Disgraceful MOTD coverage

[Carver]

In your complaint, did any of you specifically not mention the Cahill/ Kompany incident and concentrated on other matters, for example the hatchet job on Silva or the elbow, and then after this received the same cut & paste reply?

The BBC seem to have turned this into it being all about this one challenge and Hansen's analysis of it. For me it's more about the parts of the game that they didn't show.

absolutely. also moyes' attitude and action in sending his team out to try and "do" us - then squealing like a stuck pig when ikkle timmy hurt his poor ikkle ankle-wankle committing a cynical, two footed lunge that was quite rightly rewarded with a yellow card.

wanker

It surprises me that the Bluemoon forum has not been cited by Gollum for Jack Rodwell's sending off in the dipper derby for suggesting that his angels could resort to such a hatchet job. If Everton's tactics had been shown up after our game it's possible that they may have gone into the dipper derby with the intention of playing football. On second thoughts it's Gollum's blue scrapyard dogs- they don't play football.

 

[gaudinho's stolen car]

Carstairs' follow up e-mail says it exactly how it is, I hope you get a proper response mate.

 

[Carver]

Yes mate,

In my initial complaint I focused on the hatchet job that Moyes had planned on Silva.

And I asked why any good football (of which there was plenty) was dismissed and not shown, Silva's pass for Milner particularly.

I know I'm wasting my time but its making me feel better releasing some bile. I think I may continue complaining until I get an apology from Hansen himself, than I'll I call him a twat personally!! Mrs Carstairs is working nights so I've got nowt better to do in the evenings ;)

Then they haven't answered your complaint. Think we should get Jeremy Paxman on the case, although he didn't get an answer out of Michael Howard after he'd asked the same question 12 times.

Hasn't points of view just come back on with Jeremy Vine last Sunday? I think that we should complain about the BBC complaints system- see if we get any airtime out of this.

Hope you get a proper reply second time round mate.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Complaint Number Two:
Sir

May I initially thank you for taking the time to cut and paste your generic response to my recent complaint and emailing it to me.

Whilst I appreciate receiving a reply, I must admit to being slightly let down by it's content.

You may indeed be sorry that my perception of bias differs so from the Corporation's. Indeed, I have just sat through the Motd in question to reappraise my earlier opinion. Alas, my view has not altered. I still believe that the coverage of the Manchester City Vs Everton match showed an alarming predjudice against Manchester City. To wit:

1) Your highlights package failed to show several incidents where Everton players were guilty of foul play, and what amounted to a clear Everton tactic of foul play to negate the influence of the game of our Manchester City's creative player, notably David Silva. These would have made legitimate talking points for your panel of ex-professionals.

2) Your highlights package failed to adequately focus on a clear elbowing incident by an Everton player. This would have made a legitimate talking point for your panel of ex-professionals.

3) The foul on Vincent Kompany, for which Tim Cahill was shown a yellow card, was dealt with by the referee at the time, and, in the opinion of many, correctly. Premier League referees will always be involved in incidents which, rightly, will be debated afterwards. In this instance, no action against Kompany has been taken by the FA disciplinary committee, which leads to the conclusion that the match officials' decision was correct. This should be acknowledged by the Motd panel, and the slight on Vincent Kompany's character and integrity as a professional footballer recognised. Were I in Vincent Kompany's shoes I would consider legal action. The Premier League Match Officials have a difficult job, the match of the day panel, in making these allegations, are neither helpful, nor are they contributing to the ongoing debate about refereeing standards by highlighting incidents such as these, and when incorrect, making no recompense to either referee or player(s) involved. Sadly, this has shown your panel of ex-professionals in a fairly poor light.

4) As I mentioned in my original complaint, your highlights package failed to show the true highlight of the match. Manchester City played football which at times was sublime. None more so than the build up to the goal scored by James Milner. There was a moment of genius by David Silva, culminating in a perfectly weighted through-ball that would grace any football pitch in the world. As a Manchester City fan, my grievance about the biased coverage may be slightly partisan, I admit. However, as a football lover, my distaste at the way genuine, neutral football fans have been denied the opportunity to watch the skill shown during this goal is strong. Motd exists for football fans, not for ex-professionals. Football fans want to watch good football, sadly the BBC have denied the paying public this opportunity. Oh, and this goal would have made an excellent talking point for your panel of ex-professionals.


As much as I hope to receive a satisfactory response, I feel sure that I will wait in vain. In the meantime I shall getting my football fix from Sky, which is money well spent. My licence fee, however, is not.

That's excellent although you give the impression they didn't show the build up to Milner's goal during the highlights, whereas they did.

However I'd have gone further and highlighted Hansen's relationship with Moyes, who was the only person to have seen the "stamp". Hansen didn't independently come up with the idea but was clearly echoing his pal's views here either out of loyalty, to deliberately create controversy or because Moyes asked him to.

If you or I were MP's or councillors and we spoke in a debate where we were in favour of something that would positively impact on a friend or their business, we would be in serious breach of rules on public standards that required us to declare an interest. Hansen wasn't expressing his own opinion, he was expressing Moyes's opinion.

As he's paid £1.4m of public money to represent a public broadcaster then he should have either declared an interest or shut up.

 

[Tricky Dickys Right Foot Shot]

I got the same automated reply as everyone else..... The fact that I didn't get an explanation as to why highlights of our brilliant football and Evertons dirty challenges wasn't shown is what's really pissing me off....

 

[baldmosher]

I seem to have had a different reply to those already posted. We must be keeping the beeb busy and they have had to get extra staff in!!

I too got a completely different response to everyone else, but then again, they had to answer a fair few carefully-worded points. They clearly didn't read the point they answered in bold though, cos I specifically said he should NOT be sacked!

Dear baldmosher™

Thanks for contacting us regarding BBC One's 'Match of the Day', which was broadcast on 24 September.

We understand you felt Alan Hansen gave a biased analysis of the Manchester City v Everton game. I note that you feel on many occasions recently Alan Hansen has displayed a personal vendetta against certain teams and you feel he should be immediately removed from his position.

Impartiality is the cornerstone of all our sports coverage and we ensure all our correspondents and production teams are aware of this to help us deliver fair and balanced coverage for all the stories we report.

We appreciate that commentators can divide opinion amongst viewers and realise that they may not be to everyone's taste. However, they remain popular because of an extensive knowledge in the sport which is beneficial to our coverage.

It's in the nature of commentating and punditry that contributors are expected to provide their personal view on the action and events surrounding the sport they're watching. The range of tastes and opinions held by our audience is so diverse that it's inevitable some viewers will dislike or disapprove of certain presenters. It's a very rare TV personality who meets with everyone's approval, and it's clear that opinions on individual presenters can vary considerably.

We appreciate that you feel strongly about this issue and with this in mind we’d like to assure you that we’ve registered your comments on our audience log. This is the internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily for all programme makers and commissioning executives within the BBC, and also their senior management. It ensures that your points, and all other comments we receive are considered across the BBC.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact us with your concerns.

Kind Regards
Robert Regan
BBC Complaints
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints</a>

It's a fair enough response if you ask me and I'll be referring to my original complaint if Hansen does something similar again.

But I'd be livid if they hadn't answered my point about Silva's skill or getting hacked down, and I'd mentioned it! That copy & paste response is quite pathetic.

They didn't answer my point about Hansen refusing to learn the offside rule.

 

[kalouk]

I had the same reply as everyone else. They didn't answer the points I made as others have said. I don't know whether I am being irrational but the the tone of the response has me seething. They have decided there was no bias so we are all wrong. They may as well pat us on the head and tell us mummy said no and to go and play like good boys and girls.

 

[Mugatu]

They have decided there was no bias

No, they decided nothing of the sort. What they have decided is that there will inevitably be pundits who disagree with your own version of the game and that this is probably a good thing.

Lol, listen to you lot with your "world's out to get us" mentality, complaining to the BBC.
Hansen does praise City quite often, unfortunately it doesn't fit into the "the BBC is out to get city" tinfoil wearers' mantra so it's conveniently overlooked.

Dixon blows smoke up our backsides every week, I get the feeling you moaners wouldn't be happy until Hansen, Lawrenson and Lineker are all doing the same week in week out with ne'er a bad word uttered!

 

[baldmosher]

I take your point Mugatu, but that's why I was very careful to word my letter the way I did, and presumably why they were very (well, quite) careful to word their response appropriately.

I didn't just accuse Hansen of bias towards City, nor did I pick just one incident.

And yes, I think all football fans would like to see more pundits praising skill and fair play, not just City fans. Everton showed not very much skill and fair play in that game yet Hansen chose to balance things out by inventing an assault that didn't happen and glossing over our skill.

It's just backwards. Their coverage of utd vs Chelsea and utd vs Norwich was much fairer.

 

[kalouk]

They have decided there was no bias

No, they decided nothing of the sort. What they have decided is that there will inevitably be pundits who disagree with your own version of the game and that this is probably a good thing.

Lol, listen to you lot with your "world's out to get us" mentality, complaining to the BBC.
Hansen does praise City quite often, unfortunately it doesn't fit into the "the BBC is out to get city" tinfoil wearers' mantra so it's conveniently overlooked.

Dixon blows smoke up our backsides every week, I get the feeling you moaners wouldn't be happy until Hansen, Lawrenson and Lineker are all doing the same week in week out with ne'er a bad word uttered!

I think if you look at the reply I was sent, the same as a lot of other posters on here, you will find that they clearly did say there was no bias. I have never complained to the BBC before and have learned to ignore the media in general but felt that this episode of MOTD was extremely one sided. I never implied that Hansen has never praised us or the media has it in for us. I am not a child who only wants to be praised, I am old enough to take criticism when due. I felt on this occasion they didn't represent the game as it was played so I complained. I except that you disagree with this but in my reply to you I hope I haven't patronised you in the way you felt you had to.