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During 39 years as a journalist (when he was trained to use clear and simple language, avoiding jargon), our Editor, Phil Parry, has always known there are contrasting types of reporter, and here he explores these differences after information that, again, there is an official crackdown on extreme right wing activities in football, which was published by news reporters, not sports ones.
Earlier he described how he was assisted in breaking into the South Wales Echo (SWE) office car when he was a cub reporter, recalled his early career as a journalist, the importance of experience in the job, and making clear that the ‘calls’ to emergency services as well as court cases are central to any media operation.
He has also explored how poorly paid most journalism is when trainee reporters had to live in squalid flats, the vital role of expenses, and about one of his most important stories on the now-scrapped 53 year-old BBC Wales TV Current Affairs series, Week In Week Out (WIWO), which won an award even after it was axed, long after his career really took off.
Phil has explained too how crucial it is actually to speak to people, the virtue of speed as well as accuracy, why knowledge of ‘history’ is vital, how certain material was removed from TV Current Affairs programmes when secret cameras had to be used, and some of those he has interviewed.
He has disclosed as well why investigative journalism is needed now more than ever although others have different opinions, how the coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown played havoc with media schedules, and the importance of the hugely lower average age of some political leaders compared with when he started reporting.
People don’t seem to realise it, but there are HUGE differences in the media.
There are current affairs reporters (out of which spring investigative journalists like me), news correspondents (who tell you what’s going on), feature writers (who usually delve into the background of a person or event, using different language), and sports reporters (who are mainly, although not exclusively, concerned with access to stars for interviews, transfer details, as well as how to cover matches).
They’re as different as chalk and cheese.
Sports reporters, for example, offer as ‘breaking news’ items such as this: “Newcastle United have signed AC Milan and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali for an undisclosed fee”–
Another one has been: “‘Roy Hodgson said he was targeting a “top half finish” with Crystal Palace after the club confirmed he will be their manager for the 2023-24 season'”.
This has been thrown into sharp relief for me, by the news that, once again, the authorities are trying to crackdown on extreme right wing activities in football.
However this was, of course, brought out by NEWS reporters, not sports ones.
Italy has banned wearing shirts with the number 88 on the back, as part of an initiative aimed at fighting anti-Semitism in football across the country.
Members of Italy’s government and Italian Football Association (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina signed an ‘agreement’ about the appalling issue last month, which also allows for games to be interrupted “in the event of anti-Semitic chants, acts and expressions”.
88 is a white supremacist numerical code for ‘Heil Hitler.’ H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, so 88 = HH = Heil Hitler.
it can be found as a tattoo or graphic symbol; as part of the name of a group, publication or website; or as part of a screenname or e-mail address.
It is even sometimes used as a greeting or sign-off (particularly in messages on social networking websites).
In this case it was printed on football shirts.
In Italian football, the supporters of Rome club Lazio known as the ‘Ultras’ have a terrible reputation for extreme right wing tendencies, and five years ago the side was fined after their supporters were found to have distributed anti-Semitic material featuring Anne Frank.
The sport in the country generally also holds this ignoble distinction.
On January 3 2013, supporters of Italian football club Pro Patria made racist comments during a match against AC Milan, and Ghanaian footballer Kevin-Prince Boateng was racially abused during the match:
But it isn’t just continental European football which has problems with racism, anti-Semitism or fascism.
A huge storm was caused by the appointment of Paolo di Canio (who played for Lazio) to manage Sunderland, although he had first entered English football in 2011, when he was named as manager of Swindon Town.
The GMB union withdrew its sponsorship of the club then, saying: “We could not be seen to have a financial relationship with a club that has fascist manager”.
In 2005, he twice gave straight-arm salutes to fans, and has ‘Dux’, the Latin for Il Duce (the name by which the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was known), tattooed on his right biceps.
Mr di Canio wrote in his autobiography that he was fascinated by Mussolini whom he described as “a very principled individual”.
Meanwhile in August 2019 Millwall were fined £10,000 and ordered to implement an “action plan” over racist chanting by supporters at their FA Cup match against Everton.
Millwall were charged by the Football Association (FA) after fans were heard shouting racist terms to describe the Asian community during their game at The Den.
In January 2022 Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise was hit by a bottle, Conor Gallagher was targeted by homophobic chants, and Ashley Cole was racially abused during another FA Cup match, when Millwall fans had booed players who took the knee to protest against racism.
The police had to open an investigation and Swindon owner Clem Morfuni apologised for the incident.
Details of Phil’s journalism (when REAL stories in sport were reported), during which he was gripped by the rare neurological condition Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been released in a major book ‘A GOOD STORY’. Order it now!
Regrettably publication of another book, however, was refused, because it was to have included names.
Tomorrow – Phil looks at more disturbing news about an alleged assault in the UK by men who have been filmed attacking Chinese demonstrators marking the anniversary of protests in Hong Kong, highlighting as it does how the right to protest has always been the bedrock of a functioning democracy, along with a free media.
