“The world of serious journalism is in crisis, with the collapse of economies, loss of jobs, and sharp reduction of advertising budgets. The impact on expensive and sometimes unpredictable investigative reporting has been immediate, and devastating.” Seymour Hersh

Wired with Whelan is a celebration of information. So much media now but not necessarily what you need to know. Good journalism is as good as its sources so I believe everyone has a role to play. I have been a journalist since I left school at 17 and I’m a slave to the old school traditions of afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.

Politics are my mainstay and I have an insatiable appetite for current affairs. Throughout my career I have covered every election in Ireland since 1977 but I don’t believe you have to be a political anorak to enjoy observing and analysing the political process - it concerns us all. I have worked as Editor of the Leinster Express, Offaly Express, Leinster Leader, Irish Entrepreneur business magazine and for a short time as Group Managing Editor of the ill fated Voice Group of Newspapers and hence why I am freelancing today. More than ever I regard ‘freelancing’ as a euphemism for being unemployed.

In this new era, it’s out with bling, blackguarding and bull. Telling it like it is and keeping it real are fortunately back in fashion, and these will be our guiding principles. Today, I write a Dole Diary and am a regular contributor to the country’s leading newspaper The Sunday Independent and can occasionally be heard offering comment and analyses on the local and national airwaves.

But all work and no play make Jack a dull boy and so my alter ego, Johnny Renko, will be taking weekly excursions for  surfing&sport, diversions into the world of the arts - especially music and movies, and of course road trips, as life wouldn’t be much fun without travel, a vegetable patch…and a clean, well cared for environment.

Wired with Whelan will keep you plugged in!