Cod Almighty | Postbag
Bryan Adams and Journalism
13 March 2024
In today’s postbag Ian Jackson responds to a diary talking music and strike partnerships and in his second letter offers his thoughts on sports journalism following John Tondeur’s announcement that he is stepping down.
Bryan Adams
6th March Diary. Bryan Adams, eh? After the references to Marillion not too long back, you now reference the Anglophilic Canadian double denim rocker, turned suited nicely turned out photography artist. Another of my 1980s favourites.
1980s you say, he had hits in the 90s too? Ah, yes, the Robin Hood thing. Here's the thing with that. I stopped listening after the Robin Hood thing, to me, like a player who moves on and you don't really hear of them again, or keep track of what they are doing (even though once a mariner, always a mariner), BA (as I refer to him) hasn't made a good record since 1987's Into the Fire LP.
What I do know though, is if strike partnerships are something you remember and respect, like Tees and Green? Keegan and Toshack? et al, usually there is a headliner and a sideman of lesser visibility but no less talent? Look up BA's sideman, Keith Scott
TTFN
from Ian Jackson
Letters Ed responds: Thanks Ian. We are hoping for such a partnership from Danny Rose, Donovan Wilson and/or Justin Obikwu. Not sure which one will be rocking the double denim.
Journalism
Firstly, don't misconstrue this note as a hatchet job on Mr Tondeur, far from it, he's the voice, he is the man for GTFC comms.
However, and this is the rub, not a popular perspective, and probably people will probably see it as mis-timed comment, but Journalism? Hmmmm. I remember the redundancy of Mr Burns at Radio Humberside, and now John Tondeur is stepping down. Quite rightly, they are lauded for the job they did/do in bringing the news of the local football clubs to the local masses who can either only listen and not attend, or who live away and in modern times, 'catch up'. But this has also involved asking questions, poking and probing. The defence of the Journalist in that the situation is 'but I am asking the questions people want answers to', and I'm the Journalist 'I'm allowed to ask difficult questions'. Fine line isn't it?
Those questions, the musings, the detailed match post mortem and the speculation based on 'the source told me'. It doesn't always sit comfortable with me.
It isn't just locally, but they do it nationally. A manager and a player are doing 'their job' too, but quite often that is lost in the search for the soundbite or the story. It isn't always welcome from the questioner when the question is batted back or returned with a question itself. There is the Journalist equivalent of 'do you know who I am' that seems to appear, the 'you have a contractual obligation to speak to me'.
The manager, the player, all have bills to pay. The radio post match interview is always tough, not enough time under the bridge in either direction of a win or defeat, but high profile put on that post match report, often quite scathing about 'how long the manager has left'? Should he play next game? That's someone's job, that's someone's livelihood, isn't it? It is a game. It is how it all works. But I can't say I like all of the local radio output as a listening experience in this context.
I like the commentaries though :-)
TTFN
from Ian Jackson
Letters Ed responds: Interesting viewpoint Ian. I agree that post-match interviews can be tough but they are part of the “modern game” and better tough questions than some inanities. I’ve never heard John ask “how long a manager has left” or “should he play the next game” but that’s maybe because coverage cuts out straight after the game for us exiles.