Poll: Have the media gone too far in their coverage of Gerry Ryan's death?

RTE has admitted its coverage was “less than it could have been”, and said it held back out of respect for Gerry Ryan’s family. But was it right to do so?

IT’S BEEN VIRTUALLY the only story on the Irish news agenda for much of the last week: the findings of the inquest into broadcaster Gerry Ryan, which revealed that his death was almost certainly linked to cocaine use.

Last night, RTE denied that it had maintained a silence and rejected allegations that there was a tolerance of drug abuse in the organisation, but said that it refrained from extensive comment out of respect for Ryan and sympathy for his family.

However, it admitted in a statement that “coverage within programmes last week of the issues around cocaine consumption in our society was less than it could have been.”

What do you think? Was RTE right to hold back out of respect for his family? Did it fail in its duty as a public service broadcaster?

Or did all media – including RTE – go too far, and would it have been better for everyone to let Gerry Ryan rest in peace?

Have your say.

Poll Results:

RTÉ coverage was inadequate. (372)

All media went overboard. (184)

RTÉ was right: other media went too far. (105)

RTÉ was right: other media went too far.
RTÉ coverage was inadequate.
All media went overboard.