A recurring theme on this site is the failure of the mainstream media in Scotland to adequately cover the Ibrox saga.
In 2011 they trumpeted to the world that Craig Whyte was a billionaire.
Moreover, the Fitba Fourth estate dismissed as Fenian fantasy the reportage on here that bad things were about to happen to Rangers.
You know the rest…
Then Sevco Scotland Limited bought the assets of the dead club and built a business on the denial of the Ibrox customer base.
After a brief moment of accuracy, the local media quickly got with the programme.
This front page from the Herald of June 2012 is entirely accurate.
However, if you looked at their coverage since then you would be rather confused.
The folk on the sports desk there write about Sevco as if it was Rangers (Est. 1872).
Whatever it is they’re doing I don’t recognise it as journalism.
A few days ago, I was encouraged to watch the recent two-part BBC documentary on the Herald group of papers.
It is still available on BBC iplayer.
Like newspapers themselves, the “fly on the wall” format is heavily edited.
However, it did not excise the reality of continued austerity in the print sector.
The series concluded with five journalists in the building taking voluntary redundancy.
Two of them on the sports desk.
One of that duo, Alison McConnell, summed up the situation perfectly.
She said that her decision to take redundancy was based on the “slow and suffocating decline” that she experienced at the paper.
Ten years ago the Herald and Evening Times had 800 staff.
Now the three dailies and the Sundays combined (Herald, Evening Times, the National, Herald on Sunday and Sunday National) employ only 100 between them.
The group editor Donald Martin was portrayed as trying to keep the show on the road as the owners Newsquest demanded yet another round of cuts.
Just like the Ibrox story, you must follow the money.
The fall in print sales has been catastrophic.
The documentary stated that in its heyday the Evening Times had 240,000 daily sales.
Now it has 17,000.
Many more of you will read this piece today than will buy the Evening Times.
This is the collateral damage of the digital revolution.
In October 2011 Professor Roy Greenslade (City University and the Guardian) gave this talk to the NUJ conference in Dublin.
You can listen to it here.
There isn’t anything in his analysis that has been disproved by subsequent events.
Of course, in October 2011 the readers of Scottish newspapers were being told that Mr Craig Whyte was still a billionaire and that he had the personal wealth to fund Rangers.
Meanwhile this site was presenting a very different narrative at the same time.
Including the fact that Rangers should not have had a licence to play in UEFA competitions that year.
You can read it here.
Of course, that issue became Resolution 12 and that hasn’t gone away you know.
Yet, it is a story that the mainstream appear to have done their dignified best in ignoring.
Throughout that period I was supplying my readers with a Fenian on the wall running commentary of what was happening in the Big House.
Moreover, I was offering it for free and I continue to do so.
Since the death of Rangers in 2012 (as reported in The Herald) I decided to continue with reporting on matters Ibrox.
If they were going to pretend that Sevco was Rangers then someone had to set the record straight and it certainly wasn’t going to be the Record!
Therefore, I don’t see why anyone should be stuck outside of a paywall and not have access to this content.
One of the hopeful aspects of the BBC documentary was the Herald’s young digital editor Stephen McIlkenny.
The 27 year old clearly knows his business.
A decade ago, when this site was still finding its feet in the blogosphere, I read this book by Ken Auletta.
I recently re-visited this work and I was surprised by the prescience within the pages.
One of the things that that Auletta, admittedly looking at the print sector in the United States, predicted would happen was a terminal decline in print sales.
Like Professor Greenslade’s analysis, it has not been invalidated by the events of the last ten years.
Indeed, quite the reverse.
At the moment every political reporter in the UK must be breathing, eating and dreaming Brexit.
If journalism is the first rough draft of history then they are filing copy that will be parsed by future generations.
The news crew at the Herald titles came across as decent dedicated folk doing an essential task in very trying circumstances.
Bottom line, there should be more of them there with greater resources at their disposal.
One of them who took part in the BBC documentary stated that journalism was essential for a healthy democracy.
I agree with that statement.
However, good journalism can exist out with the mainstream and I contend that this site is part of that development.
For the avoidance of doubt, when I chaired that NUJ event in 2011 I never thought that this little corner of the blogosphere would have produced the material for a best selling book.
I have no idea where the digital disruption will eventually leave the Fourth Estate or what state it will be in when the turmoil is over.
However, I cannot envisage a free society without a functioning press.
Can you?
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Time up for Sevco ???
https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/court-lists/list-cause-rolls2#Commercial-court
For those who would like to see journalism that actually helps protect our ‘democracy’, I’d suggest not forgetting about the plight of Julian Assange.
Democracy has always been relative and if we are to hope that todays supine MSM are to protect what is left of it’, we may as well write to Santa Claus this month.
Unemployment comes from lack of productivity. Simple. When the MSSM produce nothing or regurgitate old news then by and large they are on a hiding to nothing. We see how agendas by owners are driving public opinion on a daily basis and woe betide you if you disagree, you’re either a right or left wing looney.
Ricky Gervais does a marvelous commentary on opinion, he does a bit about jokes and how offensive seeming jokes about sensitive subjects are twisted to glorify the status quo.
Bill Burr often takes an opposing stance just for the sake of comedy as does Steve Hughes when he says it’s ok to be offended it’s just a feeling, he goes on to say he’s offended by boy bands 😂🤣😂🤣
The serious misrepresentation our MSM constantly put into print as fact is the reason we are in this situation whereby we rely on trusted sources inside to pop their heads over the parapet and alert us to the illusion being played out, Trump is the next guy in line to see the consequences of that hopefully.
We have moved away and will further move away from print to digital and those people who are brave enough will determine that course.
Hail hail to you all, pioneers.
As ever,interesting comments. What was the title of the documentary you mention? Regards.
As ever, very interesting comment. What was the title of the BBC documentary you refer to? Regards.
Sad at job losses anywhere but when 5 people control 95% of newspaper print output, the proletariat will waken up eventually. When in the island of Ireland, watch the main news regarding much the same stories but the difference in slant on these articles is night and day. Nobody is going to say RTE is a rabid left wing channel but their output on stories removes the jingoistic Britishness of the BBC. Quite an eye opener if one was unaware.
Sevco are relying on Europe for funds and even that may not be enough. Big Mike is gunning for The Lying King and won’t be happy until he has him by the throat. The perpetual deals Sports Direct signed are cast in iron and unless an event like liquidation (again), have no way of getting out of them. If so called sports reporters won’t print the truth,it’s their head on the block regarding employment. Their Masonic contacts can’t find jobs for them all.
I would contest that it would be better to have no press than to have one propped up by owners with an agenda.
Murdoch being a prime example.
The advent of the Internet has been a blessing in this regard.
The danger in only reading who we agree with online is that we live in a silo world. We are correct and everyone else is wrong! I occasionally read the Daily Mail online to see how the “others” think. Hard to find anything worth reading, once you have trolled through 24 pages of Royal mince.
Echo chambers. Very dangerous and divisive.
It’s all subterfuge.
Most of it is pointless garbage that’s been regurgitated or expanded on in order to fill a few more inches.
The press have been as guilty as anyone in affecting public opinions.
There is always an agenda.
The tough bit is sifting through the reams of pash in order to find the small nuggets of truth hidden within it.
I prefer now just to focus directly on the information and then double even multiple check the information to see if it corresponds with the known facts.
This can be done free now.
Which is part of the ongoing problem highlighted in this piece.
Journalists should take a leaf out of the book of guys like Phil and spend their time looking for the real story instead of putting out powderpuff pieces to suit the agenda of those who control the outlet.
Most Media outlets subscribe to a Political agenda.
Just how it is.
Impartiality should be the cornerstone of every Paper not an afterthought.
Investigate
Report the facts
Let the reader make their own mind up
Not a terribly difficult concept is it?
With or without journalism there is no such thing as a free society possible while governments increase surveillance, consistently attempt to outlaw encryption, implement facial recognition, put in place “social scoring”, police forums looking for non-existent thought crimes, and generally try to criminalise normal behaviour.
It would be nice if the press could whip up public furore about these abuses, but even when they do try to arouse a slumbering public the jack booted security services storm their offices and wreck their property in front of the staff.
The answer is no. The problem is whether we are prepared to pay for it. The only credible sources of information such as the BBC, Guardian, Independent are “free”. Yes I might disagree with them on occasion, but all things considered, I do trust them However, from nothing comes nothing. And they will require support as print continues to decline. God help us if all that is left to us is Fox, Sky and so on. You can see what garbage like this has done to vital debates on climate change and so on. Science can, and does, proceed from positions taken by “outliers”, but these have now been replaced by just out and out liars. And well-funded ones at that
I wouldn’t believe anything reported on the BBC, search the battle of Orgreave (1984), between the miners and the police and the coverage from the BBC.
the newspaper industry in scotland has not helped themselves with their constant anti scottish propaganda.
the herald in particular seem quite happy to stir up anti catholic views i.e mr macpherson and ex cop wood
now i dont want anyone to lose their jobs but i wonder if the journalists simply take instructions from above,
if they do and i no nothing about the newspaper industry then it will be on their own heads
As we swiftly move to a Network Society, the old centres of power and influence – like the MSM – swiftly decline. That’s progress I suppose.
What I can’t quite get my head around is this: the newspapers have known for many years that hardcopy output was in terminal decline.
So, at some point they would have to move to an online subscription based model only.
The ‘perceived’ value, I believe, would be in their brand / titles recognition.
But, The DR, The ET, etc. we know are absolutely p!sh on reporting merely football matters.
Why would anyone pay to read their online p!sh?
[Disclaimer: I only read The DR for a laugh, and The ET for the Comments Section.]
More papers just seem to regurgitate social media trends, viral videos, and – especially – illicit ‘sponsored’ articles posing as real stories.
Would be interested to know just how many people actually pay real money to subscribe to online papers like The Scotsman or The Herald.
Joe you don’t need a Sunday Liar to do a crossword you can buy these puzzle books at the same newsagents .
As someone who very rarely reads the papers, the decline of the press is of very little interest to me…however I do care about those who have lost their employment.
Of greater concern to me is the younger generation, who for the most part no longer read-or can read-books.
Society is churning out a whole generation of imbeciles…don’t believe me? Ladies and gentlemen I give you The Union Bears and The Green Brigade. Hail Hail
You’ll find the Green Brigade are by n large very smart people.
Sadly , they have done too many silly/stupid things for that to be verified .
Aye, they know how to set of firecrackers
Humbleone, it does not take a genius to chuck a flare onto a pitch. I say again:These Green Brigade eejits are imbeciles and morons. If after many, many warnings they still cannot behave themselves, they should f**k off to Ibrox where they belong. Hail Hail
No doubt the coming of the internet and the access to immediate news has hastened the demise of the printed press.
However when a hardcore of journos are prepared to promote the big lie on a daily basis many former readers will have walked as a result.
There’s stacks of good stories out there to be chased down.
Eg. How did Ian Maxwell climb the greasy pole to the top job at the SFA?
What has the SFA done in the last 20 years to promote and improve Scottish football?
Why has Fleming’s referee conveyor belt produced not one single outstanding official?
Why is Fleming still in a job?
With Rangers on fire, every day is a good news day.
Not a hint of problems in the boardroom.
The incoming bill from Sports Direct could derail the Stevie G project but ignorance is bliss.
The anger level amongst the Rangers fans was through the roof when the Craig Whyte project went tits up, partly because of their own ignorance but jet fuelled by Scoop Jackson and his ilk feeding them lies.
If the Kingco project fails who are they going to blame this time?
In our home we buy a Sunday paper only and that’s primarily for the crossword section.
That will remain the case.
Like most of us here, I used to buy newspapers. Then, one day, I discovered a product called Andrex! I did try wiping my arse with an iPad, but… , its no’ the same!!
Jackson was at it again today with his feelgood factor article on Gerrard. 3 times he mentioned him it for the Liverpool job comedy gold or what . Liverpool current champions league holders and looking good for being crowned champions of England and Gerrard being quoted as the next manager there . A guy that has won the middle of a doughnut in management terms and the Liverpool board are going put him in charge . Fatman at Level 5 up to his auld tricks again .
Stevie, the fact that Jackson is still in a job tells its own story.
Apparently you can print a huge headline like ‘Billionaire with wealth off the radar’ knowing it was a load of tosh probably handed to him on a plate by a 3rd party without questioning the source or veracity of what you are putting your name too.
Worse still his employer was only too happy to go with the fiction and when the lie was exposed no apology nor retraction was forthcoming.
Joseph the one that takes the biscuit though is Chris (Jackass) Jack his so called journalism is straight out of a Rangers fanzine . The guff he spews out is embarrassing his name was on an article a couple of months ago which was totally fake news about the liquidated club and when he was called out on it he and ET blamed a freelance journalist. How they can blame a freelance for the article when the editor of the paper supposedly signed it of as Chris Jack article I do not know .
I think these ‘journalists’ are getting a wee bit confused Stevie. The only way Stevie G will end up back at Liverpool is if he is offered his old job there back. Mind you, that would be a big step-up for Mr Let’s Go after managing a wee diddy team. Hail Hail.
Joseph if the Kinco project fails-as it surely must-THEY will once again blame Celtic FC for their own misfortunes, as did John Brown on the steps of the bigot-dome. The man is a walking breach of the peace. Also, the first thing Charlie Green did for the Ibrox masses was to indulge in a a ‘No Surrender’ rant in order to sell season tickets, and to make sure the loyalist element among the Huns support came along for the ride. I have always wondered who put him up to this. Hail Hail