Those were the words of our newly appointed leader Brian Cowen, only a couple of days ago when he didn’t realise that his microphone was still switched on in the Dail after leader’s questions. To what or whom he was referring we may never really know but there are plenty of interpretations out there. What I found most unusual about it all was that I had heard reports earlier in the day (the day it happened) whereby a clear soundbite was aired on the radio. However, when I tuned into the 9 o’clock news to get the full story the most bizarre thing happened. Initially the video clip was being played, it sounded rough and boisterous and suddenly an obvious pausing of the video and back to the studio where a very experienced newsreader was shocked at the interruption and called a commercial break without apologising for the break in viewing. Very unusual indeed. When the news returned the video was played again with a much more professional voiceover, drowning out the background noise of the chaos in the Dail. Then when it got to the infamous slip-up by Cowen you could barely hear the words leave his lips which I have been informed is no where near the quality of clips played earlier in the day. Now I don’t really care about what Brian said, frankly I think it’s great that the man is obviously human and can let emotion break out now and then but what I do care about is this incredibly unusual interruption and seemingly audio blurring of the events in the Dail that day on the 9 o’clock news. Winston Smith, are you out there?
Well Jbwan,
I swear sometimes you know. Swearing, I think, is not consistent with mental clarity and inner balance so I generally avoid it. But it’s hardly news.
I don’t think there is a ‘Winston Smith’ out there – just general apathy, timidity and complacency on the part of the media and on the part of us all.
David.