Ms Ashley Chadamoyo Makombe:

It is a really interesting question. I thank the Senator. This is something we have been reflecting on a lot, especially at my lectures. I am a journalism student. Much of the diversion away from traditional media is because at some point it stopped catering for us. Even look at television shows made by RTÉ. "Derry Girls" and "The Young Offenders" are examples of TV programming that is aimed at young people. Then look at BBC, it has BBC 3, BBC Radio 1Xtra. If you look worldwide, many more traditional media companies are creating channels and platforms for young people to express themselves. Ireland is not at that point yet. It is a big factor in why people go onto social media.

I can only speak from my personal experience as a young woman. As someone who is from Tallaght and who is black, I was not seeing myself represented in traditional media, so, naturally, I will go to where I can see my people and where I can hear my voice and my life experience being reflected. Unfortunately, the reality is that it is not being reflected in traditional media in Ireland. That is not to say that there is no bias. I have great trust in media in Ireland. I believe what I see when I see it on TV or when I read it in newspapers. I think the content is not being made for young people so they will go to where it will be. As Mr. Gordon said, it is about integrating the content and seeing that there is a market out there. Because there is a market. It is just that the money that could be spent on things created in Ireland are now just going abroad. It is about integrating the content and recognising that there is a huge market of young people, older people, people of colour, people who are disabled who are dying to see themselves represented in the media. They are spending their money elsewhere because someone else is out there who is willing to cater to them and we are not doing that here.