Over recent years I have seen the rise of people in the media using certain words when describing a team for which they played for in the past. Words like “us”, “them” and “we”. Those in the media need to realise that they are there to deliver an opinion and not tell us about “there” club or team.
Also the use of nicknames by ex-team mates when speaking of players is another thing that both TV and Radio companies need to speak to those who they employ.
The ordinary punter hasn’t a clue who you’re speaking of unless you are completely tuned in to every sport. Some people correct themselves as soon as they realise they have done it but more don’t and need to be pulled up on it.
Even with basic media training you are told to be keep it clear and concise and not to waffle. That particular aspect of being in the media is being lost in translation.
I know too that anyone with a phone and mic is an amateur journalist and thinks they know what they are doing. Take it from someone who did the courses and has the t shirt. It certainly isn’t easy.
While the ex-pros know what they are speaking of in terms of the sport some of them really need to go back to finishing school in media terms. Stop using terms that are only familiar to you and using nicknames when talking of players you may know personally or might have played with during your career.
It is not acceptable in other walks of life so those same standards should be expected on TV and on Radio. More organisations are guilty of it than others but let’s hope that those long held traditions and standards I speak of start to return over the next while.
I have to be honest and say I have a feeling they won’t but we can always hold out hope. Let this be the moment where people realise they are there to give us an informed opinion and not tell us with regularity about the love they have for “there” club or team.
In previous years, it might be the odd slip but over the last few years those slips have become more frequent and bloody annoying. If you want to profess your love of a player or team stick to team based media or fan based podcasts etc.
Some people will say, that is what makes it exciting when presenters give their side of things but you are not trained that way, well at least I wasn’t. Give an opinion yes but keep it down the middle. I know that local radio and local media can be biased but that is slightly different on occasion. When in national press, you are held to different standards.
With the advent of social media over the past 18 years in particular, every person has access to give us an opinion. Rightly or wrongly of course but that is what the modern world has given us with the internet becoming very powerful in terms of how content is accessed and sent to the masses so quickly.
In the past, it took time for news to travel but now it is instant and you don’t have time to digest one piece of news before your faced with another, each one most likely harder to stomach than the last.
I just hope that people will start to return to the old standards of giving an informed opinion and not just a sound bite. Standards have dropped but with a genuine reset, we can turn it around. Wishful thinking given what is happening worldwide currently but it is the hope we need to cling onto….