AFL should stay out of the blackball game

An excellent article from Chip Le Grand writing in the Weekend Australian about the suggestion that broadcasters should lose their accreditation if they broadcast false information. 

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan told Neil Mitchell on radio this week that he thought "it is worth looking at." This came in the wake of allegations about Ross Lyon's interest in the Collingwood coaching job made by 6PR broadcaster Brad Hardie which incensed Nathan Buckley. Lyon denied the claim calling it erroneous, reckless and without foundation.

Le Grand raises a number of good points as to why it's not such a good idea to bring in such a ban, the first being that the AFL is not qualified to be an arbiter of what is true and false in football. While Hardie is no journalist, Lyon's denial doesn't necessarily mean that he made the story up. Further, people in the media are held to account by the media companies and by legal restrictions on what can be reported.

Le Grand: "If the AFL had its way, many important football stories would never be published. In this, they are no different from governments and large corporations. Yet, as far as we know, they are the only Australian organisation proposing to blackball journalists for what they write."

I empathise with what Le Grand tells us here. From time to time, I review stories given to this site. I once fact checked a number of sources about a particular story all the way to as close as possible to its original source and found it to be conclusive. That didn't stop those who had an interest in suppressing the facts from criticism (which is always acceptable) but it also went further into the realm of abuse and personal attacks. Often when that happens, you know you've got the story right.

Spot on WJ a poor press is way better than no press.

Edited August 18, 20178 yr by old dee

But we do need to work out a pathway to get Slobbo out and Mike Sheahan v2.0 in.

id rather read one insightful article a eeek against the volumes of crap printed at the moment.

Hilarious. As if any more proof was required as to the stupidity of the AFL. 

AFL.... Arbitration.... ??????

2 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Hilarious. As if any more proof was required as to the stupidity of the AFL. 

AFL.... Arbitration.... ??????

They could set up something equivalent to the MRP which works so well!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love the MFC

I hate the AFL & I seriously don't think Gill is very smart. 

Maybe that is exactly why he was gifted the job. 

Once the AFL start vetting the Media, it is a slow death

Edited August 19, 20178 yr by Sir Why You Little

45 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

I love the MFC

I hate the AFL & I seriously don't think Gill is very smart. 

Maybe that is exactly why he was gifted the job. 

Once the AFL start vetting the Media, it is a slow death

Amen to that SWYL.

The only way the AFL will improve is to dismantle the old boys club.

That will not happen in my life time so business as usual.

I understand why the AFL want to block some in the media, but at the same time, the media is there to expose and prevent corruption in the AFL. There is a balance and it is up to the public to decide what they consider to be rubbish scuttlebutt or factual. I would hate to see the AFL have any form of control of leverage over the media.  

Edited August 19, 20178 yr by ignition.

1 minute ago, ignition. said:

I understand why the AFL want to block some in the media, but at the same time, the media is there to expose and prevent corruption in the AFL. There is a balance and it is up to the public to decide what they consider to be rubbish scuttlebutt or factual. I would hate to see the AFL have any form of control of leverage of the media.  

They do have a fair bit now via the media rights deal.

when was the last serious negative article by Channel 7?

33 minutes ago, old dee said:

They do have a fair bit now via the media rights deal.

when was the last serious negative article by Channel 7?

The problem with Channel 7 OD is they are a bunch of mummy's boys and apart from Carey they have no one with the balls the critize the AFL, even Brissel. Also how is Gills brother working for 7 not a conflict of interest??

Reminds me of Grant Thomas and SEN

Absolute bollocks by McLachlan, we were told he's an intelligent man, does he think he's Trump the idiot, have a war on media

Interesting viewpoint on Grand Stand today was that Gill raised the black ball media brain fart to distract from the more serious issue of the AFLs mishandling of Yarrans ice addiction... 

the old look over there! 

Edited August 19, 20178 yr by PaulRB

The media are a bunch of parasites anyway.
But so are those who run the game.

As for Yarran.
Makes you wonder how much Carlton knew and if they willingly traded a known ice addict.
That's why clubs want positive tests declared.

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 20178 yr by Fork 'em

6 minutes ago, PaulRB said:

the old look over there! 

He'd make a fantastic politician, ol' Gil. Assigns close family/friends to cushy positions in the media (his brother) and uses the leverage of AFL accreditations to prevent media figures from speaking out against corruption in his organisation. Stunning stuff.

But really, if you're surprised by any of this, you're really not paying attention to reality.

The AFL determined that the Bombers were not drug cheats.

Totally disagree, I am totally fine with journo's being held to account, there is a difference between writing about football, which anyone can do, and you don't need a press pass from the AFL to do this. Without doubt and frequently journo's have had axes to grind over perceived or real sleights. A journo losing a press pass would be forced to be a bit more accountable and bring some reasonable attention to his antics. it is not like they are talking of barring them from the ground, they could still do their job. Obviously if it was run in a DPKR style then the AFL is going to cop it, so I think their would be some natural selection in play, but I really would like to see some of the terrible journalism held to account. the WP or NYT they are not.

 

EDIT: If someone has another sanction for media other than black balling a press pass - I'm happy to hear it, but i still think a press pass is a courtesy and not a necessity (By the way I have never met Gil and he doesn't look like me) 

Edited August 19, 20177 yr by DaisyDeeciple

22 hours ago, Jibroni said:

The problem with Channel 7 OD is they are a bunch of mummy's boys and apart from Carey they have no one with the balls the critize the AFL, even Brissel. Also how is Gills brother working for 7 not a conflict of interest??

I prefer this question. Makes James Brayshaw look good.

On 19/08/2017 at 0:57 PM, Sir Why You Little said:

I love the MFC

I hate the AFL & I seriously don't think Gill is very smart. 

Maybe that is exactly why he was gifted the job. 

Once the AFL start vetting the Media, it is a slow death

Herr Hermann Georing says "hi"!    Control the media.

Just now, monoccular said:

Herr Hermann Georing says "hi"!    Control the media.

Another Brick in the Wall...

3 hours ago, monoccular said:

Herr Hermann Georing says "hi"!    Control the media.

i think you mean joseph goebbels. you need a nazi101 refresher course

Will be funny in a couple of weeks when Ross Lyon starts work at the Lexus Centre...

3 hours ago, monoccular said:

Herr Hermann Georing says "hi"!    Control the media.

 

49 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

i think you mean joseph goebbels. you need a nazi101 refresher course

Thanks Daisy

I was just struck by the thought and was coming back to correct it   

Goebbels, the German propaganda minister   

If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."

 

Edited August 20, 20177 yr by monoccular

12 minutes ago, monoccular said:

 

Thanks Daisy

I was just struck by the thought and was coming back to correct it   

Goebbels, the German propaganda minister   

If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."

 

you did that refresher course pretty quick, mono

Not a fan of Le Grands'  but this type of stuff transgresses  AFL.   As i said elsewhere "The Media cannot help watching, and be expected to ignore 'Umpires umpire' "