Journalistic Appraisal of USsoccerUK.com

One last point in this thread... apparently the BBC does care about the accuracy of it's reporting,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3434661.stm

which I suppose I always sort of knew. Maybe that's the difference in news reporting. Some people care - some don't.

 

I think Yes Prime Minister stole it from your mate.. i did some digging and found this from a 1986 episode.

"A Conflict of Interest
There is a major scandal in the City as a prominent bank is caught breaking rules and going bankrupt. Sir Humphrey is brought in for damage control, but not by the Prime Minister. (One of the best descriptions of British newspapers is in this episode: "The Times" is read by the people who run the country. The "Daily Mirror" is read by the people who think they run the country. "The Guardian" is read by the people who think they ought to run the country. "The Independent" is read by people who don't know who runs the country but are sure they're doing it wrong. The "Daily Mail" is read by the wives of the people who run the country. The "Financial Times" is read by the people who own the country. The "Daily Express" is read by the people who think the country ought to be run as it used to be run. The "Daily Telegraph" is read by the people who still think it is their country. And the "Sun's" readers don't care who runs the country providing she has big tits.) "

 

I think you'll find it's been a British journalist's maxim for a while. I'm not sure I got it completely right, actually, because it doesn't mention the Mirror.

 

Whew. I'm glad someone posted this, b/c I don't have time right now. (And wouldn't have done such a stellar job).

This is absolutely right, and it is not (as you imply) dated -- these are still the rules of the road.

Now, with that said, I don't go to the Drudge Report or the National Enquirer or 365's Transfer and Rumours page and then accept those nuggets of info as outright fact.

It's not as though journalism doesn't have a centuries old tradition of muckracking and rumor-mongering. (Which makes this insistence on US-ENG style and culture pretty annoying and, quite frankly, off the mark).

At issue is whether the reader/viewer/listener can rub 2 brain cells together and make a distinction about who is telling them what. On this point, I have to agree with both Andy Mead and Bill Archer, who have unwittingly converged some of their points.

Not everyone can, or more importantly, wants to make the distinction btwn "done deal" and "fluid story." Especially on these boards, there are lots of motives and reasons for that, ranging from semi-illiterate to attention whore to having an agenda.

 

Ok, today is a good example of how Chris' site is entertaining:

http://www.ussocceruk.com/USsoccerUK_Forum/thread-view.asp?threadid=1421&start=1

Keep in mind this is the message board and not the news. he posted rumors regarding Gibbs, Kirovski and Herzog coming to MLS and possiblities as to which teams, never claiming them to be more than rumors.

By the end of the day, two have occured. When there is some level of accuracy to these things, it makes it fun to watch it unfold.

 

Bringing down the Bergin is kind of like saying Kevin Smith makes bad movies because the film elitists' view is that he uses too much dialogue. Or...Bob Dylan makes bad music because he can't sing. It doesn't make you any smarter. If you don't like a Bob Dylan record, pop in some Josh Groban and jam. If you don't like Kevin Smith, go rent A Thin Red Line. If you don't like Chris Bergin, then go...well, I'm not really sure where you'd go to find another site quite like his, but you get the idea, I think. And Maxim, if you're such a fond of alliteration, here's one for you: Bergin Ball Buster. Also, you're a complete tool.

 

I couldn't resist:

From Marc Connelly, ESPN:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=289965&cc=5901

GIBBS, KIROVSKI HEADING HOME
January 31, 2004

"Sources have told ESPN.com that both Corry Gibbs and Jovan Kirovski have signed with the league, and will be allocated accordingly."


Dallas Morning News

NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE
February 2, 2004

"Burn officials should learn early this week if emerging U.S. defender Cory Gibbs will join the club, which begins conditioning work today when all players are required to report."



This just goes to show that it is difficult to nail a transfer confirmation unless you wait for the press conference. That seems to be the main criticism of Bergin's inaccuracy.

Oh, and btw, what is the headline on USSOCCERUK you ask?

DALLAS TO CAPTURE GIBBS -- BUT NOT YET

 

It seems to me Maxim-1 that you want Bergin to hold back on his rumors and only report what he, and everybody else, knows as 100% true. Why? I love hearing rumors from Bergin. I know the point he is trying to get across, I'm not concerned about his journalistic style. He doesn't spin stories, he doesn't make stories up, he reports it as he hears it. Did you ever think that his sources don't want to be named. MLS is hush hush, just ask the average MLS fan how much a newly signed player makes.

 

Maxim, if you want a job writing with us, you may still have time. *deleted by moderator due to poor taste in putdowns*

 

O...K!

Well, NOW I'm convinced. This is truly the future of journalism. I can't wait until Transatlantic Soccer Ventures buys out whatever operation is employing me in the future.

 

There's this new feature in bigsoccer that sometimes lists similar threads at the bottom of the screen. It caused a number of ancient threads to be resurrected.

I'm 99.9% sure it wasn't edited. He must have put it there as attempted humor (and, I suppose because he couldn't think of a real putdown to use).

 

It's a mod note. I got e-mail notification with the actual text. I'll PM it to you.

 

As Beau politely didn't point out directly, I'm now 100% sure I was wrong.

I just re-read my email notification a bit more carefully. It was neither a funny nor a clever put-down.

 

Yeah, I edited it out.

Ironic, don't you think?

 

We're halfway there.

 

Hopefully Bergin won't let suspicions and implausabilities slide because you're a good devout Christian and good devout Christians would never ever be anything other than 100% honest so there's no need to waste time investigating.

 

Re: Page turn!!! kidding...

I wouldn't believe the Revs FO. Of course they would deny a rumor a trade involving the most popular player of the teams history.

 

Re: Page turn!!! kidding...

thats because there was more to the deal.