Radio Sheffield - shit stirring bastards

[Linz]

As a bit of background, this chap with a microphone claiming to be from Radio Sheffield came into the crowd near me at half time to interview fans. Something I have never before witnessed and whose intent appeared blindingly obvious. Here is my right of reply...

Dear Radio Sheffield

Firstly, I'd like to let you know that the first thing I did upon getting home from the match was log into my online bank and cancel my licence fee direct debit. Frankly, the thought of even a penny of that going towards your wages makes me despair so thank you for your actions at the match, you've saved my household £140-odd quid next year. Send me as many letters as you like. You can bollocks if you think the BBC is seeing another penny of mine. I'm even going to apply for a refund and attach a copy of this post to it

I'm embarrassed for you... you are fucking pathetic. So desperate to be part of the story that you have to try and create one yourself... interviewing fans at half time to try and heap pressure on the manager. I was gratified to note that most of the regular season ticket holders in the South Stand turned you down but a jonny-come-lately did deign to talk to you, to your evident delight.

I'm sure your remit is to report on the stories as they happen, but more and more your sports reporters appear to think of themselves as agents provocateurs, stirring something up so you can say you were on the scene as it happened. If it were my club, I've have told you and your agenda to bollocks long ago as your struggle to remain relevant turns more and more desperate.

Those who go to the Lane know we're shit. I'm not trying to pretend that we're not. But sending your smarmy little media studies graduates into the crowd to stir the pot at half time is frankly, low. There was one person around me who looked disappointed when we scored. Guess who it was.

Get a fucking life.

 

[judge]

One of statons minions

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Radio pig are full of twats...we all know that...but tbh I'm more concerned about the fact that we have a clueless manager and players who don't appear to give a toss

 

[Coily]

Bit harsh. Was the same coverage as their was for the Yeovil play off game. With no other games to cover, they could devote more time. And it was fair, even balanced reporting. Before the game there was a cross section of views. At half time, it was negative but had to be expected after that showing.

 

[Linz]

Radio pig are full of twats...we all know that...but tbh I'm more concerned about the fact that we have a clueless manager and players who don't appear to give a toss

I'm not unconcerned by that, but I can't get angry about it. It's like drowning kittens.

A publicly funded organisation resorting to shit stirring? That I can get pissed off about.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Don't they do this from time to time, regardless of whether the manager's under pressure or not? I can remember games in the past where they've had more of their commentary guys around (usually midweek when other games aren't on) where the spare commentators do some interviews with fans before and during. Certainly heard Seth what's-his-name doing that before. Seems fairly standard.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Don't they do this from time to time, regardless of whether the manager's under pressure or not? I can remember games in the past where they've had more of their commentary guys around (usually midweek when other games aren't on) where the spare commentators do some interviews with fans before and during. Certainly heard Seth what's-his-name doing that before. Seems fairly standard.

Yep - can't see the problem. At least they were speaking to fans who go to the match - rather than the armchair fans who ring up afterwards. And if it helps get rid of Weir - it's fine by me.

 

[highpeakblade]

content removed

 

[Rodders]

A bit disgraceful people who pay to watch this shower of shit are labelled as "Johnny Come Lately"

 

[Foxy]

I think the sentiment is more about the intent to create a story and actively stir the pot so to speak, rather than a sudden increase in coverage.

I wonder if the same extra coverage will be occurring if the other side in Sheffield go one down tomorrow?

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Yep - can't see the problem. At least they were speaking to fans who go to the match - rather than the armchair fans who ring up afterwards. And if it helps get rid of Weir - it's fine by me.

I personally don't get the constant negativity thrown Radio Sheffield's way - their interviews with staff are often good, their commentary is reasonable and their phone-ins are totally dependent on the calibre of fan that calls up.

 

[Linz]

A bit disgraceful people who pay to watch this shower of shit are labelled as "Johnny Come Lately"

I didn't recognise his face in a block of regular season ticket holders. It wasn't meant as a slight beyond the fact he spoke to them when all the regulars refused point-blank.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

I think the sentiment is more about the intent to create a story and actively stir the pot so to speak, rather than a sudden increase in coverage.

I wonder if the same extra coverage will be occurring if the other side in Sheffield go one down tomorrow?

But they aren't creating a story - Weir & the team are. We are shit. Weir appears clueless. And the majority of fans are pissed off. I can't stand radio pig but on this occasion I can't see anything wrong.

 

[Linz]

I personally don't get the constant negativity thrown Radio Sheffield's way - their interviews with staff are often good, their commentary is reasonable and their phone-ins are totally dependent on the calibre of fan that calls up.

Let's just say that what I've heard off-air has perhaps tempered my views of what goes off on-air.

And I'll ask this - how do you know their commentary is reasonable if you don't see what they are commentating on?

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I think the sentiment is more about the intent to create a story and actively stir the pot so to speak, rather than a sudden increase in coverage.

That would perhaps carry weight were nobody mentioning the pressure Weir is under or the possibility of a sacking. Look around you - other media outlets, phone-ins, this forum. They aren't creating a story - the story is very much already there.

 

[BladeFisher]

I think the sentiment is more about the intent to create a story and actively stir the pot so to speak, rather than a sudden increase in coverage.

I wonder if the same extra coverage will be occurring if the other side in Sheffield go one down tomorrow?

No I thought it would be Madine is innocent will you support his appeal myself.

Expect to see hear this campaign gets as big as other famous miscarriages of justice.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

And I'll ask this - how do you know their commentary is reasonable if you don't see what they are commentating on?

Isn't that the case with every commentary? It's a rarity that I listen to a commentary while viewing the game. I do follow the s24su tweets, and when I listen to the commentary it sounds like it's generally describing the same thing. Albeit with less passion.

 

[Foxy]

But they aren't creating a story - Weir & the team are. We are shit. Weir appears clueless. And the majority of fans are pissed off. I can't stand radio pig but on this occasion I can't see anything wrong.

I'm not really in a position to properly comment, as I don't sit with Linz and therefore didn't see his actions - So going off what people who saw said.

However, attempting (and failing in most cases) to push people into making the soundbites that they want isn't reporting on what is happening. They hardly need to seek people out and try and influence them, we all know we are crap and I'm not sure a single person in the ground would have said they were happy at that point - Fair enough, suddenly improve your coverage with fans opinions at half time, but why discount the ones who didn't want a rant in favour of trying to spark one?

I don't listen to their commentaries as I'm normally at the match, but it's surely against the norm and not something I could see happening tomorrow?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, I'm happy we'll be £140 better off for not paying to listen to the increasingly annoying crap spouted on their morning show and not paying towards some of the practices I've witnessed (or heard about) off air.

 

[Linz]

Isn't that the case with every commentary? It's a rarity that I listen to a commentary while viewing the game. I do follow the s24su tweets, and when I listen to the commentary it sounds like it's generally describing the same thing. Albeit with less passion.

If you feel that you get a good service from them, fair enough. I've listened to enough post-match phone-ins from other radio stations though to know that appealing to the lowest common denominator in tabloid-style fashion isn't the only way to do things.

Anyway, I've had my say about my feelings on them and I'm sure they don't give a shit - or recognise anything I've said. Either way, I've saved myself £140.

 

[vorpal blade]

I listened to Radio Sheffield. I thought the supporters who were interviewed at half-time came over as intelligent and very coherent and its a regular feature of the match commentaries isn't it?

Linz aren't you reacting the same way as managers do when they are interviewed within minutes of the end of the match, full of passion and anger? Blaming whoever they can, usually the referee, for their team's shortcomings? Nor do I blame you btw.

I have to say, I don't really get the criticism of 'Radio Pig', isn't it just like Tory MP's claiming that the BBC is left-wing? (while we on the left see it as establishment and therefore relatively right-wing?), isn't it just that a dispassionate, unbiased view seems oppositional to a passionate, aye biased supporter of the conservatives or in this case, Sheffield United? I really don't know but do Wednesdayites call it Radio Pig too?

Mind you I did hear both Weir and Jones interviewed after last weekends matches on Radio Sheffield and both were asked, in not so many words, whether they thought they might get sacked. That was undignified and pointless questioning because it was unanswerable, who in their right mind would say 'yes I think I probably will get the sack' for heaven's sake?

For the record I haven't had a TV or a TV licence for a good 6 years, because TV seems like trash to me. That they supply radio and the iPlayer for free seems like a particular (suicidal) misjudgment but I'm happy to benefit from their silly mistake!

 

[metalblade]

I wouldn't advise not having a TV licence, that could cost you thousands in fines, if the radio pig coverage is so bad surely the club don't have to let them into the lane, ban them like Barnsley did some years ago. Having said that the team performances are heaping pressure on the club if it is not radio pig it will be some one else, not everyone can paint a picture that all is rosy when clearly it is not.

 

[Linz]

I wouldn't advise not having a TV licence, that could cost you thousands in fines

Nope. They have no right to enter your property to prove anything. And detector vans don't exist.

And anyway, we don't have an aerial. Nor a TV plugged into anything capable of receiving a signal. So even if, by some serious lapse of concentration Foxy or I did let them in the house, they can't actually prove that we need in the first place.

 

[vorpal blade]

When a club bans reporting of its matches then it would appear it has something to hide. I've a feeling Burnley did it under Jack Lord* (was that his name or was that the bloke in Hawaii 5-O?) and Leeds have done it more recently. It is childish.

Ken Bates never struck me as a clever manipulator of the media, he strikes me as the opposite.

Sorry to be patronising, but I would sleep on it before sending that letter to the BBC or ripping up your licence or whatever. But then I would communicate with the BBC because there isn't much point having a go at them on this forum is there?

*sorry it was Bob Lord

 

[Linz]

Sorry to be patronising, but I would sleep on it before sending that letter to the BBC or ripping up your licence or whatever. But then I would communicate with the BBC because there isn't much point having a go at them on this forum is there?

Nope... no point at all. Because no one reads this forum at all. Bit pointless keeping it open really isn't it?

Anyway, direct debit cancelled.

 

[JohnDenver]

I didn't witness this, but in principle I have no problem at all with half-time vox pops going on. Just so long as I don't have to listen to them...

 

[United Aren't Back.]

I'm not unconcerned by that, but I can't get angry about it. It's like drowning kittens.

A publicly funded organisation resorting to shit stirring? That I can get pissed off about.

Drowning kittens..let us just say if a few people i know found out anyone drowned kittens , the people concerned would have major problems......It is disgusting..me I loathe Radio sheffield, and I was so apoplectic at the game v preston that i made something of a show of myself at the game. Watching this crap truly stresses me out.....

 

[Jon Bon]

Dear Radio Sheffield

Firstly, I'd like to let you know that the first thing I did upon getting home from the match was log into my online bank and cancel my licence fee direct debit. Frankly, the thought of even a penny of that going towards your wages makes me despair so thank you for your actions at the match, you've saved my household £140-odd quid next year. Send me as many letters as you like. You can bollocks if you think the BBC is seeing another penny of mine. I'm even going to apply for a refund and attach a copy of this post to it

Good on you. I hope you do. I cancelled mine a while ago and it stayed cancelled until Mrs Bon got twitchy at the letters from kiddie-fiddler central and paid it again. I went fucking mental, stupid cow. I fucking detest the BBC - for reasons other than Radio Sheffield though. There's no law that says you have to pay it. Wankers.

 

[puppet]

Linz, send them a follow up letter informing them you are informing them that anyone from the Licence detection force (you know what I mean... use the right term I dont know it) has had their Implied right of Access removed from *address*... by all accounts its perfectly legal to do this as long as you inform them in writing

 

[WhiteHawk]

I personally don't get the constant negativity thrown Radio Sheffield's way - their interviews with staff are often good, their commentary is reasonable and their phone-ins are totally dependent on the calibre of fan that calls up.

I have to say, I agree. Rob Staton seems to be biased towards Wednesday but the rest of the team are pretty good I think.

Nope. They have no right to enter your property to prove anything. And detector vans don't exist.

And anyway, we don't have an aerial. Nor a TV plugged into anything capable of receiving a signal. So even if, by some serious lapse of concentration Foxy or I did let them in the house, they can't actually prove that we need in the first place.

Don't you need a license even if you've got equipment that can access iPlayer? IE, if you've got a PC/laptop, you've got to pay it?

I wish I could get out of paying my TV license but I've got Sky so I can't! (Although I think your Sky subscription should also cover the license fee)

 

[Foxy]

Don't you need a license even if you've got equipment that can access iPlayer? IE, if you've got a PC/laptop, you've got to pay it?

No, you need one if you watch or record live broadcasts.

Watching iPlayer (unless they are live streaming a live broadcast) isn't viewing live broadcasts, so doesn't require a license.