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Willie O'Reilly

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How WhatsApp has ticked the boxes for Zuckerberg

The Facebook tycoon snapped up the messaging app in 2014 for $16bn, it’s now worth $50bn. And although the ubiquitous WhatsApp group and memes can be annoying, the app has allowed us communicate in ways that would astound our parents

Comment & Analysis

Willie O’Reilly: Time running out for golf rebels to hit paydirt on LIV tour

In spite of luring huge names such as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson, the Saudi-backed upstart challenging the established PGA tour has yet to convince broadcasters to cover it

Willie O’Reilly: Newspapers must keep eyes on the prize after Vat victory

With the hotly lobbied for zero Vat rate now won, it’s up to the sector to use the cash released wisely to evolve a strong, meaningful digital offering

Willie O’Reilly: Crunch time for media spend in an uncertain world

It’s all about quarter four for media businesses as more than two-thirds of annual profits crystallises then but it’s a nervous time for everybody

Willie O’Reilly: My tiny taste of royalty as two worlds collided

Watching the endless coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s death last week called to my mind a family funeral some years back, graced by a surprise attendee

Willie O’Reilly: Dromoland pays a pretty penny for its close-up on Sky Sports

The Clare castle and golf course will feature on the channel’s coverage of the KPMG Irish Women’s Golf Open, in yet another instance of the blurring of commercial and independent coverage on TV

Willie O’Reilly: Pickled cucumber time as the media runs short of news

The anniversary of Michael Collins’s death falling in August is a huge boon to a media desperate to fill their airtime and column inches with something – anything – during the silly season

Willie O’Reilly: Zero Vat will protect our media, so that our media can protect us

EU member states are now permitted to waive Vat on journalistic publications, in recognition of 'the vital role of the press in democracies’ so the Irish government needs to act on this now

Willie O’Reilly: Blast of nostalgia is Marty Whelan’s secret weapon

The broadcaster’s easy mix of music and banter on Lyric FM might seem innocuous, until an unearthed musical gem sneaks up on you to release long-forgotten memories

Willie O’Reilly: Two totems herald a new TV age of women’s sport

The successes of Shauna Ennis and Leah Williamson last weekend have surely brought about a sea-change in how female sport is perceived by the media

Eurovision aims its glitterballs and lasers at Moscow

Next year’s competition will be held in Britain, but will celebrate all things Ukrainian in a show of solidarity with the besieged country

Employee or contributor? The taxing question facing RTÉ

The case of Sky Sports commentator Alan Parry should act as a salutary warning to those on contract and highlights the difficulties around the employment status of ‘stars’

Willie O’Reilly: Crucial report must not languish in media minister’s drawer

Catherine Martin needs to act promptly if the Future of Media Commission report is not to disappear into oblivion like too many other such investigations over the years

Willie O’Reilly: Ever wanted your own radio station? Now’s your chance

More than a dozen local radio licences will soon be up for grabs, but getting yourself one of them could be an expensive business

Willie O’Reilly: Applicants who think RTÉ needs to be shaken up may get a prompt rejection letter

Faced with the task of replacing Jon Williams as head of news, the national broadcaster will be seeking a candidate with two competing talents

Willie O’Reilly: Trust in our media is something we should treasure

The results from the recent Reuters Institute report show that the respect the public has for news reporting here in Ireland is not to be taken for granted

Willie O’Reilly: The Irish like their media more than most – but bad news is causing some to turn off

In Ireland, we access far more news and trust more of what we read, but the effects of distressing news cycles can’t be ignored by publishers

After years of silence, we now know how the financials of Irish radio. The results are revealing

For many years, radio stations made sure to keep their financial figures under wraps, but the arrival of Ciaran Cunningham’s Radiocentre Ireland has changed all that

Willie O’Reilly: Stones are still the immovable object of rock

After 60 years on the road, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and ‘new hire’ Ronnie Wood are still strutting their stuff and sending the crowd wild

Willie O’Reilly: Wagatha Christie case should be a lesson in caution

The libel trial between two English footballers’ wives has gripped the public imagination, but the consequences for those involved could be costly