Stuart Brennan. MEN.

[oakiecokie]

Football fans want to feel superior about their football club, especially when compared to their neighbours and rivals. The media are aware of this very natural trait, as they are also acutely aware of their need to maintain a great degree of interest in their "product" in order to keep advertising revenues high and, ultimately, themselves in employment. It's only natural therefore that the MEN will pander to football fans interests, writing articles that play to the sensibilities of fans in order to attract them into reading the paper and, as a biproduct, getting "hits" on the various advertisments.

On the face of it this seems perfectly fine, however, in order to make one set of football fans feel superios there is a knock on effect of making the other set of fans, the rival set, feel inferior, and put upon. Now, in a one horse town, like Newcastle, or Leeds, that's fine. So, you alienate Sunderland fans. Big deal. How many of them will read the Newcastle Barechested Reporter anyway? However, in a town with 2 sizeable clubs such as Manchester, you're going to be alienatig certain sections of your readership by writing articles that make their rivals lok good, and them look bad. So, how do you deal with this? It's a simple solution really, find the course of least resistance, and go with that. Which group is it better to alienate? In Manchester's case it's clear, alienating the City fans is a far better idea than alientating the United fans, it's a simple matter of the maths involved. There are a decent amount more people who would claim to be United fans than City fans, so by alientating the United fans you'd have a greater impact on your readership than by alienating City fans. It really is that simple.

Given all of that, it's hardly susprising that, as City fans, we feel we are being given the rough end of the wedge here. Yes, in order to redress some sort of balance, I'm sure, on occasion, there are articles that United fans wouldn't be too happy with, however I'd strongly suspect, in a reversal of the fans situation, there are far fewer United stories like this than there are City ones. It's not just a MEN phenomenon, it's in the national press too, and also it happens within the TV media. If anything the MEN is less guilty of this kind of behaviour than most, probably due to the greater proportion of it's readership that would be classed as City fans than a national paper such as the Sun, or Mirror, or indeed SKY Sports News. So, yes, we do feel a touch hard done by, and I believe with legitimate reason, to suggest otherwise is a little insulting to our intelligence, whilst I accept we view things with a certain bias towards City it's not so much as to cloud our judgement in it's entirety.

Reasonably argued viewpoint, Matty, but still flawed.
To be honest, you give us too much credit for being Machiavellian!
We don't set out to alienate anyone, although sometimes our articles do upset both clubs, and the supporters of both clubs.
The bottom line is that we simply set out to cover the two Manchester clubs even-handedly. There are occasional errors by individuals at the MEN, myself included, which could be read as bias, but there is usually a far simpler explanation.
The problem lies not in what we write, but in the perception of it. As I said, Fergie was convinced we were a Blue paper, and that affected our relationship with United. He was wrong, just as those who think we are a Red paper are wrong.
The only debate that ever takes place about this subject in the MEN office is a bid to make sure we give even coverage, both in terms of space and content.
It is a very busy newspaper, with nothing like the number of staff we used to have, so to suggest we sit around devising ways of palling up to United and doing City down, is ludicrous.
City monitor our content, and I can tell you that they are more than happy with it. Relations have been a little strained at times in the past few years, but they are now very good. You may have noticed that City advertise with us - would they do that if their research didn't tell them City fans, and potential City fans, read the MEN?

Oh yes Stuart, I can see the debate that you quoted now....................rag staff INCLUDING the rag City journo (you) having an even debate eh?!

Don't piss down our backs and tell us it's raining fella. It just doesn't wash at all I'm afraid.

This latest article about the Germans and showing Boateng instead of Bert of Uwe just smacks of the bitter rag shite you peddle once again.

I find it despicable the that you come on here and say things like "simpletons" to us Blues. You wouldn't say that to our faces would you cos you know that you would get short shrift and rightly so.

Oh dear you do upset easily !!

 

[andyhinch]

Reasonably argued viewpoint, Matty, but still flawed.
To be honest, you give us too much credit for being Machiavellian!
We don't set out to alienate anyone, although sometimes our articles do upset both clubs, and the supporters of both clubs.
The bottom line is that we simply set out to cover the two Manchester clubs even-handedly. There are occasional errors by individuals at the MEN, myself included, which could be read as bias, but there is usually a far simpler explanation.
The problem lies not in what we write, but in the perception of it. As I said, Fergie was convinced we were a Blue paper, and that affected our relationship with United. He was wrong, just as those who think we are a Red paper are wrong.
The only debate that ever takes place about this subject in the MEN office is a bid to make sure we give even coverage, both in terms of space and content.
It is a very busy newspaper, with nothing like the number of staff we used to have, so to suggest we sit around devising ways of palling up to United and doing City down, is ludicrous.
City monitor our content, and I can tell you that they are more than happy with it. Relations have been a little strained at times in the past few years, but they are now very good. You may have noticed that City advertise with us - would they do that if their research didn't tell them City fans, and potential City fans, read the MEN?

Oh yes Stuart, I can see the debate that you quoted now....................rag staff INCLUDING the rag City journo (you) having an even debate eh?!

Don't piss down our backs and tell us it's raining fella. It just doesn't wash at all I'm afraid.

This latest article about the Germans and showing Boateng instead of Bert of Uwe just smacks of the bitter rag shite you peddle once again.

I find it despicable the that you come on here and say things like "simpletons" to us Blues. You wouldn't say that to our faces would you cos you know that you would get short shrift and rightly so.

Oh dear you do upset easily !!

Bluemoon, in over reaction shocker:)

 

[oakiecokie]

Oh yes Stuart, I can see the debate that you quoted now....................rag staff INCLUDING the rag City journo (you) having an even debate eh?!

Don't piss down our backs and tell us it's raining fella. It just doesn't wash at all I'm afraid.

This latest article about the Germans and showing Boateng instead of Bert of Uwe just smacks of the bitter rag shite you peddle once again.

I find it despicable the that you come on here and say things like "simpletons" to us Blues. You wouldn't say that to our faces would you cos you know that you would get short shrift and rightly so.

Oh dear you do upset easily !!

Bluemoon, in over reaction shocker:)

Not quite as bad as the "when we lose again, playing away" threads. ;)

 

[stuart brennan]

I find it despicable the that you come on here and say things like "simpletons" to us Blues. You wouldn't say that to our faces would you cos you know that you would get short shrift and rightly so.

"Simpletons" was a reference to one or two posters, earlier in this thread, who just talked utter nonsense. It was not a reference to the forum as a whole, by any means. If I thought that, I wouldn't bother coming on here in the first place.

I wasn't referring to you, either, even though you are wrong in your assessment. I have said time and time again that I don't mind the criticism - what I can't stand are people lying to back up their argument, or people talking utter shit, and being abusive about it. If someone comes hard at me, I will go hard back, though I prefer a civilised, rational debate.
And if the posters to whom I referred want me to say it to their faces, they can find me in the press box, seat D7, at every home game.<br /><br />-- Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:50 pm --<br /><br />

@stuart brennan...
Do you ever pull journalists from the red tops who write absolute garbage about city,the latest being the star saying aguero is off to real madrid??
All summer and nearly ever other week we had these red tops saying another player to be signing for utd tomorrow,next week..etc....and as we know only afro and elbows turned up after the stellar signings didn't,doesn't it embarrass you that this so called lazy journalism is allowed?
P.s i got no concerns with the m.e.n sports reports..:)

That's a bit like asking Burger King if they ever pull Macdonald's staff and tell them their burgers are shit!

 

[City Raider]

Stuart, whenever you flick through an edition/browse website content, do you ever think 'for f**k sake, I'm going to get battered on bluemoon for this!' ?

 

[Matty]

I find it despicable the that you come on here and say things like "simpletons" to us Blues. You wouldn't say that to our faces would you cos you know that you would get short shrift and rightly so.

"Simpletons" was a reference to one or two posters, earlier in this thread, who just talked utter nonsense. It was not a reference to the forum as a whole, by any means. If I thought that, I wouldn't bother coming on here in the first place.

I wasn't referring to you, either, even though you are wrong in your assessment. I have said time and time again that I don't mind the criticism - what I can't stand are people lying to back up their argument, or people talking utter shit, and being abusive about it. If someone comes hard at me, I will go hard back, though I prefer a civilised, rational debate.
And if the posters to whom I referred want me to say it to their faces, they can find me in the press box, seat D7, at every home game.

-- Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:50 pm --

@stuart brennan...
Do you ever pull journalists from the red tops who write absolute garbage about city,the latest being the star saying aguero is off to real madrid??
All summer and nearly ever other week we had these red tops saying another player to be signing for utd tomorrow,next week..etc....and as we know only afro and elbows turned up after the stellar signings didn't,doesn't it embarrass you that this so called lazy journalism is allowed?
P.s i got no concerns with the m.e.n sports reports..:)

That's a bit like asking Burger King if they ever pull Macdonald's staff and tell them their burgers are shit!

As Burger King in that analogy you're not coming from a position of strength in the quality of burger department, maybe GBK might have been a better aproximation!

 

[TGR]

I find it despicable the that you come on here and say things like "simpletons" to us Blues. You wouldn't say that to our faces would you cos you know that you would get short shrift and rightly so.

"Simpletons" was a reference to one or two posters, earlier in this thread, who just talked utter nonsense. It was not a reference to the forum as a whole, by any means. If I thought that, I wouldn't bother coming on here in the first place.

I wasn't referring to you, either, even though you are wrong in your assessment. I have said time and time again that I don't mind the criticism - what I can't stand are people lying to back up their argument, or people talking utter shit, and being abusive about it. If someone comes hard at me, I will go hard back, though I prefer a civilised, rational debate.
And if the posters to whom I referred want me to say it to their faces, they can find me in the press box, seat D7, at every home game.

-- Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:50 pm --

@stuart brennan...
Do you ever pull journalists from the red tops who write absolute garbage about city,the latest being the star saying aguero is off to real madrid??
All summer and nearly ever other week we had these red tops saying another player to be signing for utd tomorrow,next week..etc....and as we know only afro and elbows turned up after the stellar signings didn't,doesn't it embarrass you that this so called lazy journalism is allowed?
P.s i got no concerns with the m.e.n sports reports..:)

That's a bit like asking Burger King if they ever pull Macdonald's staff and tell them their burgers are shit!

That me laugh out loud! :-)

 

[paulchapo]

Ok off topic a bit but Macdonald's used to have these little non dairy cream things for coffee.One day i bought a coffee in there and i searched for the cream pots but could only find semi skimmed milk ones.These just kill the coffee completely,well for me anyway.I asked the girl behind the counter for the cream pot.Her reply was a classic.

''Oh we stopped doing them,semi skimmed milk is much better for you!''

So...you sell burgers full of fat and God knows what else and chips,but i can't have a bit of cream with my coffee.Amazing,lol!

 

[mancityvstoke]

Ok off topic a bit but Macdonald's used to have these little non dairy cream things for coffee.One day i bought a coffee in there and i searched for the cream pots but could only find semi skimmed milk ones.These just kill the coffee completely,well for me anyway.I asked the girl behind the counter for the cream pot.Her reply was a classic.

''Oh we stopped doing them,semi skimmed milk is much better for you!''

So...you sell burgers full of fat and God knows what else and chips,but i can't have a bit of cream with my coffee. Amazing,lol!

you asked her for her cream pot? I might use that line

 

[markbmcfc]

Think i'll have McDonalds for tea