The Post Podcast

This month’s episode features Frank Mulrennan, chief executive of the Celtic Media Group and president of Local Ireland, the largest grouping of local weekly newspapers in Ireland.

He talks about the proposed INM acquisition of Celtic Media, which fell through last year, and his concerns about the lengthy process of seeking approval for media mergers. He also speaks about how media businesses can respond to the challenges facing the newspaper industry and calls for government investment to support quality journalism.

The Cambridge Analytica controversy has shaken Facebook to its core. Its share price has dropped steeply, amid market worries that new regulations will impact on future performance. Given its European operations are regulated in Dublin, this places massive importance on the Irish authorities. Ian Kehoe and Jack Horgan-Jones discus the Facebook controversy, and its likely impact on the company’s operations in Ireland. They also discuss the paper’s story from Sunday which revealed how Facebook resisted attempts from the Irish regulator to clamp down on the data harvesting apps at the centre of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, insisting that it had a “lawful basis” to allow the apps to download data without users’ knowledge.

The long anticipated digital tax proposals from Brussels would require digital businesses to pay tax on profits generated in states where they have a significant digital presence, even if they are not physically located there. The move would have massive consequences for Ireland, with the Revenue Commissioners estimating that Ireland would be worst impacted by the proposal. Jack Horgan-Jones and Ian Kehoe discuss the issue and its potential impact in a special edition of the Post Podcast.

GPs have long warned that general practice in Ireland was barrelling towards a precipice. They repeatedly advised that a shortage of GPs was being exacerbated by the number of GPs nearing retirement, as well as a recruitment and retention crisis.

Now GP practices in entire towns are closing their doors to new patients. Families cannot register with a GP in some areas. Have we finally reached that tipping point? In this special edition of The Post Podcast, Ian Kehoe speaks to health Editor Susan Mitchell about the looming crisis.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is currently in the US for the annual St Patrick's Day visit, where he will meet with Donald Trump. Sunday Business Post editor Ian Kehoe and Political Editor Michael Brennan examine how the Taoiseach will balance the need to maintain Irish-American relations with his desire to raise issues such as tax, climate change and LGBT rights.

Ireland prides itself on being a world-class financial services hotspot. But with revelations mounting over Russian money in the IFSC, could what we don’t know hurt us? Sunday Business Post editor Ian Kehoe and chief reporter Jack Horgan-Jones discuss the issue.

Hosted by Colette Sexton, Media Matters talks to industry experts on the issues that really matter on the first Wednesday of every month.

This month’s episode features Geraldine O’Leary, group head of commercial at RTÉ, who talks about how the broadcaster brought its commercial teams together, how it sets its advertising rates and the increasing interest in areas such as sponsorship, branded content and ad-funded programming.

She also talks about the massive changes she has seen in her 21 years at RTÉ, the challenges posed by platforms such as Google and Facebook and her concerns about the business model of the Irish advertising industry.

Below the Fold is a podcast from The Sunday Business Post which looks in detail at one issue that affects politics, business, or the economy in Ireland, getting behind the issues that really matter.

In this episode, Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh O’Connell look at fake news, the abortion referendum and the fight for democracy in the 21st century

They’re joined from London by Carole Cadwalladr of The Observer, who has written extensively about how digital platforms have changed the nature of political campaigning, especially during the Brexit referendum campaign.

Gavin Sheridan, formerly of Storyful and now chief executive of Vizlegal, discusses some of the techniques and tactics used to influence political issues - and the response of the tech companies.

Hosted by Colette Sexton, Media Matters talks to industry experts on the issues that really matter on the first Wednesday of every month.

The latest episode features Peter McPartlin, the former chief executive of Today FM who is currently chief executive of media agency MediaCom Ireland, which is part of Group M, which is turn owned by global advertising giant WPP.

He explains why he believes radio has a bright future - despite his concerns about stations “playing safe” with music and the difficulties faced by stations aimed at a niche audience. He also talks about the prospect of further consolidation in the media industry, the need for a broader perspective on the issue of media ownership and the future of advertising.

The Eighth Amendment looks set to be the biggest political talking point of 2018 and Leo Varadkar puts his foot in his mouth whilst explaining how to buy a house. In this week's Post Podcast, Ian Guider, Michael Brennan, Hugh O'Connell and Senator Catherine Noone talk referendums and house prices.