Sir, - The appalling trend of journalists writing opinion pieces in the news pages of our national papers has reached an all-time low over the last number of days. I am speaking specifically about the "reports" on RTE's broadcast on New Year's Eve.
As a viewer who tuned to the channel early in the day, I was richly awarded with hours of celebration and reflection on our culture and successes as well as a sense of being very much part of the global celebrations. If it had not been for the efforts of RTE, I am sure the national significance of the day would have passed many of us by due to the lack of any integrated national celebration (apart from the candles, of course).
As pictures came to us from around the world, the expectation mounted for something spectacular in our own capital to happen at midnight. The fact that this turned to anticlimax is surely no more due to RTE than the success of the Dome in London is due to the BBC. The finger must surely be pointed elsewhere for what was or wasn't available for filming. This should not take from an excellent day of television.
I find it startling that editors allow the views of a handful of journalists to be written as "news" without the presence of any facts or viewership figures. I know that my opinion and that of the people around me was not reflected in their "articles". The news pages should be reserved for news. As for opinion, they should write letters like the rest of us. - Yours, etc.,
Siobhan Sharkey, Marian Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.