Media bias against City

[SilverFox2]

The thing is as far as I can see the digital media revolution is simply Feeding the Trolls. The Telegraph has become the Trollograph over the last 3 years, The Guardian is similarly going down the pan. You wouldn't dare say the things that some do in the comments sections of our papers to peoples faces - why is it acceptable in a paper? Honestly we're fucked as a nation if the broadsheets are concentrating on the troll market.

That is happening and is only part of this digital revolution. Not really up to date on this but Marvin talks sense when he sees fan based TV taking over in a big way threatening Sky Sports News etc..

Not sure if it is on this thread but I was amazed when I looked at the fan based TV links Marvin provided. They are very professionally run and must be a real threat to SSN who are now sacrificing any pretense of fair reporting to hopefully counteract the threat this new technology presents.

 

[Dribble]

I'll respond to the post I was debating chronologically. First point. No it's not. It is not better for Manchester City to receive negative press than none at all. That only works for teams other than Manchester City. And the other two lumped together on the strength/weakness of the first point speaks for itself.

Many years ago a very wise and well minted gentleman once told me all publicity is good publicity, the only difference is perception. He told me he judged his successes in life by the amount of enemies and haters he'd collected along the way to making his fortune. He went on to say the time one should worry is when people stop talking about you because that means you're no longer a threat.

So in essence, pre 2008 City were everybody's lovable loser, many people's 2nd team out of pity and a club with delusions of grandeur who were the butt of every football fans jokes. Lee Sharpe (ex ManUre) turned us down as he thought his career would be better served at Bradford City. Steve Sidwell, Geoff Thomas, Matt Holland (I could go on all day) all turned us down for clubs who we as City fans considered below our stature because these players thought City were a step down from Reading, Charlton and Wolverhapton Wanderers.

Then comes 2008 and the esteemed Sheikh Mansour bought Manchester City, the ridicule we'd suffered quickly became bemused curiosity, but still no-one quite took us seriously. We start to spend huge amounts on average players on massive wages as the only way to start the process of moving us from perennial relegation strugglers to Europa League hopefuls and still they mocked 'Loads-a-money' Manchester City. We bid more than ManUre for Tevez and the Dark Lord coined the phrase 'Noisey Neighbours' who posed no serious threat and would never finish ahead of his beloved club in his lifetime.

A change of manager for us brings about a change of fortunes and for the first time in our recent history genuine world class stars start to take City seriously. We'd already acquired Robinho & Tevez, but now City were going after the elite in the form of Yaya, Silva, Aguero, Nasri, Dzeko, Balotelli etc. All of a sudden, the media narrative changed from lovable losers to reckless spenders ruining football where FFP couldn't come quickly enough to halt us!

It was at this point, and only at this point I knew we'd really arrived because Europe's elite were now putting their collective might together to stop the Manchester City Bandwagon. The more they squirmed, the more they moaned, the more the media willingly fed their bullshit to the masses, the more I knew we were becoming more and more of a threat.

In my book the first milestone was beating ManUre in the FA Cup semi final as this was the first time I can recall since the 70's that we'd squared up to ManUre, looked them straight in the eye, took them on and soundly beat them and were better man for man and as a team. Our first bit of silverware quickly followed and was further proof of our growing presence.

Then came the season that changed it all. The 1-6 at Old Toilet and the Agueroooooo moment that will live on forever. The mocking banner had been ripped down at the swamp as promised and Liverpool were the losers as City now relplaced the media darlings in the all important top four.

Every mocking headline, every derogatory article only sought to give me a warm glow inside in the knowledge that the old guard were still hurting and the only things left for them after their failed FFP attempt was childish name calling and spurious tales pedalled by the former elite's media bum chums.

Am I bothered? Am I fuck, because every time I look at the pained expressions on their faces it reminds me where we've come from and where we now stand. They can have their glorious past as the future is all I'm interested in and that future is likely to contain more than a speck of sky blue.

Now back to the media bias: Would I prefer to be everyone's lovable loser, mocked and loved by other football fans and the media? Or would I perfer to be the media's loathed winner who's only crime was to invest in its team and infrastructure to bring about sustainable longterm success?

I'll leave you to choose for me shall I.................

 

[IanBishopsHaircut]

Many years ago a very wise and well minted gentleman once told me all publicity is good publicity, the only difference is perception. He told me he judged his successes in life by the amount of enemies and haters he'd collected along the way to making his fortune. He went on to say the time one should worry is when people stop talking about you because that means you're no longer a threat.

So in essence, pre 2008 City were everybody's lovable loser, many people's 2nd team out of pity and a club with delusions of grandeur who were the butt of every football fans jokes. Lee Sharpe (ex ManUre) turned us down as he thought his career would be better served at Bradford City. Steve Sidwell, Geoff Thomas, Matt Holland (I could go on all day) all turned us down for clubs who we as City fans considered below our stature because these players thought City were a step down from Reading, Charlton and Wolverhapton Wanderers.

Then comes 2008 and the esteemed Sheikh Mansour bought Manchester City, the ridicule we'd suffered quickly became bemused curiosity, but still no-one quite took us seriously. We start to spend huge amounts on average players on massive wages as the only way to start the process of moving us from perennial relegation strugglers to Europa League hopefuls and still they mocked 'Loads-a-money' Manchester City. We bid more than ManUre for Tevez and the Dark Lord coined the phrase 'Noisey Neighbours' who posed no serious threat and would never finish ahead of his beloved club in his lifetime.

A change of manager for us brings about a change of fortunes and for the first time in our recent history genuine world class stars start to take City seriously. We'd already acquired Robinho & Tevez, but now City were going after the elite in the form of Yaya, Silva, Aguero, Nasri, Dzeko, Balotelli etc. All of a sudden, the media narrative changed from lovable losers to reckless spenders ruining football where FFP couldn't come quickly enough to halt us!

It was at this point, and only at this point I knew we'd really arrived because Europe's elite were now putting their collective might together to stop the Manchester City Bandwagon. The more they squirmed, the more they moaned, the more the media willingly fed their bullshit to the masses, the more I knew we were becoming more and more of a threat.

In my book the first milestone was beating ManUre in the FA Cup semi final as this was the first time I can recall since the 70's that we'd squared up to ManUre, looked them straight in the eye, took them on and soundly beat them and were better man for man and as a team. Our first bit of silverware quickly followed and was further proof of our growing presence.

Then came the season that changed it all. The 1-6 at Old Toilet and the Agueroooooo moment that will live on forever. The mocking banner had been ripped down at the swamp as promised and Liverpool were the losers as City now relplaced the media darlings in the all important top four.

Every mocking headline, every derogatory article only sought to give me a warm glow inside in the knowledge that the old guard were still hurting and the only things left for them after their failed FFP attempt was childish name calling and spurious tales pedalled by the former elite's media bum chums.

Am I bothered? Am I fuck, because every time I look at the pained expressions on their faces it reminds me where we've come from and where we now stand. They can have their glorious past as the future is all I'm interested in and that future is likely to contain more than a speck of sky blue.

Now back to the media bias: Would I prefer to be everyone's lovable loser, mocked and loved by other football fans and the media? Or would I perfer to be the media's loathed winner who's only crime was to invest in its team and infrastructure to bring about sustainable longterm success?

I'll leave you to choose for me shall I.................

Very good post

 

[waspish]

How many times do people like you need to be told? What exactly can the PR team do to stop John Cross writing a story like that? (Actually he didn't write that headline and tagline in all probability as it would have been a sub-editor). They don't have someone sitting behind every journalist's shoulder and can't stop anyone writing anything. They have no legal recourse unless the article is defamatory. They could ban people, as the pisscan used to do, but that won't get us any better press as it doesn't stop people writing nasty things about us. In fact it probably gets us even worse press.

A few years ago, following the takeover, I was at a meeting at the club at which Vicky Kloss was present and sounded off in much the same way that you did. She sat down with me afterwards and explained things to me. First and foremost, the PR agenda is dictated by Abu Dhabi, specifically Simon Pearce. And that agenda is 'keep it low key'. She said that they know they can't stop the sort of shit we often get but, if they feel the writer has gone too far, they'll take it up with them. If they're not happy with his or her response then they go to the editor. In some cases they will then instruct solicitors and at that point the paper will often back down and quietly pay a significant sum to charity. In one case only that I'm aware of, we've gone to court and we won (I think it was against The Sun) when the paper cast The Sheikh in a bad light and wrote something that was patently.

They've concentrated on the more intelligent journalists and quietly brought them onside. And, as others have also said, we restrict access now unless we can influence the agenda. So if you want an interview with Kompany, you have to write something complimentary about the CFA ,City in the Community or something that oresents us in a good light but, again, we can't force them to do that. I had a journalist complain to me that City and Pellegrini in particular gave them nothing these days. Eventually, as we get more popular, they'll come round and fawn over us in the way they do over the rags and Liverpool but until then, we'll just have to take the shit.

The point is that there's only so much our PR team can do and they're playing a long game, which is the way the Sheikh and his people want it.

good point there Ogden got an interview with Silva and few days later wrote a very positive article that's unlike him...

 

[bluemc1]

Barcelona sign £80million reject/flop Paul Pogba

I bet that's the headline

 

[Sergio Picasso Aguero]

Many years ago a very wise and well minted gentleman once told me all publicity is good publicity, the only difference is perception. He told me he judged his successes in life by the amount of enemies and haters he'd collected along the way to making his fortune. He went on to say the time one should worry is when people stop talking about you because that means you're no longer a threat.

So in essence, pre 2008 City were everybody's lovable loser, many people's 2nd team out of pity and a club with delusions of grandeur who were the butt of every football fans jokes. Lee Sharpe (ex ManUre) turned us down as he thought his career would be better served at Bradford City. Steve Sidwell, Geoff Thomas, Matt Holland (I could go on all day) all turned us down for clubs who we as City fans considered below our stature because these players thought City were a step down from Reading, Charlton and Wolverhapton Wanderers.

Then comes 2008 and the esteemed Sheikh Mansour bought Manchester City, the ridicule we'd suffered quickly became bemused curiosity, but still no-one quite took us seriously. We start to spend huge amounts on average players on massive wages as the only way to start the process of moving us from perennial relegation strugglers to Europa League hopefuls and still they mocked 'Loads-a-money' Manchester City. We bid more than ManUre for Tevez and the Dark Lord coined the phrase 'Noisey Neighbours' who posed no serious threat and would never finish ahead of his beloved club in his lifetime.

A change of manager for us brings about a change of fortunes and for the first time in our recent history genuine world class stars start to take City seriously. We'd already acquired Robinho & Tevez, but now City were going after the elite in the form of Yaya, Silva, Aguero, Nasri, Dzeko, Balotelli etc. All of a sudden, the media narrative changed from lovable losers to reckless spenders ruining football where FFP couldn't come quickly enough to halt us!

It was at this point, and only at this point I knew we'd really arrived because Europe's elite were now putting their collective might together to stop the Manchester City Bandwagon. The more they squirmed, the more they moaned, the more the media willingly fed their bullshit to the masses, the more I knew we were becoming more and more of a threat.

In my book the first milestone was beating ManUre in the FA Cup semi final as this was the first time I can recall since the 70's that we'd squared up to ManUre, looked them straight in the eye, took them on and soundly beat them and were better man for man and as a team. Our first bit of silverware quickly followed and was further proof of our growing presence.

Then came the season that changed it all. The 1-6 at Old Toilet and the Agueroooooo moment that will live on forever. The mocking banner had been ripped down at the swamp as promised and Liverpool were the losers as City now relplaced the media darlings in the all important top four.

Every mocking headline, every derogatory article only sought to give me a warm glow inside in the knowledge that the old guard were still hurting and the only things left for them after their failed FFP attempt was childish name calling and spurious tales pedalled by the former elite's media bum chums.

Am I bothered? Am I fuck, because every time I look at the pained expressions on their faces it reminds me where we've come from and where we now stand. They can have their glorious past as the future is all I'm interested in and that future is likely to contain more than a speck of sky blue.

Now back to the media bias: Would I prefer to be everyone's lovable loser, mocked and loved by other football fans and the media? Or would I perfer to be the media's loathed winner who's only crime was to invest in its team and infrastructure to bring about sustainable longterm success?

I'll leave you to choose for me shall I.................

and the winner for the bluemoon post of the year goes to...

 

[warspite]

We had one of those in Paul Tyrrell and we were laughed at. Someone (who posts on here) published a not terribly complimentary piece in the MCIVTA e-zine and Tyrrell threatened legal action. Some journalists found out about this and ripped Tyrrell a new one so he had no choice but to back down. Those journos told me they were only too glad to have a go at him. Now we didn't really matter in those days but imagine if we had.

These days we do matter but you also have to understand Arab culture to understand how we work. Arabs will generally go out of their way not to cause offence and will rarely criticise others in public. Causing loss of face or honour is considered a serious matter plus privacy in personal matters (theirs and yours) is sacrosanct. That's why any stories that are seen to violate those principles as far as the Sheikh and his family are concerned, will get the full force of our PR team's response. But we will not stoop to the level of morons like John Cross.

''I hold in my hand a piece of paper''

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

It doesn't matter a jot, it's what is happening on the ground that really matters.

Kids don't read newspapers these days, and the younger ones have City plastered all over the likes of Shoot annual and MOTD Magazine.

They want to find heroes, and attach themselves to teams with the best players and those winning trophies.

I attended a tournament last week in Trafford/Alty for my seven-year-old.

There must have been easily 300 kids there and it was incredible to see the 50/50 split of City and United shirts.

I remarked to my father-in-law who was with me that it was something I thought I would ever see in my lifetime.

United have 50 years peddling a myth, City have had eight years of investment.

Think on.

 

[Henkeman]

I co write a cricket blog and it's been fascinating to see the dynamic in the last couple of years. Cricket journalists have been appalling at holding the ECB to account, behaving like embedded media. Now the bit that is interesting is that page views and comments have gone through the roof in that time, and the hacks are thoroughly aware of it. They hate it, the slating they get is a topic of conversation amongst them, and they lash out at it. I know this because several of them now talk to me, indeed I'm meeting one for a beer later today.

What I'm saying is that although it looks like the press ignore this kind of thing, they don't, and they are very aware that they are losing over the long term. Blogs, sites like this, are all moving traffic away from them. There's been a democratisation of content. The pandering to lowest common denominator journalism does have an effect, and is starting to show itself. Football being much more tribal it will be slower, but the interesting thing is that they are becoming aware of it. The Internet means that it doesn't get forgotten when they write stupid things. Slowly but surely, they're losing the war. And some of the journalists in sport generally are losing their jobs as a result. The good ones survive, and that's the lesson slowly being drawn.

 

[raininspain]

Very good post

Brilliant post!