Madam, - Emmet Oliver's point about political parties' "use of almost Orwellian pictures of party leaders" (Media & Marketing, May 18th) is well made and relevant to the Irish political scene a year before a general election.
His targeting of Fine Gael and Enda Kenny as being the main culprits, however, ignores the real elephant in the room. One cannot open a paper without having to look at a large number of flattering photographs of the Taoiseach or reading obsequious coverage of his doings and sayings.
As for public service radio and television, his and his Government's point of view seems to be the subject of practically all political news items.
I have reluctantly come to the view that the controllers of our media outlets are biased. If that is indeed the case, it is not good for our democracy.
In a properly functioning democracy all points of view should be adequately represented in the public sphere.
At the moment, however, it seems as if political debate is not just personality driven, but is biased in favour of the Government of the day, which has access to much greater resources (taxpayers' money) to promote its image and put its point across. - Yours, etc,
A. LEAVY, Shielmartin Drive, Sutton, Dublin 13.