The news that Irish Minister of Finance Brian Lenihan has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer was greeted with almost universal sadness in Ireland.
The coverage of the story by TV3 however was roundly criticised by all sectors of the political spectrum.
According to the Irish Independent, TV3 “had earlier contacted all newspapers in Dublin in what government sources regarded as an attempt to gain maximum attention for the bulletin.”
Labour's finance spokeswoman Joan Burton and Leo Varadkar were both scathing of TV3's coverage of the story. Burton said "I think it's a terrible intrusion into Brian and his family's privacy and especially at Christmas. The man has young, teenage children.
"It's certainly not a departure in the media that I would welcome. I'm really shocked that a story like that could be broadcast at Christmas. I just want to wish Brian well."
TV3 reporter Ursula Halligan even described Lenihan in the past tense when she said “Brian Lenihan was...eh...is regarded as one of the more popular members of the government.”
TV3 have defended the broadcast, stating that they held the story back two days so he could inform his family.
However, this isn't really a good enough excuse. They say it was a story of national importance, but what about his family? Surely they should not have ran with the story over the Christmas period, or at least waited until a statement was made by Lenihan.
In my eyes it wasn't a story of national importance, certainly not if he wasn't prepared to speak himself just yet. TV3 got their story out first, but may have lost credibility in doing so.
