SIN News Ed responds to letter to editor

SIN News Editor Deirdre Judge responds to Shaun Leonard's letter to the editor printed in SIN issue 7.

Dear Madame,

The adage “you can please some of the people some of the time” comes to mind after reading Shaun Leonard’s letter from the last issue of SIN where he bemoans the lack of hard news on offer. Let me first as the News Editor for the last two years apologise to Mr Leonard for this state of affairs. I am very sorry that news such as the death of four NUIG students while a fifth remains in a coma does not equate as ‘hard news’ in his book. Likewise the issue of parking and the decisions being made by management fail to impress, despite the impact this has on a large number of students. Could this possibly be because Mr Leonard does not require parking? Is it a case of, it does not directly affect me ergo it does not interest me? Ah yes student apathy potentially rears its very ugly head again.

In relation to last year’s content of counterfeiting and assassination plots that Mr Leonard referred to in his letter, may I remind him a student was killed in the latter case. Stories like this I for one could happily live without. Much of last year’s paper was taken up with the issue of fees which saw NUIG students becoming the focus of national media for all the wrong reasons and nearly ended with NUIG disaffiliating from the USI. Is this the kind of ‘hard news’ Mr Leonard is advocating?

On behalf of the SIN team I would like to invite Mr Leonard to come to meetings with his suggestions for stories. Alternatively I can be contacted directly and we can discuss areas of interest. Mr Leonard I do believe you have my number and I sincerely look forward to hearing from you.

Yours,

Deirdre Judge