooper did give them a plug during the show.
Liberal media dont like free speech!!
@Francis Sally: That’s the Corporate media not the liberal media. Get your pointless taglines right.
@Francis Sally: Newstalk liberal?
@Francis Sally: I don’t think you meant what you actually said there buddy.
@Francis Sally: its corporate power media more like….he who cannot be mentioned but pulls the strings of his FG puppets only cares about money and power and lots of control
@Francis Sally: without using the word Guardian what media is liberal. So sick of that expression.
Hadn’t even heard of thecurrency.com until now but will check it out. Thanks Dennis
how is a paywalled website a competitor with a radio station?
@steve white: Ahhhh… Waffle, waffle waffle.. Podcasts… Waffle.. Waffle… Don’t ya know! Simple answer Lord Voldemort doesn’t like them.
Democracy looses yet again… Another reason for Communicorp to be broken up
@Finbarr Barry: Why? It’s a private company, they can ban anyone they like.
@Chin Feeyin: A free and impartial press is a tenet of democracy. When the country’s most powerful press baron, a government supporter, benefactor, the subject of a tribunal into corruption, that said further investigation was needed into his activities, a government that ignores those findings, you know democracy is dead.
Add to it the ignoring of the Dail decision to stop referring people to Seetec and Turas Nua, the ignoring, rubbishing and challenging of the DPC’s report, democracy means SFA to the ruling cabal of FFG.
Denis the menace.
DOB is a destructive force in this country.
Can’t let the truth get in the way of O’Brien’s enormous profits now, can we?
‘In in an email to Communicorp staff seen by TheJournal.ie, Today FM’s assistant programme director John Caddell described The Currency as “a competitor platform” and asked that contributors to it not be invited onto the station. ‘
I only know him through his clickbait music reviews for Matt Cooper. Really surprised at this overt call for censorship. Does he think Matt wouldn’t be up to interviewing these people lol? Unforgivable, to insist that opinions should not be aired and tested. Back to the good old days. I wont be able to listen to him from now on knowing that i may be listening to him only because other commentators have been barred.
The lads played a blinder here!!
I wonder what Voldemort thinks they have? I read the Quinn story just now, and it’s got lots of details that I don’t recall from elsewhere.
I’m actually surprised that an article that has any inference to a certain gentleman, is allowed to have the comments section open. Maybe someone is asleep on the job coz it’s certainly not usual in this neck of the woods!
Dinny hasn’t gone away u know
Who’s boss man of The Journal?
@Martin Harte: Not himself, he’s not involved.
@ObsidianShine: most of the kids on here think he owns The Journal.
No doubt the same management claim to honour the principles of press & journalistic freedom, whilst simultaneously banning those that do not toe their line.
Managements that resort to inhibiting journalists in their work are not doing so unless it is a policy of their organisation to do so, & policy comes down to them from on high.
The Independent Group has been through a mammoth forensic investigation of Orwellian practices, the consequences of which have yet to be fully determined, but which clearly followed from policy directions aimed at journalistic freedom to investigate & report.
It did not turn out well for the perpetrators, & it won’t for any further attempts.
Wow…I’m deffo going to support them now…what about the freedom of the press…
@Marianne: I don’t think welfare lifers are their target audience
All mainstream media anyways.
Banned by Communicorp?… I’ll DEFINITELY be checking them out so. Great PR for The Currency.
Like, totes thanks Denis
Like, totes thanks Denis
Like, totes thanks Denis
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