34 replies to this topic

[Johnoco]

Fosters?

He shoots, he scores.

[Just Browny]

Sad little chap by the looks of things.

[Just to be clear]

Just to be clear, that story was not a piece of journalism nor did it purport to be. It was a comment piece and was promoted on the site within the comment section. There is no requirement for impartiality because it is specifically written from a personal perspective. Just as the blogs and stories are that appear within the comment section of their rugby league site. Had Riley referred to union as the dark side I doubt there would have been any complaints.

[Manx RL]

Just to be clear, that story was not a piece of journalism nor did it purport to be. It was a comment piece and was promoted on the site within the comment section. There is no requirement for impartiality because it is specifically written from a personal perspective. Just as the blogs and stories are that appear within the comment section of their rugby league site. Had Riley referred to union as the dark side I doubt there would have been any complaints.

You are right. Certainly not journalism, but something akin to starting with 'j' and ending in 'ism'

[Johnoco]

Just to be clear, that story was not a piece of journalism nor did it purport to be. It was a comment piece and was promoted on the site within the comment section. There is no requirement for impartiality because it is specifically written from a personal perspective. Just as the blogs and stories are that appear within the comment section of their rugby league site. Had Riley referred to union as the dark side I doubt there would have been any complaints.

Personally I don't think it was a big deal and was just a throwaway remark.
But if the quoted twitter piece is genuine, he comes across as an arrogant tosser.

Edited by Johnoco, 11 November 2012 - 10:08 AM.

[MrPosh]

Just to be clear, that story was not a piece of journalism nor did it purport to be. It was a comment piece and was promoted on the site within the comment section. There is no requirement for impartiality because it is specifically written from a personal perspective. Just as the blogs and stories are that appear within the comment section of their rugby league site. Had Riley referred to union as the dark side I doubt there would have been any complaints.

Rubbish. Whilst not necessarily comparable, would the fact that it is an opinion piece excuse racism or a denial of the holocaust? No,so why should a supposedly neutral medium allow other offensive comments.

Personally I don't think it was a big deal and was just a throwaway remark.
But if the quoted twitter piece is genuine, he comes across as an arrogant tosser.

Assuming Ben Dirs on Twitter is who he says (and I'm sure he is) then it is genuine, because I'm the other correspondent - originally with my tongue a little in my cheek, until I got the first response.

[gingerjon]

The same Ben Dirs was on twitter during the Grand Final telling his followers to watch it as it's games like that that make him feel league can be a better game than union.

[Griff]

The same Ben Dirs was on twitter during the Grand Final telling his followers to watch it as it's games like that that make him feel league can be a better game than union.

"can be" ?

[gingerjon]

"can be" ?

His wording (from memory) not mine!

[marklaspalmas]

Fosters?

[marklaspalmas]

Just to be clear, that story was not a piece of journalism nor did it purport to be. It was a comment piece and was promoted on the site within the comment section. There is no requirement for impartiality because it is specifically written from a personal perspective. Just as the blogs and stories are that appear within the comment section of their rugby league site. Had Riley referred to union as the dark side I doubt there would have been any complaints.

Total rubbish.

Edited by marklaspalmas, 11 November 2012 - 01:02 PM.

[Bleep1673]

"can be" ?

Let's face the truth, not every game of League is Great, I've been to some really dull ones, where I've wondered about asking for my money back. (although they are still better than watching a pointless Union International friendly.)

[Just to be clear]

Rubbish. Whilst not necessarily comparable, would the fact that it is an opinion piece excuse racism or a denial of the holocaust? No,so why should a supposedly neutral medium allow other offensive comments.

Just to be clear, what are you going on about? Do you really feel as strongly about the use of the "the dark side" to refer to the other rugby code as about racism and holocaust denial?

That phrase is used in the same way in rugby league circles to refer to union all the time, would you really be so aghast if Riley had used it in one of his blogs about, for example, Joel Tomkins?

[HappyDave]

Have the BBC not realised he's a Tr*** with a name of 'Ben Dirs'??...

[MrPosh]

Just to be clear, what are you going on about? Do you really feel as strongly about the use of the "the dark side" to refer to the other rugby code as about racism and holocaust denial?

That phrase is used in the same way in rugby league circles to refer to union all the time, would you really be so aghast if Riley had used it in one of his blogs about, for example, Joel Tomkins?

Obviously not, as I said in my post. However, when writing on a publicly funded website, and dealing with offence and controversy, the easiest place to draw the line in terms of what is acceptable is at the start. If he was a decent writer, a bit of contextualising would have stopped any problems.

I'm feeling that you're getting a little hamstrung by your login name. Have you considered 'Just to be patronising and mostly wrong?