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Media treating codes and public with disdain

himno new author
Roar Rookie
19th February, 2011
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himno new author
Roar Rookie
19th February, 2011
51
1522 Reads

Parochialism in sport, such as cheering for your team, is acceptable and encouraged, but when the media drives the parochialism, fans from all states and all sports miss out.

Ever tried to watch Rugby League in Victoria or AFL in NSW or Qld and you soon realise that narrow-minded programmers are driving their own personal agendas.

If you wanted to watch the two new teams in the AFL in the NAB Cup you needed pay television. Surely there would have been sufficient interest in the Victoria for one of the commercial stations to show it.

ABC Radio broadcast the first Rebels rugby union game but won’t broadcast Melbourne Storm games.

AFL in Sydney and Queensland is offered after re-runs of “popular movies” that have well and truly reached their use by date.

The only Sheffield Shield cricket news you here is if your state is playing. The rest of the games don’t rate.

It is time the media made common sense decisions when it comes to programming and not treat the sporting public with disdain. It is obvious that the parochial attitude of commentators to their sport and their state is driving what we see and listen to.

Perhaps it is time the AFL and NRL stepped in and took greater control. The recent Indigenous All Stars NRL game was streamed, allowing those outside NSW and Qld the opportunity to watch it live.

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Perhaps if we had more of this the radio and television stations might reconsider their childish parochialism and review their programming.

The sooner these people realise that their actions won’t stop the spread of either code, the sooner fans will be able to enjoy a wide range of sports.

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