Sky news

[anotheoldgit]

This morning Sky News spent the first 11 minutes of their 9.00am news reporting on yet another failed British sports person. I refer of course to that barbaric boxing tournament that took place in Vegas

Throughout this boring 11 minutes, their rolling news banner was reporting that British troops had taken part in one of the biggest operations against the Taliban, and yet another British soldier had been killed. After the extended boxing news It took all of 2 minutes to report about Afghanistan and the rest of the news, before they went into a commercial break, after which they returned to the boxer's home town to give to report even more from there.

There are many relatives of the troops out there, who anxiously wait at home waiting for any news of the conflict that their love ones are taking part in. Why should they be torrmented further, while this drivel is exploited for all it's worth.

Seeing that news channels have their separate dedicated sport news slots, shouldn't these be used to report on sporting matters? That is of course unless someone had been involved in a criminal act, or has died or been killed. But even then it should be reported in the correct relation to other news.

[Quinlad]

sp1814,

What I'm saying is that there's a distinction (for me anyway) between the Heat magazine non-news of Victoria Beckham's latest look or the goings on on Albert Square, and the reporting of immense sporting achievement.

If England win the World Cup in 2010 or an athlete overcomes adversity to win Olympic gold next year, why shouldn't that be the main item on the news?

Sport and culture aren't annoying distractions that wrongly take our eye off party politics, interest rates, house prices and global diplomacy. They enrich life. They're what lift us above the hubbub. They're joy generators.

And it's not as if they monopolise the news channels every day. This was the biggest boxing match involving a British boxer for at least 10 years. For many people, it was big news.

[Quinlad]

Fine, AOG.

You're the editor of BBC News 24 on a slow news day.

Which story takes prominence?

A 6 year old dies in a car crash
Scotland win the World Cup

By the rationale that you've just given, the 6 year old takes the headlines. You'd go with that would you?

[anotheoldgit]

Quite agree with you for once sp1814.

But isn't it a sad reflection of our times, isn't it this attitude that brought down the Roman Empire?

sport and culture aren't annoying distractions that wrongly take our eye off party politics, interest rates, house prices and global diplomacy.

That is exactly what they are Quinlad they are a God-send at times for our polticians.

And it's not as if they monopolise the news channels every day.

If you take the reporting of sports news on the main news and add on the later sports news sections, I think you will find it does.

This was the biggest boxing match involving a British boxer for at least 10 years..

Perhaps, but did he not lose? Or is it more important to just take part? I don't think so somehow as in most sports it's all down to big money, and it is the sad punters that are ripped off.

[sp1814]

Even though there are many people who couldn't give a tinkers cuss about the Beckhams...there are thousands and thousands who really are (say) gagging for news about the Spice Girls reunion tour.

They really do want to know about the forthcoming R Kelly trial. They want to know the trivia of life.

Personally, this weekend's biggest news story was the boxing.

It was what nearly all the lads at work were talking about on Friday night. It was a huge story.

The Middle East has now become a drip, drip, drip of sad news. After a while people get 'compassion fatigue'.

[Quinlad]

Ah, I see.

That's where you're coming from. Bah humbug to sport and culture.

I understand why we weren't seeing eye-to-eye now. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Quinlad]

And for someone who criticises another person's use of 'pointless' analogies, equating Sky News's treatment of the Ricky Hatton story with the "attitude that brought down the Roman Empire" is pure, pure class.