Socceroo Tim Cahill leaps – AAP Image/Dave Hunt
The whole Tim Cahill saga was an interesting sideshow to the end of Australia’s World Cup qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup. With a spot in South Africa virtually assured months ago, the final two matches lacked the drama of previous campaigns.
Thus a distraction filled the void.
In the first place, I didn’t think the story was a big deal in any way, shape or form. I read it and couldn’t have cared less.
From there the story was refuted, the paper dug in its heels and quoted a nameless source. Alan Jones weighed in, Cahill snubbed the post-match interview, and then a mystery email emerged.
I was not sure what to expect next, but I’m open for anything – even Bruno or Susan Boyle.
This whole exercise didn’t provide us with anything but an interesting case study of the media and how it operates in the 21st century.
Despite rumours of their demise, media organizations are still incredibly powerful entities.
They have the power to make or break people and they do so every day as a matter of routine. Their interpretations of an event and the way they report it affects people’s lives because at the end of the day, perception is as strong as reality, if not stronger.
A media organization will always claim that it is acting on behalf of the readers, viewers, or listeners, but at times there can come a point in the story when it is acting more in its own interests.
This is when things can get very tricky because hell really doesn’t know fury like a scorned media organization that has let itself off the leash.
It will take off the gloves and dig up your past or even run with something it said it previously wouldn’t.
Mind you, this is all in the name of the story.
It can harass and threaten or use a number of other means to make your life uncomfortable. Being followed by the paparazzi is just the icing on a very rancid tasting cake.
All of it in the pursuit of a big story – the huge headlines tomorrow.
Three-four weeks from tomorrow, people will only have a vague recollection of it. It will be all a haze and blur as newer stories have replaced it and hog the headlines and the airwaves.
If it’s not Gordon Ramsay or the latest Kevin Rudd gaffe, it will be the Chk Chk Boom girl.
Come back Matty Johns. I miss you!
Captain Random
Roar Rookie
"... how many Aussies do you know who pepper their postings with anecdotes about the glorious day when Scunthorpe City beat Grimsby Town 3-2 in the West Midlands windscreen repairs trophy?" That's ridiculous. Scunthorpe and Grimsby aren't in the West Midlands. ;) PS: No, I don't have any British heritage. Honestly.
The Bear
Guest
Dubai is in the middle east, Kurt... you see I am not a true Aussie, cos I AM an Arab.... cos i know that Dubai is not in Australia!!
Koala Bear
Guest
Kurt, You are an inspiration to your ilk, and your performance as Bozo the clown at Wally World USA has been very amusing... To suggest that all Football folk on the ROAR are expats from the UK; just confirms your inability to except that there are some Australian born Australians with European heritage like myself find you as an arrogant Australian born ugly Australian.. Also may I add I have been enjoying Chelsea’s victories over Man U since 1972 ... Ah the memories... They just keep flowing... Btw I know you are no doubt a very busy clown, however, have you taken the time out yet to investigate those Dubai (AFL) figures I have asked from you...? Or was it just another one of your stupid claims backed up by your unknown source of independent research...? The Bear and I have been waiting patiently long enough... ~~~~~~~ KB
Towser
Guest
Thanks fror that MVDave. Ah the nostalgia.
MVDave
Guest
Hey Towser check out this you tube link of a couple of Sheff Wed games in the 70's. Some cracking goals and l actually remember the Man U game on TV in Oz; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiqIxtSdVDA
Towser
Guest
Lazza One could also bring the Monarchy/Republic discussion in here,but best not its a sports blog.
Towser
Guest
Kurt I also pick up tell tale things about Brits being one. The only ex Brit I pick up here is me & even I have a greater knowledge of Football/Sport in Australia than I do In England being here for 40 years. Forgive me if I wax lyrical occassionally about the glorious days of Sheffield Wednesday & Sheffield generally. Spend your formative years anywhere & its part of who you are & for migrants the family you left behind. You dont disown your family. Not where I was brought up anyway. In some respects with modern communication the link is stronger than it used to be. Easy to set up a webcam & chat to the relatives in the old country & phoning is dirt cheap + emails & so on You can transcend 2 worlds switching back & forth between the two. But on the Roar ,at least with long term posters ,I pick up only one such person me. Where things go askew on blogs is lack of respect of another persons interest. They may not be yours, but at least you can respect that interest. Although even I would be hard pressed to respect a Grimsby or Scunthorpe supporter.
Lazza
Guest
"Brits who are used to a very different culture" So why is beating the Mother country so important to us when we have completely different sporting cultures?
David Wiseman
Roar Guru
For the most part it looks as though the media have moved on. As we get closer to the World Cup, will be interesting to see if/when/how anything is rehashed...
Kurt
Guest
Robbos - I wasn't offended by your generalisation at all, with the possible exception of the reference to drinking VB. But really, how many Aussies do you know who pepper their postings with anecdotes about the glorious day when Scunthorpe City beat Grimsby Town 3-2 in the West Midlands windscreen repairs trophy? There do seem a fair number of people from the mother country contributing to this site and being married to a Brit I tend to pick up the tell tale signs quite easily.
Robbos
Guest
In response to the generalisation & I quote 'most of the soccer die hards who contribute to the roar are Brits who are used to a very different culture'.
Kurt
Guest
Robbos is spot on - I'm just your typical meat pie eating, two language speaking, EU passport carrying, three country living dinky di ex-pat AFL supporter. Not sure about the VB though, even I draw the line somewhere.
The Bear
Guest
Gweeds. Very illuminating...
tifosi
Guest
wow does anyone read newspapers anymore? With great news sites at your fingertips im amazed anyone still reads the paper in this country. If the USA is anything to go by, newspapers will become extinct soon enough. And thank goodness for the internet, before then the news outlets in this country could control how much football they showed, which generally meant not much.
JR
Guest
My recommendation to all is to stop reading the Sydney papers and read Goal.com instead. Admittedly, both sources have strong elements of fiction, but at least with Goal.com you get wall-to-wall football 'content', 24/7. (disclaimer: no affiliation) In the end, I think the ability of football to generate such 'content' will impact Australian 'news outlets' significantly - you've got to put something in the daily fish-wrappers.
Slippery Jim
Guest
Gibbo, you're right, pies rock. When I have travelled overseas they are devilishly hard to come by in most countries except NZ and UK...not so sure about stubbies and VB, mind you!
Gibbo
Guest
above directed at Robbos et al
Gibbo
Guest
I take offence to your denigration of VB stubbies and meat pies. Sure there's a time and place for spanakopita, but there's also a time and place for a pie w/ sauce.
David Wiseman
Roar Guru
Thanks for all of your comments. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the months to come. Not just with football but other sports.
keeper11
Guest
the collapse of the Terrorag... ahh..to dream.. and the collective IQ of sydney would instantly improve by it least 20 points.....