Irish Ferries, the NUJ, the Irish Independent

Read Alan Ruddock's article in today's Guardian. The article is about the Irish media and the Irish Ferries dispute, but the problems he identifies are about more than just the Irish Ferries or even business issues.

The Irish media operate in a bubble that shields them from an evolving Irish society. Journalists are rarely sacked and can expect a job for life once they have union membership and a staff position. Culturally, they tend to come from an older Ireland: consensual, undynamic and left leaning. Just as significant, however, is the lack of diversity in Ireland's media, with none of the sharp ideological divides that characterise the British media. If there is a media bias against business, it is deep-set and cultural.