[Archived] What's Occurring At The Telegraph?

[RevidgeBlue]

All credit to Andy Neild for taking the time and trouble to post a detailed response, I'm sure we all realise the limitations the paper has these days in trying to appear fresh and bang up to date in competition with both the internet and round the clock Sky Sports News.

Howevever the original criticisms of the paper were in my view perfectly valid. The paper simply recycled guff that had previously appeared in the National newspapers linking our players with moves away without any views or comments having been sought from Rovers to balance the article up. This wasn't of course Andy's fault, his pieces usually have more substance to them and it was seemingly done in his absence.

If he wouldn't mind me saying so the only bone I have to pick with Andy's reporting is his seeming one man campaign to install Mark Hughes as manager of Manchester United. There has been nothing of any substance elsewhere linking Sparky with that post so just once it would be nice to read an article about him in the LT concentrating on his Ewood achievements and future aspirations for Rovers rather than simply trying to draw him on whether he would like to manage Man United/Barcelona/a.n. other big club.

[stuwilky]

Whilst I appreciate Andy posting that, it still doesnt answer the question why virtually all the articles in that rag attempt to imply that all our players are leaving, our manager wants to go to Old Trafford etc etc etc

If the articles have a positive slant Id hate to read what a negative slant was. I stopped buying the damn thing as it was turning into a frustrating read.

[92er]

Who remembers William Westall of the Blackburn Times ?

Me.

I always rated him much higher than Alf Thornton-maybe he was helped by writing on a weekly paper-and I really enjoyed Friday mornings before going to school.

I cannot do him justice, but if anybody is interested, the library used to have copies of the old Blackburn Times that were bound together and would continue to make fascinating reading.

[Gav]

So is he a Rovers fan?

[philipl]

No way does Andy Nield write like a Rovers fan. As jim commented (and presumably jim has some sort of track record in journalism) the style of writing is wholly inappropriate for a Blackburn paper.

That Aston Villa story was an absolute classic. Since when are we interested in anything from a Villa perspective?

Fair play for writing in but much better if he takes on board the repeated criticism of the poor quality of journalism.

[mike at picture]

I actaully believe Andy is a talented sports wrtiter and a lot of his stuff is enjoyable to read. His reply however, skirts around the issue of his "support" for Rovers and he does not really address it. Somebody else on this thread has mentioned that he often refers to us as "Blackburn". I agree that a genuine Rovers fan would refer to us as just that. I dont know where Andy's alliegiencies lie but I have my doubts that they are at Ewood beyond his professional life. As good a writer as he is I want a Rover in that post.

[Hasta]

I actaully believe Andy is a talented sports wrtiter and a lot of his stuff is enjoyable to read. His reply however, skirts around the issue of his "support" for Rovers and he does not really address it. Somebody else on this thread has mentioned that he often refers to us as "Blackburn". I agree that a genuine Rovers fan would refer to us as just that. I dont know where Andy's alliegiencies lie but I have my doubts that they are at Ewood beyond his professional life. As good a writer as he is I want a Rover in that post.

Surely on the basis of professionalism Andy Neild is not going to refer to Rovers as 'we' and 'us'. It's not like he's writing the match program. Peter White, a man whose loyalty is not in doubt, never used 'we' and 'us' in his reports and he was probably allowed closer to the club that AN is.

A lot of non-rovers fans will probably read the sports sections. I do sometimes read the Burnley news and other local club news just because it's there.

[John]

I used to really look forward to the Telegraph's daily news, as it always had some exclusivity about it. However, these days it seems to be news we already know about. You can blame 24 hours news (and this is correct to a degree) but other clubs local press seem to have their finger on the pulse a bit more.

[Billy Castell]

Sort of off topic for Rovers but i remember the LET claiming that they, and other papers like them, had won a victory over the British Horseracing Board by forcing them to have final declarations for races 48 hours before the off rather than the standard 24. The LET claimed to have backed and fought this along with other national media despite the fact it greatly increases the number of non-runners on the day. This, they said, would enable them (the LET) to give a more detailed full card for the following days racing and a better service.

Sadly, their racing service is that bad they might well have not bothered. Last week, the day before the Oaks (the second biggest classic of the racing season worth about £450,000 to the winner), they had none of the Epsom card in there but all of the racing from Wolverhampton (worth about £3,000 per race). If I was pro-active enough I'd love to ask the sports editor why? They can no longer blame deadlines. Poor sports journalism, lack of understanding and lazyness I imagine.

To defend the LET over this, I have it on good authority that since they're all dingles, they thought that Epsom made computer printers, and wasn't a real place with a racecourse. Of course, they're all baffled and confounded by the sight of the 'paper spitting midget' as they call the desktop printer, so they may have been distracted.

[mike at picture]

Surely on the basis of professionalism Andy Neild is not going to refer to Rovers as 'we' and 'us'. It's not like he's writing the match program. Peter White, a man whose loyalty is not in doubt, never used 'we' and 'us' in his reports and he was probably allowed closer to the club that AN is.

A lot of non-rovers fans will probably read the sports sections. I do sometimes read the Burnley news and other local club news just because it's there.

Hasta, I also have a look at some of the Burnley stuff in the LT. The Dingles are almost always refered to as "The Clarets" whilst we we are not Rovers but Blackburn. To me this smacks of the disdain we are used to receiving from the gutter press.

[JAL]

I actaully believe Andy is a talented sports wrtiter and a lot of his stuff is enjoyable to read. His reply however, skirts around the issue of his "support" for Rovers and he does not really address it. Somebody else on this thread has mentioned that he often refers to us as "Blackburn". I agree that a genuine Rovers fan would refer to us as just that. I dont know where Andy's alliegiencies lie but I have my doubts that they are at Ewood beyond his professional life. As good a writer as he is I want a Rover in that post.

Yes, i'm not fully convinced as to where Andy's allegiences lie and as for "theres no Burnley bias on the sports desk" then its obvious that the sports editor is having a bit of a laugh in trying to cause a reaction with both the Dingles and ourselves with the content he allows to filter out.

Who is the sports editor for the Telegraph?

[daren]

I'd be tempted to do something like that - see how high I could get tensions.......... Hmmmmm

Edit: but not at the expense of Rovers, I hasten to add. Now the nobenders, or "Greater Manchester" (aka notlob)...

[rover_groo]

Wll done Andy.

Perfect response to silence the critics. Fair enough there might be (not claiming that there is) a bit more reports/articles on Burnley, but the main thing is that Andy does a stirling job when reporting for Rovers. When I'm over, it's usually the first thing I get on arrival. Certainly as he has stated and a few others agree that the 24hr news channel now affects strories that are reported. With the LET now a morning paper, then all stories are going to have to be finialised well in advance and what might have seemed to have been a great 'exclusive' story, it could be leaked out and then with it probably lambasted on the 24hr news channel, hence the next morning it's basically old news.

Everyone should start to support the local rag, which is basically the only tabloid who favours Rovers, instead of the other cr@p stating that we're a bullish team, in a s***e industrial town that no big-named player would even dream of playing for. Look at what we've produced to date and only we were the 'second' of four teams to ever win the Premiership.

Onwards and Upwards!

If he wouldn't mind me saying so the only bone I have to pick with Andy's reporting is his seeming one man campaign to install Mark Hughes as manager of Manchester United. There has been nothing of any substance elsewhere linking Sparky with that post so just once it would be nice to read an article about him in the LT concentrating on his Ewood achievements and future aspirations for Rovers rather than simply trying to draw him on whether he would like to manage Man United/Barcelona/a.n. other big club.

Rev,

I feel that it's certainly not a one-man campaign.

It looks and feels to be 90% common knowledge that this will happen, so if you stick on your £50 wager now, then you'll be buying AN a pint in two seasons, lol! I know you feel that this shouldn't be reported and the LET should be concentrating on what he's achieved at Rovers and obviously his future aspirations for the club. At the end of the day, both MH and Blackburn will not be commenting on any links to other clubs, but if it's in the media, then it has to be reported, even if it's Man City ffs.

So is he a Rovers fan?

Thought so Gav.

I knew he wasn't a other supporter of another club so at least all rumours are laid to rest.

[Ste B]

Another response from Andy -

I'd like to reply to one or two of the comments made above if I may.

Firstly, Gav, yes I am a Rovers fan - I thought I made that clear in my original post?

To clear up any ambiguity, I grew up supporting Rovers and non-league Chorley as a boy.

The Chorley link is through my dad (he grew up in Chorley) so I'd go with him to Victory Park, and I'd go to Ewood with my friends.

My first Rovers match was in the 1980s during the Bobby Saxton era.

I used to be encouraged by a previous sports editor never to reveal my allegiance because he felt we should be seen as 'professionals rather than fans', hence why I might have been vague in Germany.

Secondly, in response to Mikeatpicture's comment about the use of 'Rovers' and 'Blackburn' in stories, that's simply a writing style issue. When I first took on this job, I was told that my first reference to the club in a story should always be 'Blackburn Rovers' and then to refer to the club as 'Rovers' from that point onwards in the story. However, various different sports editors have since come and gone and they all have different views on 'newspaper style'. I do, however, take your comments on board and will refer to the club as 'Rovers' where possible from now onwards. But I honestly hadn't realised that was ever an issue with any of our readers.

Simon Garner's 19 suggested doing more features on past players, on this day in history, etc, etc and that is something I will definitely look at introducing into the paper for next season. I, too, enjoy tracking down past players and finding out what they are up to and it is something we have done in the past.

In response to Phillipl, I don't write all the stories that appear in the Telegraph or on our website. The Aston Villa story you were referring to (about Craig Bellamy?) was actually a Press Association story which appeared in the paper when I was on my day off. It was considered relevant at the time because Bellamy is also a Rovers target.

As regards the amount of Burnley stories in the paper, I've passed on your comments to the sports editor. We used to have four editions of the Telegraph but that was cut to two about two years ago. The edition that goes out in Blackburn also goes to other areas of the county, too, which is why it contains some Burnley news as well. But if you go back and revisit old editions of the paper from years ago, we write more on Rovers now than we have ever previously done.

Finally, thenodrog asked if I had a board name but I'm not a registered member of the fans site, which is why I've had to go through Steve B to get these posts on here.

I do frequently look at the messageboard because I value the fans' opinions and if any issues arise on here that I feel need to be addressed then I'll put them to the club and try and answer it in the paper.

The reason I don't post myself is I don't want to get drawn into arguments with anyone as it may compromise my position at the paper. However, if you ever want to contact me - you might have a question you want me to put to John Williams, a story you want checking out, or a general rant about the declining standards in newspaper journalism - then my email address is aneild@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk

I'm always happy to answer any queries you may have.

Contrary to popular belief, not all journalists wear pork-pie hats with press cards tucked in the hat-band, and trawl the gutter looking for negative stories. It's just some in my profession give the rest of us a bad name.

Andy Neild

[Tony Diamond Inc]

Any Neild's input into this topic has to be applauded, how many other journos would take the time to respond to such drivel?

[OJRovers]

Yep (pork pie) hats off to Andy for his comments, if only Rovers themselves were open enough to reply on certain issues - eg the club shop (for want of a better name)

[RevidgeBlue]

Rev,

I feel that it's certainly not a one-man campaign.

It looks and feels to be 90% common knowledge that this will happen,

No it isn't Simon, he's a possible candidate for the post in future but no more than that!

There's a difference between reporting on the fact that there might have been some speculation in the National Press linking Hughes with a post i.e. City and constantly plugging him for another job when there hasn't been anything substantial elsewhere to link him with that job.

Anyhow fair play to Andy once again for another excellent reply. If his colleagues could have been bothered writing something worthwhile in his absence instead of recycling word for word the Press association Bellamy story and the National Press Pedersen rumours some of this dissatisfaction wouldn't have arisen.

[Al]

Andy has gone up my estimation for having the guts to come onto this site to give his point of view.

Andy if you read this I believe you could get some good articles for your paper by reading some of the comments on Rovers History and Rovers Greatest ever team. I'm sure that no one would object to you using some of the material you will find on there.

[the original david brent]

Fair play to andy neild for his replies. Generally I think the telegraph provides an excellent sport service, not just for rovers but for local sport in general as well.

I dont think the sports pages should just be confined to rovers. I personally dont mind reading about burnley - always provides a source of amusement!

There should be a 'where are they now' weekly thing or a weekly focus on big rovers games from the last 40-50 years.

[thenodrog]

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QUOTE(Ste B @ Jun 7 2007, 10:46 ) 517530[/snapback]

In response to Phillipl, I don't write all the stories that appear in the Telegraph or on our website. The Aston Villa story you were referring to (about Craig Bellamy?) was actually a Press Association story which appeared in the paper when I was on my day off. It was considered relevant at the time because Bellamy is also a Rovers target.

.......... And the editor Paul Plunkett is a Liverpool fan I believe.

[rover_groo]

No it isn't Simon, he's a possible candidate for the post in future but no more than that! There's a difference between reporting on the fact that there might have been some speculation in the National Press linking Hughes with a post i.e. City and constantly plugging him for another job when there hasn't been anything substantial elsewhere to link him with that job.

Anyhow fair play to Andy once again for another excellent reply. If his colleagues could have been bothered writing something worthwhile in his absence instead of recycling word for word the Press association Bellamy story and the National Press Pedersen rumours some of this dissatisfaction wouldn't have arisen.

Rev, heis a 'Very strong candidate'!!

Na, i know what you mean and the less we say the better.

Indeed fair play to Andy Neild. He's had the balls to come on here without being dragged into a catfight and said what he needed to say. He didn't go into hiding about any uncertainties and I think everyone is now happy. Well, I'll be looking forward to reading the LET upon my return to Lancashire. Also as Al stated he can work from any information here and if he needed anyone to assist him with anything from 'the past', then I'm sure we could all be of assistance if called upon.

[ABBEY]

Maybe the booze and drugs are finally taking its toll........

I had a conversation with the chap in Germany when he'd just started in his new role and I asked him outright if he was a Rovers fan and he said no, well yes, I am now........

[RevidgeBlue]

Maybe all the criticism has been taken on board at The LT.

Yesterday, in Andy Neild's absence, sports editor Paul Plunkett took the reins and wrote a particularly positive piece about Savage snubbing Sheff Utd. and wanting to stay loyal to Rovers.

A step in the right direction.

[USABlue]

Fan power gotta love it. Or is it the fear of dwindling sales?

[thenodrog]

Fan power gotta love it. Or is it the fear of dwindling sales?

........ or even dwindling jobs?