Motd

[WTF11]

Football Focus binned too ffs

Kind of what I meant about being careful what you wish for. The BBC management are not known for their ability to act with a degree of intelligence, more a big hammer applied indiscriminately.

[whitestomper45]

That's the point Billy, he was "using that platform" of Twitter (which is the most monumental pile of shyte no matter what subject), nothing to do with his work for the BBC, and just like anyone else on Twitter with a large following, if he expresses an opinion it gets noticed. You could say the same as he did, and not much would happen (sorry, but I suspect that's true! ).

If he was still presenting MOTD, and kept his comments to footballing matters, I don't see the issue. Same applies to all those who present, do your job, whilst presenting you keep to the subject you're paid to discuss. He and everyone else are entitled to their opinions and to express them wherever they will, agree with them or not is your/our choice, yes?

Fact is, if the BBC had ignored his comment, as its a non-footballing matter and expressed using a publicly-available social media platform, it would have gone flat in about 24 hours and equally likely that Linekers language would have been the subject of legitimate criticism. As it is, the man and the BBC become the news item, not the issue he commented about (which is arguably much more important to the man/woman in the street). The BBC fed the issue with the oxygen of publicity, they should have kept schtum (that's a real word, I thought spell check would call it out, but it didn't! ).

Is it ok for a politician to say what he wants on twa*ter or a Policeman to give his political views. Is it better a current affairs presenter to air their own political views on social media or to appear impartial,
Or a judge, a referee or football commentator to big up their favourite teams… not as easy to decipher.. his wording is what’s caused most of this farce

[WTF11]

Is it ok for a politician to say what he wants on twa*ter or a Policeman to give his political views. Is it better a current affairs presenter to air their own political views on social media or to appear impartial,
Or a judge, a referee or football commentator to big up their favourite teams… not as easy to decipher.. his wording is what’s caused most of this farce

I suspect that our views on Tw4tter are one of the few things where we agree.

Unfortunately, in the world we live in today, the social media platforms are, broadly speaking, a law unto themselves (watch the recent BBC Panorama documentary regarding Instagram for further examples), and all those who use them know it. As to impartiality, if you watch BBC news with any regularity, you will see "correspondents" continually speculating, giving their views and opinions dressed up as "reporting" when they are no such thing.

On the "judge, referee, football commentator" query, the first of those can say what they like about their favourite team, however the referee and commentator can only do so outside of their professional lives, inside they can only be impartial, that's not so hard to decipher.

And on the wording, spot on, he could have expressed equal outrage (if indeed he is genuinely outraged) at the Illegal Immigration bill, using other words, and this particular storm in a teacup would have been even less consequential.

[WTF11]

Football Focus binned too ffs

Not just Football Focus, no Final Score either, you can't accuse the BBC of being "subtle".

[norfolk white]

At least we don't have to listen to Lineker, shearer and Co fawning over the Manchester clubs.

[WTF11]

At least we don't have to listen to Lineker, shearer and Co fawning over the Manchester clubs.

They may not be to your taste NW, but the BBCs heavy-handed management have succeeded in generating a boycott by just about all those responsible for presenting BBC sports output. That might not be too hard on those outside these shores, but for those like myself who don't have Sky/BT Sport, its f00king appalling, as it's not just pundits not appearing, the programmes that these presenters were due to front are being pulled, so NOTHING gets aired, of any shape or form. It will be interesting to see what the BBC do about MOTD, and how ITV (or is it Channel 4?) handle the EFL games.

And as for the "fawning" you can always use the mute button when those clubs feature

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

They may not be to your taste NW, but the BBCs heavy-handed management have succeeded in generating a boycott by just about all those responsible for presenting BBC sports output. That might not be too hard on those outside these shores, but for those like myself who don't have Sky/BT Sport, its f00king appalling, as it's not just pundits not appearing, the programmes that these presenters were due to front are being pulled, so NOTHING gets aired, of any shape or form. It will be interesting to see what the BBC do about MOTD, and how ITV (or is it Channel 4?) handle the EFL games.

And as for the "fawning" you can always use the mute button when those clubs feature

Whether you agree with or like Lineker he is a sports pundit/commentator and his views on political issues (he is also a contractor not an employee) are surely irrelevant to his role.

We have an increasingly authoritarian government who don’t like being held to account and who shut down all criticism or debate - to bring it back to the era in question sure all those who fought in that war for freedom would be absolutely over joyed - not - at how current governments behave.

[WTF11]

Whether you agree with or like Lineker he is a sports pundit/commentator and his views on political issues (he is also a contractor not an employee) are surely irrelevant to his role.

We have an increasingly authoritarian government who don’t like being held to account and who shut down all criticism or debate - to bring it back to the era in question sure all those who fought in that war for freedom would be absolutely over joyed - not - at how current governments behave.

Not a question of liking or disliking that particular person (try finding anything in my posts on the subject that come down on one side or t'other). He, like everyone else, is entitled to express his opinions on just about any subject, and as long as he doesn't incite violence etc, he should be allowed to express them, PROVIDED THE SUBJECT AND HIS OPINIONS THEREOF DO NOT RELATE TO HIS PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BBC (THE ORGANISATION THAT CONTRACTED FOR HIS SR?VICES), IN THIS SITUATION, and the comments on Tw4tter satisfy that caveat.

The actions that have led to the current boycott ARE NOT of the governments doing, they are the BBC. The BBC charter not only encourages impartiality, which is oft quoted in the last few days, it also encourages, indeed mandates, independence. The current BBC board and senior management seem incapable of being able to satisfy the requirement to deliver either of these key qualities of its broadcasting content.

We have the current, ridiculous spectacle of the BBC tying itself in knots. On the one hand insisting that Lineker and others comply with the recently revised guidelines on impartiality in relation to social media (the BBC catching up with the 20th century, never mind the 21st) and on the other making warm noises about the need to "listen to the contributors and be aware of the sensitivities of the story" AKA "we f00ked up and now have to row back on what we were saying originally" and then on another completely different subject but equally relevant to this discussion, the BBC pulling an episode of the yet to be broadcast David Attenborough series "Wild Isles" relating to here, the UK, where episode 5 relates to the destruction of wildlife and the loss of habitat, with input from National Trust, WWF, English Nature, all apparently now viewed as "subversive" by the Tory party, and where the BBC have pulled that episode on the basis of a PERCEPTION that the episode would jeopardise the sense of BBC impartiality as viewed by some Tory MPs. No spine nor backbone amongst the whole BBC board and its senior management, not a one.

And as to those who fought for the freedoms we take so much for granted, I suspect they would question why they sacrificed so much when so little regard is given to that sacrifice today. (I know of what I speak, my father-in-law was on the beaches on D-Day and through the campaign that liberated Europe)

[WTF11]

At least we don't have to listen to Lineker, shearer and Co fawning over the Manchester clubs.

If thats what you want MOTD to be in future, you are welcome to it, worse than the ELF highlights on CH4.

[Billyni]

Fk it. I only watch it when we win anyway.
Therefore not much then