As soon as I finished assembling my first blog and clicked the ‘publish’ key two days ago I encountered my first lesson of many in understanding the world of journalism: news travels fast.
Immediately after the blog was released for any potential public scrutiny – or at least for the reading of those who I have suggested/persuaded to look at it – did a follow up story directly affecting what I had argued made its way to the headlines of the evening newspapers and online websites.
My argument was that the Football Association is of late becoming too obsessed with interfering in matters that go above their call of duty in the game. The FA had no need to intervene and hand out reprisals for Liverpool FC’s demonstrations and show of support for their incarcerated and possibly wrongly accused supporter Michael Shields. Furthermore, I recognised problems with the manner of governing bodies who threw their weight about as soon as one member of the public showed any disapproval. And above all I felt there was no need for any agency to feel the need to ‘jump in’ on one side or another as public response should be able to speak for itself.
The follow up report I was referring to came when the FA released a statement on Wednesday afternoon. “We understand that Michael Shields’ case is a very emotive issue,” said an FA spokesman.
“Having heard the club’s explanation we will not be taking any formal action, and we are satisfied that they understand the sensitivities around football matches being used as a platform for political messages.”
I wonder whether what also happened was that the FA eventually understood the sensitivities around freedom of speech and a peaceful public protest.
Lessons learnt
For now at least, I want to focus on the journalistic lessons I learnt in this case.
The press has always had to be first to every story. With so many different regional, national and international repositories for the news competition has fuelled this urgency. And in the last two decades or so the increase in mediums and outlets for news has accelerated this pace to breakneck speed.
During the summer I attended a journalism workshop with News Associates to experience what the course I am taking would be all about. The trainers there threw us into the deep end and exposed us to a hypothetical yet real-life-speed news story.
We were barraged with information from eye-witness and on the scene reports theoretically by phone. Informed by press releases and statements received by live-feed and e-mails. And we were able to instantly bring up any information available regarding the action zone from the encyclopedic information stored on the internet.
This exercise lasted all of 45 minutes – and that was only so we could keep up – but allowed us to compile a comprehensive news report looking at the story from every available angle ready to be released across multiple news media from newspapers to television, mobile phone and internet
What these examples have illustrated is that the modern world has forced us to keep up to speed. With the surge in social media even evident as I am typing, blogging allows even those without journalistic qualifications to be first to report the news. As a journalist or reporter this urgency will be paramount to one’s responsibility to the public and accountability to their editor.
I imagine that this learning curve I am embarking upon will be just as steep and honestly, I can’t wait.
News travels fast, and you better keep up.
Good observations. I think that’s why journalism is so frantic. If you’re not the first to break the story, then its not new, therefore it’s not news.
It’ll be something you’ll come across more and more as you get further into journalism and as different forms of communication become more prevalent – social media, etc.
X
interesting piece mate highlights the cut-throat world of journalism.
about the fa thing is true but think of uefa and fifa too in a different way, stringing up eduardo (arsenal) for diving when it happens claiming to attack the evils of football – diving so on, then to back down when Wenger makes a song and dance. sometimes i think football’s governing bodies have the right idea but poor execution and way too prone to inciting appeals etc.
going back to the FA getting involved in things they dont need to – you can’t argue with their harsh but fair ruling on adebayor. as an arsenal fan of course i see everything from a bias point of view but beyond him being a complete idiot, he needs to be punished to stop players inciting fans in the future.
anyway bit of thought their apologies for how arsenal related it it but after our 6-2 win over ‘burn its fair to say we are the centre of the football world!
jamie xx