The Sam Burgess thing? Please. What is doing? Why do we care? Do we care? Who cares? Who is it that cares? Pop quiz: hands up if you care.
Why is this malarkey up for public consumption?
Who is consuming it? Who is buying the papers, clicking on the links, turning on the telly to find out what happened in this latest Scandal Engulfing The Code in Crisis?
Someone must be. It’s rating and selling, and those that sell news know what we’re buying.
Just nobody’s owning up to it.
It’s like all the people who were at the 1970 grand final who weren’t, but in reverse. No-one’s admitting to buying the newspaper with the malarkey on the front, but they’re flying off the shelves.
There was a yarn in these e-pages the other day about people turning on Buzz Rothfield. And maybe it’s true.
But here’s a fun fact – Buzz Rothfield in the star of the News Ltd newsroom and the greater organisation because his yarns sell more subscriptions than anyone else’s.
And it’s by quite a lot. That’s how they’re measuring reach – power – how many people click on a yarn, and want to know enough about to finally say, stuff it, and buy a subscription to break through the paywall.
Buzz’s stuff beats everyone’s.
And Buzz does not miss ‘em.
And as Buzz says, he does write ‘positive’ stories, and nobody reads ‘em.
So… it’s all our fault. It’s everyone’s fault. It’s man bites dog stuff. Being nice in the world is normal. To be ‘newsy’ you’ve got to be bad.
Same reason people liked Dynasty and Country Practice and Prisoner.
Prisoner was an absolute pile of garbage. Lizzie Birdsworth and Bea Smith the Top Dog threatening to put scrags’ heads in the clothes-flattening steam machines… and people watched it. Loved it.
They love that Bachelor rubbish today for the same reason – conflict. People behaving badly. And we can sit back and watch through splayed fingers, and moralise about it, and we can enjoy that delicious feeling of schadenfreude and safety that it’s not happening to us.
As in, that’s terrible – sucks to be that guy – how good that it’s not me.
And that’s why we love rugby league scandals: because of Bea Smith, Top Dog of Cell Block H.
And as long as we like it and consume it, the papers will continue to sell it to us. The illegal drug trade works like this, as does gambling and prostitution.
Supply, demand. Build, come.
So to speak.
However! Sometimes you wonder if they’ve jumped the shark, scandal-wise, the papers. And you wonder that they’re dishing up so much scandal we’ve become inured. That it’s become dross. That it’s not even news.
That it’s normal.
Exhibit A: The Bulldogs in the nude thing on Mad Monday. That was a beauty wasn’t it? Because nobody really cared.
Nobody in the public complained to the police or rugby league, or even tipped off media. It wasn’t a viral Facebook thingy. It was nothing – until the papers made it something.
The papers were there already, getting happy snaps, scoping the pub. And then they took the pics of the nude players and virtue-signalled their own politically correct morality that it’s wrong to be nude. That it’s a disgrace to… be nude.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
But no-one cared until the newspaper said, oh look, there’s these people getting nude! Footballers! Nude!
People didn’t care until the newspaper made it news. And even then, did anyone care?
We moralised, some of us. And others amongst us said, oh! When will they learn!
The answer is never. Because 22-year-old men will always be 22-year-old men. The male brain doesn’t fully form until its 28 years old, or so it says so on Google.
The same brain action allows a man to storm at full speed into the path of a phalanx of very large men and to block out or mute or not even consider the danger of concussive injury or worse.
And when those 22-year-old brains are lathered in alcohol they do not consider the consequences of getting nude in a pub on Mad Monday.
Indeed that brain thinks it’s funny.
And here’s the thing: that brain is right! Because it is funny! Nudity is funny. Men who don’t score tries do nude runs end of season, and the newspapers and commentators remark, ho ho.
Streaker does a hot dash across Allianz – funny! Wati Holmwood’s thundering greased-up jello butt blubbering across ANZ launched more memes than Barack Obama with a bald eagle.
But get nude on the drink in a pub, just you and your pals, visible only to professional peeping toms with telephoto lenses, then you’re… what? A disgrace? To the community?
What?
How can people be so pious? Who are we as a community? Who are the members of our community who actually give a stuff that 22-year-old footballers are getting nude in pubs?
This stuff used to be funny. It is funny. Nudity is funny.
And if you’re a newspaper person, and you think it’s offensive, then don’t put it on the front page of your blinking bloody newspaper, and then tut-tut like nasty nuns.
Someone think of the children?
You think of the children!
I dunno.
It sells papers, so. I suppose it’s just how it is.
But then there’s exhibit b) that was on the telly a couple nights after the Bulldogs in the nude one.
It was the commercial news network declaring a “bombshell” that two Wests Tigers had been in a pub when it was raided by drug dogs.
This happens. We have an unwinnable war on drugs, another story.
But two footy players were in a pub when it happened.
Afterwards the cop dogs left, and these guys stayed in the pub. On the way home, possibly, I don’t know, I wasn’t there, they ate a kebab.
And then they went to bed.
And that – and it’s still frankly freakin’ unbelievable that the commercial station would actually run this is as news – is all that happened.
That was the bombshell. That was the news: footballers were somewhere when a thing happened.
Peak dross. Shark jumped. Fonz on waterskis. Pass the delicious beer nuts.
Adam Elliott
Roar Rookie
Cathar without News Ltd there is no NRL. Without NRL there is none of your precious "International" Rugby League..
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Channel ten when owned (in part by News) was a minor shareholder I believe but don't know present arrangements - With the Burgess scandal now allegedly over, what's the bet that the Sydney herald, the self proclaimed defender of women's rights, will report that there is nothing to see here (yet wrote often about women are loathe to report male indiscretions) and the Telegraph will (depending upon the flow of a favour or marketing) will keep the story going for a while yet.
kk
Roar Pro
Strewth,is it true that News Corp Australia has a big share of the Roar?
Don
Roar Rookie
It’s the sad reality of “old media” creating news rather than reporting it whilst clinging onto the dwindling perception that they still hold major influence in political and public opinion. Listening to Buzz reminds me of Roy & HG’s description of Greg Norman back in the day; “...a hapless water buffalo wallowing around in the swamp, waiting for the safari to wander by and finish him off...”
Not Fickle
Roar Rookie
Hi Matt, I would assume that you are not 28 yet, because quite frankly, you're brain has not matured.
RandyM
Guest
the media didn't invent a story about these teams being grubby. The fans have been calling out these two teams for years for being grubby. It's part of the narrative of NRL.
DNZ
Guest
Let's not forget that News Ltd is a company that supports far worse culture than anything displayed here. Rebecca Brookes is still a close ally of Rupert's and NoTW under her reign had a culture of paying crooked cops, tapping phones and engaging in general criminal practices to dig up salacious material for their next big takedown of an individual. The BS they do here in Australia is (thankfully) only minor infractions compared to the broader organisation's activities.
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Newspapers also are allies in selling the game. Again this week we have the faux war between Bellamy and Flanagan about who are the biggest grubs. I'm sure with the big AFL game in Melbourne swallowing everything they have to invent a phony war to generate interest because one assumes there are still tickets to sell and eyeballs to entice.
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately in a declining media market, the only way newspapers can make money is highlight the shortcomings of competing entities in the one market. In Sydney there are four codes struggling for supremacy. Westfield (Frank Lowy) even went a very expensive newspaper wrapround ad when he was listing Westfield trust just before the start of the soccer/football season to get good coverage (herald sister Fairfax paper in Melbourne calls it soccer but football in Sydney?). The Sydney herald bagged/neglected AFL but since Fairfax radio got the AFL radio rights last year the AFL coverage has improved (part of the radio deal?). The herald also bags Rugby Union because RU doesn't advertise in the herald (or anywhere it seems). RL spent big on 2 ads in the herald sports section this week at a time when RL is in the firing line (rightly or wrongly) for the Burgess case and 2 lower grade RL domestic violence/sexual assault verdicts this week which have been buried (whilst completely ignoring the Parramatta ex boss Fitzgerald estranged wife who critically injured a family whilst drunk driving/texting (allegedly) - Coincidence! Bad news always sells and you wondered where the codes marketing $$$ go>
Paul
Roar Guru
Small steps Matt. These guys have had years to develop a rusted on supporter base which will likely remain as long as they're allowed to pedal these stories. Throw in the excellent contacts they seem to have within the code and it will clearly take time to erode their "power" simply because they're starting from a position of strength. Great strides have been made this year to reduce their hold on people and hopefully this will continue over the coming seasons.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
What this about Sam Burgess ? Who buys newspapers these days . Can’t wait until your next red black block story too Matt ..... pot kettle black
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
I can't believe these same blokes Rothfield, Kent & co think its ok to print a story front page, without truly knowing the FULL story, knowing Burgess's wife is pregnant & not realise the consequences/stress of this! Sure in our perfect world Burgess has done wrong to his wife & perhaps down the line all this will blow up but in this case its not the media's duty to report this , its not their or our business. I really hope if this is a case of revenge type porn, the media really get slammed financially but alas Rupert has big pockets & the 'outrage' & sales would far outweigh the penalty. I really wish the 'culture' of a media group such as Newsltd when such things occur be put back on the owner to face severe consequences for creating, nurturing said culture among its staff.
peeeko
Roar Guru
Exactly, wouldn’t mind some in-depth stats and analysis Like Tim Gore and Scott Woodward
RogerTA
Roar Rookie
Bloody good read (and commonsense) Matt. Cheers
shaun
Guest
Yup. It's all a giant joke and I genuinely think that there is zero public outrage. The papers create the outrage and say that the public is outraged, the NRL believes this because the same papers will print a story along the lines of "we want to know how they will be punished" and the NRL is obliged to create some sort of punishment and public apology. And the cycle continues.
Don
Roar Rookie
I love how Rothfield and Kent claim to writing all of these positive articles. When Kent was trying to argue that Josh Dugan was wrong when talking about the negative focus of the media, he had the paper in front of him and counted every article that wasn’t negative as a positive one. For these guys there’s no “neutral” and there’s no longer just “news.” If it isn’t negative then it must be positive...
peeeko
Roar Guru
i think you are both wrong and right here Matt. yes Buzz and reality shows are number one in their domain but both have shrunken massivley from the old days. Shows like the Bachelor top the ratings but the number of viewings isnt huge. Most savvy people watch another form of entertainment at night, whether that be binge watching a quality drama or another streaming service. Same goes for Print, the SMH is now smashing the DT in terms of online readership and actually papers dont sell anymore the only people that follow both of these are people that arent smart enough to find theroar and netflix. they appeal to the LC. does anyone remember the sharks salary cap "scandal"?
Nat
Roar Guru
I don't know if/when it will change. How quickly we've transitioned from the 'information age' to the 'information outrage'. It's easy to be an online SJW without ever having to prove it.
JimboJones
Guest
Newsflash Matt. There is no war on drugs , the government love the stuff. As far as the media goes , I cant remember the last time I bought a newspaper , and every time I get given a free one in a motel it reminds me of why I wouldn't waste my money on them.