Media debates can be frustrating when people are talking at cross purposes, misunderstanding or misrepresenting each other and generally being illogical. These thoughts were prompted by Today with Claire Byrne (RTÉ Radio 1, Tuesday), when the topic was the proposed reduction in welfare contributions to Ukrainians here since the beginning of the war – the…
Some days I get more confused than others – it could be the weather; it could be the politics but Wednesday of last week it was the law. Listening sleepily to Morning Ireland (RTÉ Radio 1) I heard an interview with Padraic Jones, Chief Superintendent of Community Engagement with An Garda Síochána on foot of…
Often there’s a TV series that is very good in its first season, but instead of leaving it at that they capitalise on the success and produce a second series. Sometimes it’s just inferior, perhaps because original ideas have run out, or the novelty value has worn off. Recently I’ve been keeping up with the…
Most TV services have a rake of channels down the list that few people ever watch. Most are happy with the Irish channels and the main UK services like BBC, ITV and Channel 4. But good stuff often lurks far down the list – eg Sky Arts and PBS America. Both are home to excellent…
So many modern controversies involve clashes between conscience and state, between the Government and the governed, between conflicting world views. Issues of Conscience v. the State were central to the Terrence Malick film A Hidden Life (Channel 4, Sunday) – the true story of Catholic conscientious objector Franz Jagerstatter in Austria during World War II.…
So many important matters were teased out in the media last week – it’s challenging to have a life and keep on top of it all! There was a telling interview on Drivetime (RTÉ Radio 1, Friday). Cormac Ó hEadhra interviewed the Iranian Ambassador and pressed him hard on Iranian support for Hamas. The surprising…
Podcasts aren’t quite radio but they’re close – the lines are blurred. Some podcasts are original, living only on the hosting platforms like Spotify, others are really just playback options from regular radio broadcasting. A relatively new kid on the Podcast block is State of the Nation, presented by former The Irish Catholic editor Michael…
Easter is a great time for religious programming in the media, whether special shows for the season or special editions of the regular shows. On the seasonal edition of Witness (RTÉ Radio 1, Good Friday), Fr Tod Nolan gave presenter Siobhán Garrigan a guide to the Stations of the Cross at Ballintubber Abbey, Co.…
I’ve been catching up on a few TV drama series that have religious themes. The best of the lot is Kim’s Convenience (Netflix), a comedy about a Korean family running a convenience store in Toronto. The characters are believable and likeable, even the minor characters are very funny, particular the random customers, even if they…
It is customary around this time of year for us to go all Celtic, with a focus on all things Irish, or even Oirish! I wouldn’t accuse the new series Ag Triall ar an Tobar (TG4, Thursday) of that latter charge. I felt it was an enjoyable exploration of Irish holy wells with the…
Brendan O’Regan