Courtney McGrail
This is an opportunity for a positive, but resolute challenge to the media, writes Cora Sherlock
Cora Sherlock
If anything has become clear over the last couple of years, it is that the media is the main driver for abortion in Ireland. In the past few months, however, it has become so blatant that we simply cannot afford to ignore it any longer.
The politicians are well aware how slanted media coverage is on abortion. But everyone inside and outside of politics tends to tip-toe around the issue rather than challenging it openly. That’s not a healthy way to approach a serious matter in a democracy.
Over a fortnight recently 33 pro-choice articles appeared in our national newspapers, but they published only one pro-life article during the same period. This tells us all we need to know about the state of journalism in Ireland today. In most cases, campaigning for one’s own views has replaced objective reporting.
The media avoids stories about the pain and heartbreak of abortion.
They run a mile from scandals like the recent tragic death of a woman from Ireland after an abortion in a Marie Stopes clinic in London. And they go to extraordinary lengths to leave the unborn child out of the picture.
Panels
It’s not just the newspapers, the radio and TV are just as bad. In RTÉ, programmes like Prime Time and Claire Byrne Live recently discussed the Clare Daly abortion Bill with panels consisting entirely of pro-abortion advocates.
An RTÉ Sunday morning radio programme recently spent 20 minutes without interruption attacking the 8th Amendment, which provides the only remaining legal protection to the unborn. Again, there was not even one pro-life voice on the panel.
And the presenter of an RTÉ afternoon show featured stories about abortion on five separate occasions during the first fortnight of February, all from a stridently pro-choice perspective.
These examples represent only a fraction of the recent bias.
Waste of time
It is a waste of time, though, just complaining about the one-sided coverage if we don’t do something practical to tackle it. That’s why we are holding an event outside the Dáil on March 11 to challenge the media on their bias.
It will be the start of a campaign to take the message of media bias to every corner of the country. But the size of the turnout on the day is critical to the future success of the initiative.
The event will be positive in focus, not negative, respectful but resolute, calling the media to account. It will be held from 7-8pm on a Wednesday because that is when TDs and journalists are in the Dáil. Holding it on a weekday will involve sacrifices for some, but we are urging everyone to make that extra effort to be there.
Large sections of the media would be very happy if pro-life people gave up the fight, leaving them with a freer hand to go on propagandising for abortion. The very brazenness of their bias leaves them vulnerable. When it is exposed the case they have been making will be undermined. The worst thing we could do is quietly concede that there is no point in challenging the bias.
Ten years ago, it was next to impossible to challenge media bias. The arrival of social media has changed all that.
We have to take full advantage of these new opportunities. But first of all, we need everyone to be present outside the Dáil on March 11 to give this vital new initiative the kick-start it deserves.
*Cora Sherlock is Deputy Chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign.
