Robinson Attacks Negative Media Reports

Northern Ireland’s First Minister has alleged that the media’s daily focus on "doom and gloom" is damaging the economy.

Peter Robinson pointed out that while the Executive was tackling the economy in every way that it could, news headlines could sometimes impact adversely.

In a statement Mr Robinson said: "The reality is that too often, the media are the purveyors of the gloom and doom. In turn despondency becomes a self fulfilling prophesy, because people who are unsure of the future, or have been spooked about it, become unwilling to spend and businesses lose interest in the potential to invest."

The first minister said although he accepted the media's right to report bad economic news they had a responsibility to give the full picture.

However a Spokesperon for the National Union of Journalists has dismissed the attack as "naive and disingenuous".

(LB)