Yes, we vary the topics here and in this episode we discuss with north county Dublin resident news reporter for the Irish Independent Laura Lynott her career in journalism and with former journalist Dundalk resident and Head of Communications at Fingal County Council Gerry Mc Dermott, the future of print media.
Gerry tells us about the role and impact of print media at a local level and what brought him to his career in journalism from commentating his childhood playtime and writing match reports for his grandfather, journalism was his career from just after school onwards. He went on to work with the Donegal Democrat, local radio and the Irish Independent before moving over to the role of Communications Head at the FAI before starting with Fingal County Council back in 2016.
Laura tells how she got her start in the Salford Advertiser before moving to Donegal with her mother and working at the Derry Journal and later her work with the Irish Independent.
Newspapers used to be the main way people got their news alongside television. While still in print, many have stopped buying and go online for their information. Laura still writes because she believes journalism can be a force for good and believes print media must survive.
She tells us that she believes there is a future for print newspapers. With the advent of radio, in the past, it was said that would make print obsolete, then they said television would make both radio and print obsolete and it does sometimes seem possible that the internet will make all previous media obsolete.
However, Laura says that as well as the challenge of online misinformation and social media, we also have the challenge of AI, where content can be manipulated. In this case, written, edited and press council regulated paper will have an ongoing role in the media landscape.
She also tells us what she likes about living in north county Dublin.
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