Stuart Cosgrove’s article on TSFM blog will make many an internet bampot feel vindicated tonight. A great read and a good summary of where Scottish football media currently stands. If you haven’t read it yet, you can do so here…
http://scottishfootballmonitor.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/why-the-beast-of-armageddon-failed-to-show/
The following is my response to the article. It kind of developed into a blog of it’s own so I decided to post it here…
As I’ve grown up, the Rangers sycophancy (I suppose if I supported a smaller team I may have called it an Old Firm sycophancy, but certainly Rangers) became more and more obvious to me and we’re now at a point where it is being publicly highlighted and challenged.
This is thanks, in no small part, to instant media and instant communication.
While my Dad, as he grew up, might have shouted at the radio or threw his paper in the bin at what he perceived to be bias, he didn’t really have the tools or the medium to challenge it and he would just have to accept that: “That’s what we’re up against”.
In the ’90s there was a swing. The calls of bias we’re being heard louder and more often, but the “Paranoia” tag was a useful tool with which to dismiss legitimate questions and to put us back in our place.
Fast-forward to today and as Stuart points out, instant media is now a recognised danger to the old trusted journos who now try in vain to swat away it’s relevance with terms like “Internet Bampots” but it’s a runaway train that cannot be stopped.
Journalists have to move with the times and adapt, and I have respect for all journalists who try to embrace new media. Many (if not most) are now on Twitter and I think that’s great. Now, I may completely disagree with what they have to say, but the fact is that they’re putting themselves out there to be held accountable for what they write.
I believe that’s what terrifies Jim Traynor and Hugh Keevins (for example). Two people who have built their careers on repeating PR releases and keeping David Murray sweet.
They get it alright.
They knew fine well that without Rangers in the SPL, “a slow lingering death” would indeed ensue, “armageddon” even, but not of the Scottish Football variety. No, it is their very jobs that were/are on the line.
How I interoperated Traynor’s Armageddon claim.
They know it and we know it, and it’s thoroughly refreshing to hear that Stuart Cosgrove, Jim Spence, Tam Cowan, Alex Thompson and others get it as well. They’re not associated with Celtic so they can’t be paranoid, instead, they must have a bitter agenda to crush Rangers at all costs!
I found the story about the nameless journo dancing with delight at his invitation to Murray’s birthday – illuminating. I think we can all probably guess who it is. I just hope that I bump into Stuart in the pub someday and he can tell me some more stories about the behavior of the chosen hacks!
I suppose he must take great comfort from the fact his career was not built on being a performing lapdog….. “beg, roll over, play dumb. Ok, here’s a treat, a transfer exclusive”
Infact, he could be excused for mocking them. They’re becoming caricatures of their former selves.
Everyone is pointing and laughing at them.
It’s great to see neutral commentators of the game calling old media journos for what they are.
I for one, feel vindicated.
Vandalgrease 
“becoming caricatures of their former selves”
They are indeed. Remember the recent positing by one of them that he coined the phrase ‘succulent lamb’.
Whit a flange.
Well said mate. It speaks volumes that Stuart Cosgrove wrote his article for a blog, rather than a mainstream newspaper – where it could easily have been presented on a double-page spread and with much fanfare, given his standing in the media – not to mention the fee he could have commanded for the piece. All power to the man. I’m even beginning to warm to St Johnstone…
As regards the ‘old guard’ of Scottish fitba writers, if you actually look at their comfy wee club, there’s really not that many in it – although they do seem to wield some power in their respective publications’ editorial offices. That will no doubt change soon, though – publishers are by nature populists, and will ‘get rid’ as soon as their accountants, pension and union advisers allow. They will no doubt adapt, as the current business plan is failing – and will have already realised that Traynor and Keevins are among the dead weight being carried by their titles, indeed are among the reasons for the fall in circulation, thanks to what’s happened in the last few months.
But you’re right to note that it’s not all journalists – to me it’s more the system anyway. As Phil Mac Giolla Bhain will testify, any journalist coming out of college just now is fully equipped to use all the media available to him or her to do the job the readers want – and they’re big on journalistic ethics and integrity in these courses. I’m looking forward to what happens next – and publishers would be foolish not to take note of who is telling it like it is on line, and doing it well. Yourself included, of course.