A new book focusing on Ireland's rapidly-changing media aims to show foreign readers that there is more to Irish culture than James Joyce, said author and incoming press ombudsman John Horgan.
The book, Mapping Irish Media, is sponsored by the Dublin City University (DCU)school of communications and co-authored by Mr Horgan.
"I suppose it tries to hit the spot at the time when the media is changing very rapidly," said Prof Horgan, a former professor of journalism at DCU.
"It's a review of the state of the nation where we are now," he said. "It's also aimed at people abroad who are interested in Irish studies, whose view of Ireland has begun to stretch beyond James Joyce. It shows people abroad facets of Irish people and culture that they might not have been aware of," .
Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole, who launched the book last night, said one of the most illuminating sections of the book was a rational, calm analysis of crime reporting. The chapter, "Selling Fear? The Changing Face of Crime Reporting in Ireland" written by Mark O'Brien, "makes the point that the hidden narrative in terms of crime coverage is that things used to be great, and now they've gone to the dogs."