Sir, - I turned on my local radio station, 96FM, to get the result of the Ireland v Nigeria Youth World Cup match. No mention of it, just cross-channel soccer results. I then watched the RTE 2 news and sport at 10.40. Lo and behold, more reports on the cross-channel results and then finally the result of the Ireland game.
Am I the only person who has problems with this coverage? Why should not our Irish team and other performances from Irish sports people get equal status in the media? RTE is our national broadcasting station, funded by us, the viewers. Sports Call on RTE 1 is dominated by cross-channel football. RTE radio and Today FM seem heavily biased towards cross-channel football to the detriment of other sports. Kids and grown-ups wear the expensive kits of their favourite British soccer teams.
I am a great lover of British soccer but this country seems to have become collectively brainwashed from the commercialisation of the sport over the past five years. Will this commercialisation, aided and abetted by Murdoch's millions, subsequently lead to the diminution of other sports in this country due to lack of interest and attendances at games? Will we become a nation of TV couch potatoes watching Sky television? - Yours, etc.
Joe Aherne,
Rushbrooke,
Cobh,
Co Cork.