Irish Daily Stark

Following the poignant approach to the bailout by the Irish Examiner, here is a more direct view from today's Irish Daily Star. I have worked for the Star (which incidentally has nothing to do with the UK/Richard Desmond version). It has no qualms at all about using colourful language. When I raised an eyebrow at the lack of asterisks, editorial director Ger Colleran said the paper was young and Irish and its language simply reflected that. Fair point. Colleran's editing style is uncompromising. "We simply refuse to fudge the issues. Instead, we cut to the heart of the matter. When we are witnesses to political failures and mismanagement, we say so." The Star is Ireland's biggest selling red-top by a long chalk - well ahead of the Sun and the Mirror - and the third biggest selling paper behind the Irish Independent and Irish Times. Its approach reminds me of the words of my old editorial director: "If you have a friend who has nothing to say, plays it safe and sits on the fence, you will eventually stop inviting him around. It's just the same with newspapers."