Videogate and a journalist’s tale

This site is based on the basic premise that the powerful should be subjected to journalistic scrutiny when it is in the public interest.

That is worth remembering as I recount what your humble correspondent recently did.

When the video of the Sevco players emerged in the aftermath of their title win, it made national news in Scotland.

The Police Scotland issued a statement that no criminality had been established.

Consequently, I wasn’t surprised when it was quickly Statement O Clock at Ibrox.

I was sceptical myself.

To that end, I checked with several people in the Scottish political village last night, and they were not aware of any writs being received on the back of videogate.

Ten days ago (18^th May 20221), I was put in touch with someone who claimed to have an HNC and an HND in Audio Production and had worked in the industry for 6 years as a Live Sound Engineer.

He emphasised that he was no expert in forensics.

However, he claimed that by using simple techniques, he was able to confirm the following.

⁃       The audio file has no breaks in the waveform ( when zoomed in ), which confirms that the audio file has not been edited significantly enough to replace an entire section.

        ⁃       Glen Kamara claps his hands 5 seconds into the video; this can clearly be seen in the waveform confirming that this is the original audio recorded along with the video.

        ⁃       I played around with the EQ cleaning up the low end, a slight boost at 6k and 10k for sibilance in the voices, and I can hear the phrase in question pretty clearly.

If this audio was dubbed over the original audio, it would’ve taken an expert with skills way beyond my own, like CIA skills. The easiest way to make this up would be to use an audio file from a different place and time and simply replace the original audio that was on the video. Though to fit Glenn Kamara’s clap in, it would take someone who has an expert eye for detail and a completely new recording which would be hard to achieve days after and impossible to achieve in the short time since the event took place and the video/audio appeared.

For the avoidance of doubt, I have no professional background or knowledge base to verify that analysis.

I did though show it to someone who has worked in radio production here in Ireland for many years.

It is worth stating that my friend did not view the original video. His assessment was only in the language used in the statement that the sound engineer had sent to me.

His quick summation was that the person who wrote this knows the nuts and bolts of the trade.

On the back of that, I put the following questions into Police Scotland on Saturday, 22 May:

Hello,

I am a journalist (NUJ Press Card attached).

I’m contacting you regarding the Tweet out by Police Scotland on May 21st (attached).

It states that “extensive enquiries” were carried out.

Did these enquiries include a digital forensic investigation of the video in question?

If so, was the video in any way tampered with?              

Or was it found that the video was, in fact, genuine?

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Regards

Phil Mac Giolla Bháin 

 

One day later (23^rd May), I received this prompt replay:

In response to your enquiry, we have nothing further to add to the released statement on Friday. 

I attempted to get a major  Scottish title interested in this story and put a staffer there (who I know from a previous story) in touch with the sound engineer chap. All I can ascertain is that the idea died in editorial.

Now, a cynic might conclude that some folks want this story to die quietly.

I, of course, couldn’t possibly comment.