Rugby League Media Negativity

[josie andrews]

I'm sorry to go back to what happened in the second minute of the Grand Final, but in the week after the incident Rugby League was firmly in the national spotlight, albeit for the wrong reasons.

The media hacks who now see themselves as celebrities such as Oliver Holt were giving us column inches , Gary Lineker even got involved trying to tell us, with a hint of irony, that rugby players should behave like footballers.

The point here is they were reporting on the bad news , eight days earlier Wigan played against Warrington in the semi-final and scored a try at the death to win a classic and book their place at the theatre of dreams, where were the likes of Holt and Lineker then ?

Their knocking of our sport would have been fair enough if they were willing to promote our sport when there are good stories to tell.

Three weeks after Old Trafford we sent a team over to the other side of the world to take on the Aussies and Kiwis, where were the messages of support from a media that printed a story about Joe Burgess with a picture of Adam Swift who plays for Saints?

All they want to do is keep feeding us bad news, earlier this season Southampton beat Sunderland 8-0, now there's two stories here, one good about a great performance one bad about an embarrassing one.

Which story do you think our media led with? Thomas Berdych beat Rafael Nadal to book a semi-final place at the Aussie Open but the media chose to lead with the player that lost not the player that won.

Surely the headline should be Berdych won not Nadal lost, Southampton won 8-0 not Sunderland lost 8-0. Which coach did they interview first on Match of the Day?
I'll let you guess.

Sam Burgess failing to get a nomination for Sports Personality of the year showed we have a problem marketing our sport outside the M62 corridor, Gareth Bale got one for heading the ball into an empty net.

As we enter this new era in our great game we need the right people promoting our sport. Sky viewing figures are good so people are watching, it's not easy with a cynical media.

What happened at Old Trafford was a bad image for rugby league but it was handled swiftly and correctly by the governing body and by both clubs concerned, again something that wasn't reported well in the London press. Saints in-particular handled the situation with dignity and had concern for Flower’s welfare.

I'd have no problem with Piers Morgan, Oliver Holt or Gary Lineker kicking us when we're down if they'd at least try and talk about us when there is something good to say. Actually coming and watching a game for themselves would be a good place to start…

This is a massive season for our sport.

http://seriousaboutrl.com/5/post/2015/0 ... ivity.html

[morley pie eater]

Just been on BBC sports page online. Latest headline is about rhinos using cannabis lamps to grow grass. Previously Gareth Raynor on rape charge. New season? What new season?

[Owd Codger]

Same news on the BBC for days, but as soon as anything negative happens in our game, in like a bat out of hell!

[Blackpool_Pie]

The BBC site had always been terrible for rugby league news. I find it ridiculous when you see how many new things are posted for football every single day.

[robbobillinge]

I've put this here, because I haven't the skill to create a new topic! There's a great article in Shaun Edwards in todays Guardian. I would have cut & pasted it but had some concern about copyright. The article should be available on the online Guardian (free). Maybe the guru Josie could sort it?

[josie andrews]

I've put this here, because I haven't the skill to create a new topic! There's a great article in Shaun Edwards in todays Guardian. I would have cut & pasted it but had some concern about copyright. The article should be available on the online Guardian (free). Maybe the guru Josie could sort it?

Send the link & I'll sort it out. I've looked but can't seem to find the article you're referring to

[robbobillinge]

Hi Josie my link is www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/03/s ... ix-nations

Sorry it was a bit obscure under the RU banner but it is really about Wigan.

[josie andrews]

Hi Josie my link is

www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/03/s ... ix-nations

Sorry it was a bit obscure under the RU banner but it is really about Wigan.

Can you check it again, cos when I search for it, it comes up with '404 not found'!

Thanks

[Paradox]

Hi Josie my link is

www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/03/s ... ix-nations

Sorry it was a bit obscure under the RU banner but it is really about Wigan.

Can you check it again, cos when I search for it, it comes up with '404 not found'!

Thanks

Missed out the 'wales' in the link ...

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/f ... ix-nations

rgds.

[josie andrews]

Hi Josie my link is

www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/03/s ... ix-nations

Sorry it was a bit obscure under the RU banner but it is really about Wigan.

Can you check it again, cos when I search for it, it comes up with '404 not found'!

Thanks

Missed out the 'wales' in the link ...

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/f ... ix-nations

rgds.

Thank you Ian

There you go robbo ????????