lady-isobel-barnett Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) Up till recently I thought it was just my imagination. I'll watch both teatime versions of STV Scottish News and BBC Scottish News if and when there's a Jags related piece of news. I've lost count of the number of times the first broadcast (STV) will carry Jags related news whilst the 2nd (BBC) will omit to carry the Jags story. It's easy to kick the Beeb on this subject by just referencing the likes of Doohlan, Lawleff and Duke Gekantawa but I'm meaning something far more blatant like simply blocking Jags non match coverage. I'd need a bit of help with this but I recall when the Kingsley story was breaking the BBC ridiculed the whole Kingsley thing and unlike other media were very slow to recognise the brilliance behind the whole Kingsley concept. Another subject I could bring up would be the Kids Go Free initiative which has in coverage terms been by and large marginalised by BBC Scotland (radio & TV). I can't in all honesty say STV have been brilliant covering the same subject but they don't have outlets like Off the Ball, a radio programme that has often trivialised or misreported our Kids Go Free offer. For quite a while now I've been of the opinion that there's something deliberate afoot at the BBC to under-report, or at worse completely ignore, Jags news releases. That could simply be put down to us being considered small fish in a big pond if it wasn't for reasonable coverage from STV and other major UK wide media outlets. I don't know if others have similar suspicions as myself or maybe you think I'm being paranoid. I'm not talking here about the amateurish quality of BBC sport in Scotland, I doubt that's open to serious argument. I just feel we're receiving a very raw deal from that organisation. The fact it's a public subscription organisation and thus less exposed to commercial judgement makes this seem all the more disgraceful. Edited December 2, 2015 by lady-isobel-barnett 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanieD Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 LIB Interesting points - although perhaps all clubs feel slighted by their media coverage to some degree, no matter how fawning or obsequious it might be - having said that I suspect some clubs intimidate the media and perhaps force some elements into publishing platitudes and pleasant falsehoods as regards their club. I watched Nevin and Paterson on Saturday discuss, and unctuously agree upon, Kilmarnock and Motherwell's "false positions" at the lower end of the league - an interesting exchange which provoked the usual incisive "Sportscene" discussion conclusion of "Yes Pat, you're right", countered by "No Craig, you're probably more right than I am" .......................sadly predictable. I sometimes wonder if there is a certain historical issue with the BBC - specifically given that we were traditionally the "media luvvies" - and the BBC now feels it has to avoid us like the plague and instead obsess on Motherwell or St. Johnstone ad nauseum at lunch-time and at the results show pander to reflections of the guest and whatever team they played for (thus Nevin and his conveniently forgotten failures at Motherwell and Kilmarnock - perfectly paralleled by Patterson who also washed up as a dud at both teams). Inevitably the media -and specifically the BBC - has to avoid being caught in the maelstrom of bigotry that surrounds any perceived preference for either Celtic or The Rangers but tend to over-compensate by bland unquestioning over-coverage - albeit their attitude might be that "sectarianism sells" so they probably don't have much choice (although the BBC are, as you point out, a public service broadcaster and not a specifically commercial entity). Having said this I certainly don't want some pretendy "Partick" supporting nobody trying to hoodwink the watchers/listeners as to their allegiance whilst all the while grovelling about in the gutter for bigot-scoops from Parkhead (historical gutter wobbling) and Ibrox (gutter about to fall off). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfaelivi Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Oh how I agree with every word you say LIB. I have texted the two "comics" on lots of occasions to pick them up on matters but ALL that matters, really, to them is the world according to the Saintees and the 'Well. I am SICK of listening to their self centred stuff week in week out. AND I laughed out loud when the manager in Perth said he felt his team didn't get any credit. WHAT? When you have Cosgrove talking non stop about, them, the love of his life, for several hours every week. And, of course, the frame of reference for every BBC news bulletin as well as Sportsound is the Ugly Sisters in all their warted glory. If somebody involved with them farts we get the full whiff on and on bulletin after bulletin. This stupid dick Stokes sends a tweet and half of every programme since has been taken up with it. The best Thistle can expect is jeering respect (when they deign to acknowledge our existence) or , at worst, to be ignored completely. Maybe we've not done either badly or well enough to merit any discussion or maybe we are seen as a fan base to be just too small. We do need some celebrity fan/articulate former player/ or media darling to be in our camp before we will be of any interest. But if this is a national broadcasting organisation to whom most of us are obliged to subscribe, Scotland is in a bad way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesusTejero Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 The notion that the BBC is biased against us is nonsense. We are one of the smallest teams in the division and the reality is we will always get less coverage and attention than others. Let's leave the paranoid guff to Old Firm fans, and the BBC-bashing to rabid cyber Nats. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted December 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 The notion that the BBC is biased against us is nonsense. We are one of the smallest teams in the division and the reality is we will always get less coverage and attention than others. Let's leave the paranoid guff to Old Firm fans, and the BBC-bashing to rabid cyber Nats. You needn't be so condescending, I'm talking specifics. STV covered the students go free day, the free footballs and today's free scarf announcement. The BBC as far as I'm aware didn't,. The aforementioned launch of Kingsley was coved in detail by STV and even had Ian Maxwell on the late evening news prog. BBC Scotland (unlike BBC UK) were by and large dismissive. Recent strip launches likewise. If you want to disagree about these or any other specifics feel free. Mention some Jags coverage that BBC Scotland has covered and STV dismissed. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAGSMAN1968 Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Did you see tonight's sport slot on Reporting Scotland?? i think Fulham got more of a mention than we get most times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesusTejero Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 You needn't be so condescending, I'm talking specifics. STV covered the students go free day, the free footballs and today's free scarf announcement. The BBC as far as I'm aware didn't,. The aforementioned launch of Kingsley was coved in detail by STV and even had Ian Maxwell on the late evening news prog. BBC Scotland (unlike BBC UK) were by and large dismissive. Recent strip launches likewise. If you want to disagree about these or any other specifics feel free. Mention some Jags coverage that BBC Scotland has covered and STV dismissed. They needn't provide equal coverage to the same issues - they are different broadcasters with different priorities/ideas of what their audience wants. Whether you agree with their decisions or not, to suggest there is some sort of bias against us is fanciful and Old Firm-ish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawlty Towers Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 A piece on the STV website relating to the free scarves: http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/partick-thistle/1334593-success-by-design-are-partick-thistle-scottish-footballs-coolest-club/ I would post what the BBC have to say about it on their website but....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted December 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 They needn't provide equal coverage to the same issues - they are different broadcasters with different priorities/ideas of what their audience wants. Whether you agree with their decisions or not, to suggest there is some sort of bias against us is fanciful and Old Firm-ish. Sorry semantics isn't exactly my strongest talent. STV respond to our press releases to the point of sending cameras to Firhill. BBC don't. The latter's priorities/ideas don't appear to include us. If that's not bias then as I say semantics ain't a strong point. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sunnylaw Jag Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 At least the BBC still remember the Duke. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/4510862.stm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlgarveJag Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 A piece on the STV website relating to the free scarves: http://sport.stv.tv/...s-coolest-club/ Good article, well written and a lot more 'mature' than much of the rubbish that often appears in the Scottish press. I think that you may now rest your case M'lady! Good point, well made and backed up with facts and evidence - the jury won't take long to find in your favour (unless of course the jury is made up of those that would gladly mortgage their house and sell their children to pay for their license fee). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 The BBC aren't biased against us. They obviously just don't care about us. Everything about their output on Scottish football is amateurish and smacks of the 'OF-centric' approach that plagued almost all media here. I don't think I've ever seen a report on Greenock Morton, or Falkirk, or Kilmarnock, or a host of other clubs which could certainly be considered around the same size as we are. It doesn't indicate bias against them, it simply shows that the BBC are indifferent to them. That in and of itself is a separate issue, and it is inexcusable for a national broadcaster funded by licence fees, but it shouldn't be conflated with bias. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 The notion that the BBC is biased against us is nonsense. We are one of the smallest teams in the division and the reality is we will always get less coverage and attention than others. Let's leave the paranoid guff to Old Firm fans, and the BBC-bashing to rabid cyber Nats. That's us tellt then; put in our place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglas clark Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 JesusTejero, Are you a Partick Thistle fan? If so your cringe: The notion that the BBC is biased against us is nonsense. We are one of the smallest teams in the division and the reality is we will always get less coverage and attention than others. does you no credit, whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClydebankJag Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 STV runs a regional news programme which is different in the West from the North and from the East. Therefore it's entirely possible to see more PTFC coverage on your evening sport roundup on STV than you will see on the national sports news on BBC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javeajag Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 The notion that the BBC is biased against us is nonsense. We are one of the smallest teams in the division and the reality is we will always get less coverage and attention than others. Let's leave the paranoid guff to Old Firm fans, and the BBC-bashing to rabid cyber Nats. A little reading up on bias might help you, specifically uncouncious bias .... The Bbc not reporting in our initiatives unlike say stv happens so often for it to be statistically significant and hence nit down to chance....if it's not bias it's a deliberate strategy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Dastardly Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 I honestly think that the BBC have bigger things to worry about than an anti Thistle bias. In Blackburn where I live, there is virtually nothing about Rovers, or Preston, or Wigan, or Bolton, but lots about the Manchester and Liverpool clubs. Nothing to do with bias, just that the news is of interest to more of the audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G13 jag Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 STV runs a regional news programme which is different in the West from the North and from the East. Therefore it's entirely possible to see more PTFC coverage on your evening sport roundup on STV than you will see on the national sports news on BBC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesusTejero Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 I honestly think that the BBC have bigger things to worry about than an anti Thistle bias. In Blackburn where I live, there is virtually nothing about Rovers, or Preston, or Wigan, or Bolton, but lots about the Manchester and Liverpool clubs. Nothing to do with bias, just that the news is of interest to more of the audience. Bang on, and more eloquently and generously put than me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bunny Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 I honestly think that the BBC have bigger things to worry about than an anti Thistle bias. In Blackburn where I live, there is virtually nothing about Rovers, or Preston, or Wigan, or Bolton, but lots about the Manchester and Liverpool clubs. Nothing to do with bias, just that the news is of interest to more of the audience. If BBC were a commercial station that would be a fair argument but they're not. Although obviously they will cover the big teams more than the wee ones they still undersell the wee ones even taking that into account. I am inclined to the idea that in Scotland anyway the bias is accidental and down a lot to the pure amateurism of the people who work for BBC (Scotland) football coverage. They go for the easy OF fix and don't have the talent or brains to realise that once in a while we wee team has done something worthy covering. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G13 jag Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 STV runs a regional news programme which is different in the West from the North and from the East. Therefore it's entirely possible to see more PTFC coverage on your evening sport roundup on STV than you will see on the national sports news on BBC. I was about to add something similar. However I do think BBC do not serve Scotland well. They are part of the establishment, and they will keep the status quo of supporting others within the establishment - SFA and the 2 biggest clubs. We can complain to them though. The other media outlets are not much better, but we can simply stop reading or watching them. I've mentioned before BT taking a commentator off air because he complained about sectarian singing on a live broadcast. We have an opportunity within the forum to make our voice heard. We have done this recently with a message to the club about the refugee crisis. If we have an issue in future, we should ask as many people as possible to complain to the company involved. We will not set a change by doing nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaty FC Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 must have heard you.. slipped in today http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34992599 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Earl of Hathaway Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 In the BBC's defence (puts on tin hat) they did show 'Grasping The Thistle'. And yes, I know it was over 10 years ago, but it's still one of the finest pieces of Jaggy entertainment produced. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 I think there's a lot of dead wood at BBC Scotland, as you get in most public sector organisations. That said I do enjoy Off the Ball mainly because they are not scared to have a go at the old firm on a regular basis. Yes they naturally go on about Motherwell and St Johnstone but why shouldn't they? We would have no complaints if there was a jags fan presenting a radio show and talking us up every week - in fact they'd probably enjoy hero status at Firhill for doing so. I would much rather have a Motherwell and St Johnstone fan doing that show than yet another show which solely focusses on the old fir firm. STV, despite having significantly poorer resources at their disposal seem to manage a lot better with what they've got. There's a vibrancy about the people that work there that you just don't get with the BBC - in my experience that is. The STV Glasgow channel is predominantly run by young people who are trying to break in to TV and have a natural enthusiasm that I personally think is greatly lacking at BBC Scotland. I guess there's also a massive onus on STV to have as much content as possible to justify their existence, which is why they'll happily take on any stories relating to smaller teams like Thistle. I don't think there's the same pressure on BBC Scotland to produce so much local content either online or on TV. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenziejag Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 I honestly think that the BBC have bigger things to worry about than an anti Thistle bias. In Blackburn where I live, there is virtually nothing about Rovers, or Preston, or Wigan, or Bolton, but lots about the Manchester and Liverpool clubs. Nothing to do with bias, just that the news is of interest to more of the audience. Understand your point - but STV essentially have the same audience, don't they ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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