Host: Kathy Sinnott with guest John Waters

In recent months, the behavior of the secular media has become "the story". Confrontation between the media and President Donald Trump has sparked controversy. One of the cornerstones of democracy is a free and independent press. Those who publish newspapers and produce broadcast news services hold privileged positions in our democracy. Positions that presume trust to carry out their responsibilities respecting values of truth, balance and accuracy. But what happens when those who hold privileged positions in the media abuse those very positions? When those charged to hold to account others, do not hold to account those in the press itself. When newspapers and broadcasters use the very privilege afforded them as a tool to push particular ideological ends? John Waters is one of Ireland's best known veteran journalists. He has worked for the Irish Times, the Irish Daily Mail and the Sunday Independent among others. In this weeks show John Waters reflects on what he observes as corruption in the Irish media in a talk entitled "Ireland and the End of Debate".