The Local Journo Thread

[genome]

OK. Troll.

And the last away game you went to was?

Fulham. So by your logic, if you're a season ticket holder but don't attend away matches, you're not a real fan?

[Hound]

don't rise to it (again) genome

[Norfolk Royal]

This is all about the demise of local papers in general isn't it? Back in the days the Evening Post and sometimes the Chronicle were a must read for supporters as it was the only way to see pictures and full reports of the games.

The EP had some good reporters in those days as well, Russel Kempson and Graham Nickless I remember for decent match reports.

Since clubs took over their own PR and keep any news in house it has become a lot more difficult for reporters to get alongside managers and players etc outside the confines of what the club actually allows on their drip feed of info.

That's why when a player or other source goes off piste and talks to a reporter outside the control of the club's media team, it becomes a cause celebre. It is inevitably more interesting as they are not being spoon fed lines and are subject to cross examination by a reporter on what they say providing more illuminating responses in return.

That doesn't happen a lot these days (not least because players are told not to do so. Indeed, it is probably written into their contracts) although it was common place to do just that in the 60s,70s, and into the 80s and 90s.

You could argue of course that it is up to the reporters concerned to bust through the barriers that constrain them and find their own sources and there is some merit in that point of view since to some extent they are being paid to do just that. But they are now operating in a different and under resourced era for the local press, (closure of the EP for instance) and press in general bar the BBC, where they perhaps don't have the time or resource to devote the time needed to provide a comprehensive service.

That is why you get them pouncing on twitter posts etc, as it has become the go to resource in the lack of any other. That and the need for clickbait to justify advertising ensures the twitter rumours are not checked and just rehashed as a story. Let's say the likes of Low, Courtney, or whoever did try to check twitter rumours with the club. They'll probably wait hours, or days, before a no comment response from one of the club's media team while their competitors are wallowing in clicks.

They have a pretty thankless task in the internet era to retain some veneer of being responsible journalists in my view, one that they cannot win in reality.

[One87One]

see HITC have picked up the Swift thing. Thought for a minute there may be something in it, until I saw them referencing the chronicle as their source

The Chronicle ran with the rumour from a spoof Twitter account as well. You really can make this crap up!

[Old Man Andrews]

This is all about the demise of local papers in general isn't it? Back in the days the Evening Post and sometimes the Chronicle were a must read for supporters as it was the only way to see pictures and full reports of the games.

The EP had some good reporters in those days as well, Russel Kempson and Graham Nickless I remember for decent match reports.

Since clubs took over their own PR and keep any news in house it has become a lot more difficult for reporters to get alongside managers and players etc outside the confines of what the club actually allows on their drip feed of info.

You could argue of course that it is up to the reporters concerned to bust through that barrier and find their own sources and there is some merit in that point of view but they are now operating in a different and under resourced era for the local press, (closure of the EP for instance) and press in general bar the BBC, where they perhaps don't have the time or resource to devote the time needed to provide a comprehensive service.

That is why you get them pouncing on twitter posts etc, as it has become the go to resource in the lack of any other. That and the need for clickbait to justify advertising ensures the twitter rumours are not checked and just rehashed as a story. Let's say the likes of Low, Courtney, or whoever did try to check twitter rumours with the club. They'll probably wait hours, or days, before a no comment response from one of the club's media team.

They have a pretty thankless task in the internet era to retain some veneer of being responsible journalists in my view, one that they cannot win in reality.

All of what you have said is true, cannot be denied.

I think the problem we have as a club is that the Chronicle guys in particular are absolutely abysmal at their job. I am not having a fully qualified journalist saying they have missed out on reporting club stories for a week because of "phone issues" or "log in issues". He missed the John O'Shea story because he was "dropping off kids and driving all over the place". It's shoddy.

[Hound]

thing is the good journalists rise to the challenge and are still well respected. Charles Watts was decent, and regularly broke stories. Think the feeling was that he had managed to chum up to BT and was getting stuff through him

There's other decent ones about at other clubs - the chap from the Brighton Argus thing is good, as is that Michael Bailey from Norwich for example.

I don't mind JLow - he has improved a lot. Quite liked the grumpy version at the end of the last season who was handing out 2s and 3s in his match ratings. He obviously has no contacts whatsoever, but get the feeling he at least tries

The Chronicle chaps are just awful. The excuses are poor, CF's winding up then kissing ar*e of the players is cringeworthy, and they make up terrible rumours.

[genome]

Phil Hay for Leeds is another excellent local journo.

[Norfolk Royal]

This is all about the demise of local papers in general isn't it? Back in the days the Evening Post and sometimes the Chronicle were a must read for supporters as it was the only way to see pictures and full reports of the games.

The EP had some good reporters in those days as well, Russel Kempson and Graham Nickless I remember for decent match reports.

Since clubs took over their own PR and keep any news in house it has become a lot more difficult for reporters to get alongside managers and players etc outside the confines of what the club actually allows on their drip feed of info.

You could argue of course that it is up to the reporters concerned to bust through that barrier and find their own sources and there is some merit in that point of view but they are now operating in a different and under resourced era for the local press, (closure of the EP for instance) and press in general bar the BBC, where they perhaps don't have the time or resource to devote the time needed to provide a comprehensive service.

That is why you get them pouncing on twitter posts etc, as it has become the go to resource in the lack of any other. That and the need for clickbait to justify advertising ensures the twitter rumours are not checked and just rehashed as a story. Let's say the likes of Low, Courtney, or whoever did try to check twitter rumours with the club. They'll probably wait hours, or days, before a no comment response from one of the club's media team.

They have a pretty thankless task in the internet era to retain some veneer of being responsible journalists in my view, one that they cannot win in reality.

All of what you have said is true, cannot be denied.

I think the problem we have as a club is that the Chronicle guys in particular are absolutely abysmal at their job. I am not having a fully qualified journalist saying they have missed out on reporting club stories for a week because of "phone issues" or "log in issues". He missed the John O'Shea story because he was "dropping off kids and driving all over the place". It's shoddy.

Yes that is true but the example you quote plays into the new playing field I was talking about. It probably is true that he missed the so called 'story' as he was driving and wasn't able to tweet. It is shoddy to give the game away like that though. Much better to have darkly implied in a following tweet that you knew about it already and had discounted it as nonsense, not particularly the O'Shea story as it turned out to be true of course.

[TiagoIlori]

I’m stunned no one has called out ”Smudger” for false transfer rumours before, he reported a Williams to Wolves rumour not long ago because of a dodgy “itk” account.

Really don’t like the chronicle at all, considering I vaguely remember several players calling Courtney or “Smudger” out for twisting their words. Sad that it’s the norm nowadays, all about clickbait and attempting at manipulating people through exaggerated headlines. Eg Raheem Sterling

[bobby1413]

I don't mind JLow - he has improved a lot. Quite liked the grumpy version at the end of the last season who was handing out 2s and 3s in his match ratings. He obviously has no contacts whatsoever, but get the feeling he at least tries

Got a ton of respect for him for having continued and improved despite some horrible, vile cnuts on Twitter running campaigns to get him to resign.

I also think he has improved a lot. I also get the impression he has gained some contacts now. Especially as he's been in post for a while now

[From Despair To Where?]

I like the fact that Low made no excuses for being duped by the Yermas Dildo rumour instead of trying to bluster his way out of it with some bullshit. I think it takes the bigger man to admit you've been fooled by such an obvious spoof.

[TiagoIlori]

I think him actually having a sense of humour and not taking everything on the internet seriously helps him, he seems to find the infamous Yermas Dildo fiasco hilarious now

[Old Man Andrews]

Courtney Friday is reporting on Love Island better than he is doing for Reading, more his level.

[Old Man Andrews]

"Smudger" Smith MIA again for the last 4 days. Probably having issues with his dial-up modem.

[maffff]

I like the fact that Low made no excuses for being duped by the Yermas Dildo rumour instead of trying to bluster his way out of it with some bullshit. I think it takes the bigger man to admit you've been fooled by such an obvious spoof.

+1, good bloke. He's trying despite very limited access.

[Old Man Andrews]

I like the fact that Low made no excuses for being duped by the Yermas Dildo rumour instead of trying to bluster his way out of it with some bullshit. I think it takes the bigger man to admit you've been fooled by such an obvious spoof.

+1, good bloke. He's trying despite very limited access.

The Chronic just rip you off, don't they?

[maffff]

The Chronic just rip you off, don't they?

Do they? I'd mostly noticed TalkReading consistently doing it.

[WAZZOCK]

Whilst Low’s weaknesses are pretty clear, he has to be commending for the work and effort he puts into his reporting. He goes to every first team fixture, and is often at the Under 23 matches too.

Friday is the worst, he is just simply poisonous. He has absolutely no redeemable skills as a journalist, and tries to cover this up by slagging off the club at every opportunity. Personally, I don’t know why the club persist to let him anywhere near them, there is literally no benefit.

[Old Man Andrews]

Get Reading doing a big exclusive on where the players have gone on holiday this summer..........

Please come back football season!!!! Please!

[Hound]

yep, must-read stuff that. Mind you, I did read it so he's done his job.