Every good journalist tries to ask the hard-hitting questions, to get the quotes that would sell newspapers. But trying to get an interesting soundbite from a football player is like extracting water from a stone.
The clubs prevent their players from saying anything that could affect the image of the player or the club. Add this to the fact that most players aren't very interesting to start with.
But new media cuts through all the PR haze and taps straight into the footballer's brain. With Twitter, players can broadcast exactly what they're doing or thinking, without any filter, warts and all.
Take Sunderland striker Darren Bent's Twitter as an example. He posts regular updates, and in July, when a move to Sunderland was delayed due to the chairman of his former club, Daniel Levy, considering more offers, his frustration showed.
Seriously getting p***** off now
Why can’t anything be simple. It’s so frustrating hanging round doing jack s***.
Do I wanna go Hull City NO. Do I wanna go stoke NO do I wanna go sunderland YES so stop f****** around, Levy.
These were the updates he posted on his Twitter account. I think while this may not be the best example, new media is an avenue for these previously bland footballers to show their personality without any obfuscation by PR people in the club.
New media once again showcases its potential for giving anyone their own loud voice.
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Hi Shea, haha Darren really let loose on his Twitter account! It's true that new media avenues, being assessible and easy-to use and customise, offer football players and the like their own online voicebox.
ReplyDeleteWhile such blunt thoughts rarely make it to traditional media like print newspapers, I wonder how they will affect internet news in the future? News websites may include links to footballers' Twitter accounts/blogs to offer web users the personal take on football happenings. Since those personal accounts are already online, there is probably little football clubs will be able to do to restrain news websites from featuring them.
Through their online voices and sometimes rantings, however, footballers probably face reprimands from their football clubs, who would not want to air the club's dirty laundry. It only demonstrates how new media opens up more avenues for individuals, but because of its worldwide reach has greater consequences on the lives of those individuals and their social circle.
Hi Shea! I think the lack of gatekeeping they allow is a gem of a point regarding new media. Such pure, unadulterated content is a unique selling point of new media as most traditional media tend to be heavily moderated.
ReplyDelete-- Tan Su Yi Kay 0703121D T04
Hi guys,
ReplyDeleteAubrey: Yup, news sites have already began to scour footballers' Twitter pages for juicy information. Just part of being a journalist I guess - resourcefulness.
Kay: Exactly! While moderation, in moderation, is essential for outlets like newspapers, being able to read such unfiltered thoughts is a breath of fresh air, especially with heavily-protected footballers.
Hi Shea, I totally agree. The new media does let people voice out their own opinions without any gatekeepers moderating any of it. Unlike other forms of media, like print and broadcast, there are huge gatekeepers like MDA guarding and keeping an eye on everything, but the new media appears to be the most 'un-guarded' and free for all - precisely why everyone is so much in favour of the new media.
ReplyDeleteHi Shea, what a response from Darren Bent. New media have certainly show that it have no limitations as in the language we use unlike traditional media where we hardly see such language being used.
ReplyDeleteHi Shea, I think by using the new media may just show their personality. As there is no much limitations. Journalist have new ways to look for jucier news through their use of new media.
ReplyDelete