Trashy Rugby League Journalism 2017

[Big Pete]

I've been an out-spoken critic of Jarryd Hayne since he signed with the Gold Coast Titans, but the amount of back-slapping on NRL 360 between Rothfield and Kenty has rubbed me the wrong way.

Both Phil and Paul tried to pass it off that they were doing the game a favour and drawing more interest into Jarryd. I really fail to see how publicising his lazy training tendencies is going to get fans to watch beyond discussing it with a wide readership.

We're only one week into the season, and straight away the journos are doing their best to destroy the reputations of quality players. Let's look at the headlines last week: we've got Tim Simona being dobbed in by his ex for match-fixing, we've got Bryce Cartwright's abortion drama and somehow Jarryd Hayne's lazy pre-season regimen is back-page news.

I keep talking about growing this game, and yet all we seem to do is give guys like Kent and Rothfield a pedastal to spout their opinions that do nothing but hurt the game.

For mine it's like giving Gus a commentary gig so he can complain about how awful the game is.

Trashing Rugby League journalism thread, let's go.

 

[Big Pete]

Point, but even if you compare the quality of journalism in the NRL to international codes it's night and day.

The key is balance and a lot of these journos we parade around don't have any.

 

[Super Freak]

Unfortunately, we are to blame for the way journalism is today. The readers are to blame.

As good as feel good stories are, they don't create much discussion. Not compared to dramas within the game.

What do you think is going to create more discussion and get more readers? Tim Simona scoring a good try, or the match fixing scandal?

We keep giving these journalists a reason to keep spouting out all of the rubbish.

They are just simply going with what works best, and unfortunately that's what gets hits and gets people talking and spreading it around.

 

[Big Pete]

Yeah let's not take this down the path of journalism ethics or the state of journalism in general, it's a Rugby League related thread to name and shame the worst stories and vent.

 

[Super Freak]

I don't mind what Kent is doing with Hayne.

The signing of Hayne wasn't just to improve their team but to also help boost the profile of the Titans after all of that shit they went through a couple of years ago. He isn't helping that by acting the way he is and I don't mind he is being slammed in the media for it. The guy needs to pull his head in and starting thinking about the team and the club.

But what irritated me was the Wayne Bennett story about his split with his mrs and his new partner.. That to me was just crossing the line.

 

[mitch222]

Im surprised Beetroot face was sober by the time 360 went to air

 

[Porthoz]

Unfortunately, we are to blame for the way journalism is today. The readers are to blame.

As good as feel good stories are, they don't create much discussion. Not compared to dramas within the game.

What do you think is going to create more discussion amongst fans? Tim Simona scoring a good try, or the match fixing scandal?

We keep giving these journalists a reason to keep spouting out all of the rubbish.

They are just simply going with what works best, and unfortunately that's what gets hits and gets people talking and spreading it around.

While all that is true, that is not what journalism is about. True reporting is dying a slow death, albeit Rugby League reporting is OZ is of the worst kind you can find.
When it comes to bias, factual information, or even quote accuracy, News Ltd trash is at the level of Breitbart.

The current climate of advertising revenue by counting page views / clicks, is really what is bringing this about.

 

[Big Pete]

The signing of Hayne wasn't just to improve their team but to also help boost the profile of the Titans after all of that shit they went through a couple of years ago. He isn't helping that by acting the way he is and I don't mind he is being slammed in the media for it. The guy needs to pull his head in and starting thinking about the team and the club.

I don't see the point in rehashing a story from months ago, why not report it at the time? It really wasn't relevant to what was going on and the fact they tried to present it as a ratings boost was sickening.

It's like the Alex McKinnon/Cam Smith or the Matty Johns scandal from way back when.

 

[Nashy]

If they break the law, club rules, or do something that will bring the game into disrepute, tell us. Anything else, let them live their lives.

 

[Sirlee oldman]

The standard is very low at the moment and that was the point of Waynes rant the other day rather than any ulterior motive to do with Hayne specifically.
The only thing we as Rugby League news consumers can do is to support the outlets that do a better job. Is there someone who we can follow that is actually decent?
I wonder if forums like ours will one day evolve to compete with the media. It would take resources obviously but sourcing and disseminating information is not that difficult.
Club websites and promotional staff could also do more and really compete with the hack journalists as an information source. At the moment they are pretty clichéd and uninteresting.

 

[Harry Sack]

The standard is very low at the moment and that was the point of Waynes rant the other day rather than any ulterior motive to do with Hayne specifically.
The only thing we as Rugby League news consumers can do is to support the outlets that do a better job. Is there someone who we can follow that is actually decent?
I wonder if forums like ours will one day evolve to compete with the media. It would take resources obviously but sourcing and disseminating information is not that difficult.
Club websites and promotional staff could also do more and really compete with the hack journalists as an information source. At the moment they are pretty clichéd and uninteresting.

BHQ's first venture into this area didn't go over so well. Ace reporter FIH hasn't been seen since.....

I find myself less and less being able to stomach League reporting. Well, reporting in general to be perfectly honest. Everything is "Breaking News" only to find out that a trash can is on fire in the middle of butt **** nowhere....

I'm over Journalists like Rothfield, Wielder and co who will sink the boot in whenever they get the opportunity. I'm sure they'd overlook a good news league story to report on a bad one.

 

[Porthoz]

BHQ's first venture into this area didn't go over so well. Ace reporter FIH hasn't been seen since.....

That's probably because BHQ isn't edited by Slothfield or Weidler... they would've raved about it I'm sure.

 

[lynx000]

My perception, from a distance, and not with any great interest, is that the AFL journos do not piss all over their game to the extent that the league journos do. Is there an explanation for that? Is it fear of the AFL Board? Better editorial control over the journos, I don't know.

It would be met with howls of freedom of the press etc, but is one possible solution to require journos reporting on the game to be accredited by the NRL? Players have to be contracted to the NRL, agents have to be accredited/licensed by the NRL, why not journalists as well. Then, if a particular journalist repeatedly writes negative attack articles about the game, their accreditation is torn up, and they have no right to attend press conferences, training days, enter the locker rooms etc.

It just seems to me that for too long the tail has been wagging the dog in our game, with the NRL assuming the position for the media (primarily channel 9). As I said, it would be met with a lot of resistance, but, something like this has to be worth a go.

 

[Morkel]

My perception, from a distance, and not with any great interest, is that the AFL journos do not piss all over their game to the extent that the league journos do. Is there an explanation for that? Is it fear of the AFL Board? Better editorial control over the journos, I don't know.

It would be met with howls of freedom of the press etc, but is one possible solution to require journos reporting on the game to be accredited by the NRL? Players have to be contracted to the NRL, agents have to be accredited/licensed by the NRL, why not journalists as well. Then, if a particular journalist repeatedly writes negative attack articles about the game, their accreditation is torn up, and they have no right to attend press conferences, training days, enter the locker rooms etc.

It just seems to me that for too long the tail has been wagging the dog in our game, with the NRL assuming the position for the media (primarily channel 9). As I said, it would be met with a lot of resistance, but, something like this has to be worth a go.

If that were to happen, you'd have nothing but puff pieces and every club would be wonderful, every player saintly, every ref perfect, and Greenturd would be the best ever. There is a fine balance.

My opinion has not changed for a long long time. The NRL thrives on controversy. Just like a boxer has to get lippy before a big bout, scandals draw the masses in. Just knowing something seedy means people are invested with that player, that club, whether good or bad. And it drives the tribalism. Someone posts a bad story on the Broncos, those that hate us have their hairs prick up, those that love us take pride in defending us. Every single piece of puss, snot, and faeces that gets smeared on a virtual newspaper or social media post drives the exposure further.

I'd obviously like to think that I'm above such low-brow shitmongering, but like the sound of the bones of two massive forwards crunching against each other, it has its primal appeal.

Like everything in the media. Good guys vs bad guys. America vs Russia. Religion vs Atheism. Pepsi vs Coke. Broncos vs Roosters. Keep pumping the veins of our confirmation bias and it'll drive our beliefs and push it to the front of our overloaded attention centres.

I just need to mention some names. Tim Simona. Bryce Cartwright. Andrew Fifita. Andrew Johns. Darren Lockyer. Now tell me which ones invoked the more powerful responses as you read them. The shitfucks win every time.

 

[Astro]

What's everyone think about this latest interview with Boyd's Mrs? Channel 9 up their old tricks... Editing footage of an interview to make it look worse than it is and completely missing the point in the process.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Shitcunt journalism....CH9, at their best/worst.

 

[Fozz]

It's Dobbo. Wanker.

 

[Horseheadsup]

What's everyone think about this latest interview with Boyd's Mrs? Channel 9 up their old tricks... Editing footage of an interview to make it look worse than it is and completely missing the point in the process.

If she's forgiven his affair/ affairs why do the public need to know ?