The strikers have become supporters.

[steveindenmark]

Ive not seen Match of the Day for 20 years but have just been reading that the BBC have stood Gary Linekar down until he apologises about tweets he made about the government. Likening them to the German government in the 1930s.

He is now being supported by Ian Wright, Alan Shearer and a whole lot more of football greats who also refuse to appear om the programme.

I do not necessarily support what Gary Linekar is saying. But I like the fact that they all refuse to let the BBC put gagging orders on them in support of a government.

There are calls to fire them. They are all multi millionaires. Would it really bother them.

Good to see the little men putting the finger up to authority.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Both sides of the political spectrum play the game. Certain members of the left have been called Maoist and Stalinist, both have racked up deaths in excess of a Nazi Germany. But no, it isn't a point scoring exercise but an observation. Cancel culture exists again because in reality, people would prefer those with differing opinions simply disappear, especially in the world of the internet, but try to hide that intention behind buzzwords and vague policy to cover it up. This time its BBC "impartiality". Lineker should shut up, he's breaking those rules etc... The Tories want him sacked and gone. But it wouldn't take much to find inconsistencies on their side and in large quantities. At the end of the day, impartiality is difficult. We all have our opinions, even if we have gagging orders from our places of work, our personal politics don't suddenly disappear. Lineker clearly feels strongly about the issue he tweeted about and indeed it is an issue that divides the nation, just because he is rich and famous doesn't exempt him from this. He's marked his board and he is swallowing the consequences and it seems it's stirred up a right hornets nest, which could have been his intention.

 

[Slick]

Yeah, sticking it to the man is always good, although the reports I've seen do not involve an apology. The official line is, they have pulled him until an agreement can be reached about his use of social media, although its quite clear the tories want him rid of him. How that will play out is anyone's guess, especially given the murky relationship with their old boss Boris and that bank loan. Also, not quite sure the highest paid presenter on the BBC could be described as the little people, but it definitely is good to see his colleagues supporting him. I'm quire sure back in the day they would all have just been replaced quietly, not as easy these days.

 

[T4tomo]

If the BBC is impartial, perhaps it should ignore what right wing Tory MPs say about its sports presenters.
I didn't hear any other MPs criticising him.

 

[Venod]

I might be playing the devil's advocate here, but this thread is an example of what can be discussed intelligently, without somebody complaining that it should be in another place, and in this case the general subject of the thread is very apt.

 

[steveindenmark]

I might be playing the devil's advocate here, but this thread is an example of what can be discussed intelligently, without somebody complaining that it should be in another place, and in this case the general subject subject of the thread is very apt.

Yes. I can see it being shuffled off to a dark political corner forum. 🙂

When I refer to Gary Linaker as the "little people". It has to be taken in context to the people who's nests he is rattling.🙂

It just indicates just how far down the pecking order we are.

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

Another way of looking at it is that the presenters supporting GL are attempting to dictate the perceived and actual neutrality policy of the BBC.

I think that they are playing a dangerous games as far as the "pundits industry" goes, the BBC has said that they are going to go ahead with MoTD without the pundits and concentrate on showing football. This may result in the viewer saying; Wow that was a much better program and the pundits never being invited back.

Long, long ago I was an F1 fan, BBC2 did a highlights program that had a couple of minutes of introduction, the race highlights and a couple of minutes of post race interviews with the top 3 drivers. C4 seem to do endless irrelevant interviews, chats between presenters and anything else to fill air time. :-)

I like the ITV cycling coverage as it follows the old BBC2 F1 format, the Eurosport coverage seems to follow the C4 F1 format and I don't bother with that part.

In general if you are a fan of a sport then pundits add very little for the time that they take up, major multi sport events are different as the viewer will likely have little or no understanding of some of the sports being shown.

After an event the experts may be able to point out something that the lay viewer would have missed, but if that takes more than a couple of minutes then it is targeted at a very very limited and specialized audience.

Bye

Ian

 

[figbat]

And now some players are planning to boycott post-match interviews, with the endorsement of the FA. What with this and Ken Bruce they really appear to be somewhat tone deaf.

 

[geocycle]

An independent BBC is a major asset for this country and in soft power overseas. It has been played in recent years for party politics to the detriment of the country. I’m losing faith in its impartiality.

I’m anticipating a reaction against the government at this afternoon’s matches.

 

[markemark]

And now some players are planning to boycott post-match interviews, with the endorsement of the FA. What with this and Ken Bruce they really appear to be somewhat tone deaf.

I think you’ll find that an awful lot of people support either his opinion or his right to express it.

 

[bluenotebob]

I think you’ll find that an awful lot of people support either his opinion or his right to express it.

He'll have the right to express that opinion if he's no longer being paid by the BBC - he's taken their money but he hasn't followed their rules. He's done it before but hasn't learned from the experience - and there are other precedents ... Kenny Everett, for example.

It's got nothing to do with what he said - it's the fact that he said it.

I agree with @IanSmithCSE above - I think MOTD will be a much better programme without the schoolboy humour of the presenters or the dullness of the pundits. I'm looking forward to tonight's show more than I have in years !

 

[markemark]

He'll have the right to express that opinion if he's no longer being paid by the BBC - he's taken their money but he hasn't followed their rules. He's done it before but hasn't learned from the experience - and there are other precedents ... Kenny Everett, for example.

It's got nothing to do with what he said - it's the fact that he said it.

I agree with @IanSmithCSE above - I think MOTD will be a much better programme without the schoolboy humour of the presenters or the dullness of the pundits. I'm looking forward to tonight's show more than I have in years !

Which rules? He doesn’t work in news or politics so he’s not covered by impartiality rules. If you extend impartiality to anyone who works in the bbc does that mean anyone who shares a political view should be fired? An actor? Quiz show host? An extra? A light technician?

 

[Jameshow]

Should just have had a conversation with GL and issued a statement and move on...

Nothing so see and hear.

PR team must have been on skiing holiday!!

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Which rules? He doesn’t work in news or politics so he’s not covered by impartiality rules. If you extend impartiality to anyone who works in the bbc does that mean anyone who shares a political view should be fired? An actor? Quiz show host? An extra? A light technician?

Chairman???

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Some of the commentators are refusing to work as well

If this carries on it might just be picture and crowd noises unless they draft someone in from another sport

Wonder if Carlton is busy this afternoon??