Are you interested in one week's work placement in The Irish Times? Transition Year students can learn first-hand about the workings of this newspaper if their submission is published in Media Scope's weekly Over to You column. Just send us a 200-word piece on a media-related topic.
Richard Murphy, De La Salle College, Dundalk, Co Louth
I am writing to voice my strong views on the utter drivel that some idiots have the cheek to call "music". Take, for example Louis Walsh's latest pack of corporate munchkins - who, as of yet, aren't a band, haven't a name and don't even know their style of music. They have a record deal though! The industry is full of money-grabbing, fad-riding, talentless tosspots who have less talent in the whole band than John Lennon had in his fingernails.
The fact is that there is too much emphasis placed on appearance, image and advertising. The music has just turned into another production-line creation. "Musicians" today seem to be more concerned with money than the joys of expressing themselves through music.
It is not just the mainstream pop acts who are like this, though; even Metallica were outraged at people being able to download their songs from the wonderful product of a technologically advanced society called the Internet. Napster had to be penalised for cutting into some of the "wild band's" profits.
Fiona Hand, Loreto College, St Stephen's Green, Dublin
As a student, I find a teacher's help is a commodity that cannot be done without but is often taken for granted. Every point counts in the rat race for college places, and without the right advice you may find your planned career down the drain.
Yes, it is the teacher who counsels, gives extra notes and advises on the questions you should answer on the exam paper. And they do this very important job for a somewhat measly pay packet every week.
The ASTI's dispute over pay has gone on since March of 2000, yet the Government have failed to sit down and resolve the grievances; instead they have dug in their heels. It seems the Taoiseach's more pressing issues are the introduction of "Slane 2" and giving each and every one of his colleagues a pay rise.
I feel we students are being used as pawns in this long-running dispute. I can only say this dispute will be solved sooner or later - for our sake let it be sooner. After all, teachers are educating the governments of the future.
Write to media scope by posting your comments to Newspaper in the Classroom, The Irish Times, 1116 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 , or faxing them to (01) 679 2789. Be sure to include your name, address and school, plus phone numbers for home and school. Or you can use the Internet and e-mail us at mediapage@irishtimes.ie
media scope is a weekly media studies page for use in schools.
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media scope is edited by Harry Browne.
