MOTD - Media Bias Against City

[Chinners]

Thats the spirit .... feel free to use them fella

[Ted Hughes]

Peter Spencer is big enough to defend himself, but we had the Talksport thing in a similar debate on BM - I challenged the people who said that to go to the Talksport website, where you can find an archive of recordings (do a search on peter spencer) and then flag up the offending ones.
They didn't come up with anything substantial, perhaps because when they listened to it again, with a more critical ear, they found nothing untoward.
One person claimed that he had referred to United as "we" when, in fact, he had referred to the MEN as "we".
This is exactly what I am talking about. People with pre-conceived ideas hear things differently, and they hear them to suit their opinions, and the same goes for stuff in print.
I have been accused of writing "sly digs" about City in my reports. I would have to be and idiot to do that in my position. I'm no Stephen Hawking, but I'm also not entirely stupid. The "sly digs" are because people approach something with prejudice, nothing to do with anything I have written.

Chinners - thanks for the marks, I might just nick them to save myself a bit of time.
Enjoy the game, and here's hoping for a win.

It would be very difficult to flag him up because it's more often his lack of defence of City rather than him actually saying anything bad about us. As in the example I gave, someone like Richard Keys would ask him about Utd's problems & it would be all 'he knows how to deal with this, experience, done it all before, nothing to worry about' etc etc.

When asked about the latest pile of utter garbage being spread in the media about City, he would reply with some ambiguous answer or even fan the flames. I've read your stuff & you comment & sometimes treat some of these so called stories with the contempt they deserve, but Spencer rarely did that on our belhalf. When you consider that he was on that show as the 'Manchester' representative, his 'nod and wink' kind of answers were seen as confirmation that the stories were true.

So you get a national picture of a Utd camp at peace with itself ready to sweep to the title & a City camp in turmoil ready to fall apart; exactly the kind of situation Ferguson wanted to help him play his mind games. (Then Mancini just joined in with the whole thing & wiped the floor with him & they collapsed whilst we won.)

You expect the editor of our local paper to back both teams not just one.

[Swales4ever]

Mancio - I have addressed many of the things you talked about. I strongly condemned Kompany's red card and defended Mario for his red at Anfield. Here's my Tweet on Kompany at the time: https://twitter.com/StuBrennanMEN/statu ... 8082531328

Stuart,
there won't be round circles on here, just greedy interest in debating with a man who got some balls, at least.
This is a very special Community of fair but strong feeling Blues, preserved throughout a very careful and jelous admittance scrutiny from our wise administrators and committed moderators.

As per myself, I tried and put it in a slightly humouros way: if You are here, it's because very few thinks that You are not a profesional who demands respect: You won't be here if You were any other clown from the surrounding of your desk.
There's nothing personal towards SB, it's only business. The Blues are standing tall and humorous against the media bias supporting every cheating attempts of the fallen Big 4 to preserve their divine right to drain most of the football wealth.
we all know it, You have partly experienced on Your own skin, but yet again we keep reading of riffs between Mancini and Lescott over the fight against racism, weird pictures of Mancini hairdressing but nothing about conflict of interests, sales of toxic bonds issued by companies registerd in tax heavens to sheep shearing the football fans.
As I said, we acknowledge glimpses of good journalism in Your works and certainly few of us feel negative towards Your efforts to broke between professionalism and an agenda driving employer.

Still, while we are keener to understand laziness (to say the very very least) from the Southern, National media, we do struggle to understand myopia shortsightedness from the Mancunian leading publisher: even an idiot - unless he's not as daft as a certain, well known, bookmaker - can see that the vessel is sinking and the marketing of a wise Mancunian pubblisher would comand different attitude toowards the rising brand and its audience...

just it, nothing to do with Your personal work, we are just interested in debate with an open minded, longsighting journalist, no matter if red or blue.

tafn

faithfully yours,
roger
M4e

[Burt]

Mancio - I have addressed many of the things you talked about. I strongly condemned Kompany's red card and defended Mario for his red at Anfield. Here's my Tweet on Kompany at the time: https://twitter.com/StuBrennanMEN/statu ... 8082531328

Stuart,
there won't be round circles on here, just greedy interest in debating with a man who got some balls, at least.
This is a very special Community of fair but strong feeling Blues, preserved throughout a very careful and jelous admittance scrutiny from our wise administrators and committed moderators.

As per myself, I tried and put it in a slightly humouros way: if You are here, it's because very few thinks that You are not a profesional who demands respect: You won't be here if You were any other clown from the surrounding of your desk.
There's nothing personal towards SB, it's only business. The Blues are standing tall and humorous against the media bias supporting every cheating attempts of the fallen Big 4 to preserve their divine right to drain most of the football wealth.
we all know it, You have partly experienced on Your own skin, but yet again we keep reading of riffs between Mancini and Lescott over the fight against racism, weird pictures of Mancini hairdressing but nothing about conflict of interests, sales of toxic bonds issued by companies registerd in tax heavens to sheep shearing the football fans.
As I said, we acknowledge glimpses of good journalism in Your works and certainly few of us feel negative towards Your efforts to broke between professionalism and an agenda driving employer.

Still, while we are keener to understand laziness (to say the very very least) from the Southern, National media, we do struggle to understand myopia shortsightedness from the Mancunian leading publisher: even an idiot - unless he's not as daft as a certain, well known, bookmaker - can see that the vessel is sinking and the marketing of a wise Mancunian pubblisher would comand different attitude toowards the rising brand and its audience...

just it, nothing to do with Your personal work, we are just interested in debate with an open minded, longsighting journalist, no matter if red or blue.

tafn

faithfully yours,
roger
Me

I love this quote:o)

[Alex Sapphire]

Thanks for taking the time Stuart. I remember you did the same when you got the job and you were clear and upfront about your allegiances then.

Some misremembering going on here to suit a position taken that we will never be fairly treated.

agree 100% about the chanting. All of it

and who is "23 post " leo is who's come on here and got a little fight going.
Not one of ours

Couldn't have said it better myself.

This is a place reserved for intelligent debate, plus the posts i make.

Welcome Stuart...pop in here and share some stories and ask some questions. You'll find a few dozen folks here worth stoking some conversations with who may actually help you craft some elements of your day to day gig as you cover the best club in all the land, etc. etc. etc.

cheers

Ithink we already did

http://www.mancityfans.net/mcfnet/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=43503&hilit=+city&p=446662#p446662

[Lonzo11]

Peter Spencer's comments are as good as his Sunday league reffing!

[brite blu sky]

Couple of things to add to the MEN debate. Stuart Brennan may well be getting short shrift from City fans due to the general perception of the paper.. which unfortunately said SB is trying to argue against with detailed specifics to illustrate no bias. Well it is pretty obvious that the paper has held the rags as the golden boys and City as an afterthought for many years and ok fair dos as the rags were winning lots so that is probs natural. However as some like John68 and Ted have alluded to, there is a tone to the reporting. Times have changed City are no longer an afterthought yet the tone hasn't changed.. it is kind of flat to occasionally lightly sneering for City and sycophantic and revelling for the rags.

It is similar in the rest of the media to be fair... rag goals come with some incredible superlatives attached, City goals, even fucking class ones struggle to get even an adjective.

This isn't anti-city, that would be paranoia. It is simply rose tinted specs and unashamed admiration by supposed neutral journos.. all other teams get skimmed over in comparison.. afterthoughts to the main agenda.
Personally I don't blame the media for doing this, rags are the most successful team in modern times.. surprisingly though they are not the main event for most football fans and the media is boring as a result of not realising that and journos on the whole seemingly unable to form their own opinions and keep off the bandwagon, or simply just lazy.

If SB cannot see that taint in all the media including the MEN then I'd question his job credentials to be a journo, if he can then it would go a long way to simply come out and acknowledge it, City fans would warm to the honesty.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

"Why does the City press office, or indeed anyone in authority at City, not feel we have an anti-City bias?"

Are you 100% sure they don't? Would they blatantly tell you if they did feel that or would they just be wary and work on changing it over time?

Kudos from me for your time replying on here. I think I can see it from both sides.There are no doubt, in my opinion, national reporters who seem to have issues with City ( I think one or two have actually confirmed that publically if I am not mistaken) and it will take time before that turns around.As for the MEN I am one of many that don't read it anymore based on the slant I felt was there over such a long time.No doubt some of that was the blue tinted specs but I doubt all of it was.Can't think of any specifics with my memory.

As for the TalkSport stuff I do recall hearing one interview with Mr Spencer and thinking how negative he was towards City.To be fair TS tend to like to be negative towards most clubs and word their questions accordingly to provoke supporters but it would have been nice for a Manchester man to support the Manchester team rather than go along to perpetuate the myths being put forward.

[london blue 2]

I think a lot of the perceived hatred towards City from certain areas of the public and the media (individual reporters not actual companies imo) stems from the fact that we won the lottery and have had to "buy" our way to the top table.

The whole takeover seems to have been forgotton now, and those who were oppose to it in the first place have simply refused to change their stance.

[Chinners]

Good work BBS .... basically, like it or not, the rags sell papers. Give us 10 years of constant success compared to them and I'm sure the perception will change ..... and McEN both looks and sounds better to boot!

[Rag_hater]

47,000 stadium capacity, 70,000 people with membership cards, nearly 100,000 followers on Twitter and one million Facebook fans.What goes on in Manchester does not really matter to us glory hunting,plastic,armchair fans scattered around the world who the Sheikh wants to attract.The media bias don't seem to be stopping us growing.

[john68]

Stuart,
I really do appreciate the bollox you have shown, to do what no other journalist has done by standing in the firing line and attempting to answer questions and deal with issues. My full respect for that Sir.

Having read your answers, it is apparent that you miss the point and don't seem to understand or feel the culture of City, the club and its fans. Your reply on the Lescott statement seems to confirm this. Whereas you thought it was an interesting answer, anyone with a deeper understanding of City and City fans would have winced at the question. They would have understood that you don't tell the wife she has attained the beauty of the woman up the road. She would be infuriated. I never suggested that our neighbours had nothing to respect, that was putting words in my mouth and does you no credit. My point was that your wife would not appreciate being continuously told how beautiful your neighbour was.

City fans have had too many years of the rags being rammed down our throats. Week after week of pain and suffering. The heroes of your youth, be they Charlton, Law, Best, Crerand or more recently Bruce, Pallister Scholes and Giggs,may have been your heroes but to us they were the reasons we felt hurt. You show no understanding of that.

Whilst you consider the views of City fans to be erroneous and entrenched, you have not shown any understanding nor the will to understand why. Why do so many, many of whom are thoughtful intelligent people, hold these views. What drove them to think this?

[john68]

A quick check of the Wednesday's Bollox thread may give you some insight in why City fans are all out with the media Mate. I know this is not your work but even you must cringe at this type of shit.

Story 1...Artist snubs everyone after a recent concert in Manchester. Mario is named, other City players are not. Blatant targeting of Mario to cement the view he is an idiot/loser.

Story 2...Mancini shows understanding to Lescott's racism stance, allowing him to make his own mind up. Lescott defies Mancini by...making his own mind up? Ted said it all in his post.

Story 3...City install a hair dryer and some idiot thinks it funny to link Taggart. Non story and waste of newsprint.

Year after year, week after week, day after day. You wonder why City fans have entrenched views?...Erroneous or just pissed off, tired and angry with the whole sorry media circus?

We would love the MuEn to be the MEN and to understand this. Local paper, dedicated writer...should understand.

[Hazy2]

Brennan this is all your fault, yooooooooooooooooooooooooooooou pleb

[Chinners]

A quick check of the Wednesday's Bollox thread may give you some insight in why City fans are all out with the media Mate. I know this is not your work but even you must cringe at this type of shit.

Story 1...Artist snubs everyone after a recent concert in Manchester. Mario is named, other City players are not. Blatant targeting of Mario to cement the view he is an idiot/loser.

Story 2...Mancini shows understanding to Lescott's racism stance, allowing him to make his own mind up. Lescott defies Mancini by...making his own mind up? Ted said it all in his post.

Story 3...City install a hair dryer and some idiot thinks it funny to link Taggart. Non story and waste of newsprint.

Year after year, week after week, day after day. You wonder why City fans have entrenched views?...Erroneous or just pissed off, tired and angry with the whole sorry media circus?

We would love the MuEn to be the MEN and to understand this. Local paper, dedicated writer...should understand.

I knew someone would understand it eventually ... it's only taken 5 years ...

[Lees Alter Ego]

Fair play for coming on here Stuart. Some people imo just get overly paranoid. Counting the pages that united have compared to city (the day after a united game ffs) or comparing a quote to likening your Mrs to someone she hates is just ridiculous.

For me the MEN doesnt do a lot wrong. I dont agree with everything in there but thats always going to happen, football draws out so many different opinions and its why I love the game.

[Burt]

Just look at a few of the more recent posts from John68 etc and the questions will not be answered because Stuart will not want to admit the truth. The problem is that part of it, he doesn't actually see because he does not want to see.

As Carl so eloquently put earlier. Stop being a politician and answer the questions!!!

We won't hold our breath....................

[john68]

Lee,
You have your opinion.
Some people are happy to accept whatever rubbish is served to them and and keep smiling. Others are willing to look at issues, discuss them and seek improvements.
You choose where you sit and why.

[stuart brennan]

Burt said I haven't answered john68's questions, but I'm not going to attempt to defend the national media, other than to say a story is a story to them - they don't care which club it is. Not sure which other question I haven't answered, but I'll try.
You go on fans' forums of any other club in the country and you will find threads like this, claiming the media are biased and have it in for them. Are the other 91 clubs all paranoid, and only City fans have got it right?
I take the point that City fans don't like having Utd shoved down their throats, but the City fans I know wouldn't get upset about us quoting Lescott saying that City have taken on Utd's old mantle. The analogy about your missus isn't correct in my view - if I told my missus that she has started to look a lot like Angelina Jolie, she would be delighted (well, actually, she would want to know what I was after, but you get the picture).
I think I do understand the psyche of a lot of City fans, as I have grown up always having City mates, and still do have.
But I don't think it's my job to pander to people who might be upset if I mention Utd, especially when it is a quote from a City player. (Believe it or not, the MEN got a complaint that I had mentioned Utd six times on one of my articles - it was pointed out that it was a piece about an upcoming derby match).

The person who suggested the City press office might think the MEN is anti-City but is slowly trying to change it doesn't understand the dynamic of the relationship. If they have a problem, they are not slow to tell us, and do so bluntly - I wouldn't have it any other way, and neither would they.
The fact that they take issue with certain stories (as does Utd's press office) but don't feel we have a bias, should tell you what you need to know.

[Hazy2]

Burt said I haven't answered john68's questions, but I'm not going to attempt to defend the national media, other than to say a story is a story to them - they don't care which club it is. Not sure which other question I haven't answered, but I'll try.
You go on fans' forums of any other club in the country and you will find threads like this, claiming the media are biased and have it in for them. Are the other 91 clubs all paranoid, and only City fans have got it right?
I take the point that City fans don't like having Utd shoved down their throats, but the City fans I know wouldn't get upset about us quoting Lescott saying that City have taken on Utd's old mantle. The analogy about your missus isn't correct in my view - if I told my missus that she has started to look a lot like Angelina Jolie, she would be delighted (well, actually, she would want to know what I was after, but you get the picture).
I think I do understand the psyche of a lot of City fans, as I have grown up always having City mates, and still do have.
But I don't think it's my job to pander to people who might be upset if I mention Utd, especially when it is a quote from a City player. (Believe it or not, the MEN got a complaint that I had mentioned Utd six times on one of my articles - it was pointed out that it was a piece about an upcoming derby match).

The person who suggested the City press office might think the MEN is anti-City but is slowly trying to change it doesn't understand the dynamic of the relationship. If they have a problem, they are not slow to tell us, and do so bluntly - I wouldn't have it any other way, and neither would they.
The fact that they take issue with certain stories (as does Utd's press office) but don't feel we have a bias, should tell you what you need to know.

Stuart mate, Manchester is unique on the reporting of a game at the end of the day SAF, is a monster,however you dice it will set or dictate the way in which you do your job. When he leaves he will be missed I see that, I also see his Iron fist ruling the thought process of reporters, What was it Hincey said about his shout downs from SAF, some light hearted and many were a warning to anybody thinking to much, would be dealt with, did he not wisper to his PA recently,"He never gets a pass again. Ian Ladyman said only yesterday he is scary and will ban you for anything he, thats he deams not on. United get an easy ride and that is down to SAF and his ogre influence.