MARCH AGAINST
THE REGIME
HAD NUMEROUS
RAMIFICATIONS
WORDS BY PETER MANN
Cont. from pg 21
As for the media, a club statement
published in The Chronicle spoke
volumes from which extracts
show this. The club’s Head of
Media pointed out the extent to
the media coverage of the Time
4 Change march, some dozen
or more articles over a six week
spell in both The Chronicle and its
sister newspapers, The Journal and
Sunday Sun.
In the statement they said “it
is quite frankly staggering that you
devoted 15 full pages, including two
front page splashes, a back page,
three double-page spreads and a
remarkable six full pages in one
(September 7) in The Chronicle to a
protest march which ultimately was
attended by approximately 300
supporters.
“Even if the 1,000
supporters expected by the organisers
had marched your coverage would
have been disproportionate. Given the
turnout was significantly less than
this, in fact only just over a quarter of
that anticipated, something your
coverage following the march failed
22
to reference or reflect whatsoever, you
should be in no doubt as to the
strength of feeling that exists within
the club in relation to your coverage.
“We feel strongly that the
turnout at the march renders your
extraordinary coverage completely
disproportionate. Furthermore it is
evident from the scale and
prominence you devoted to it that
your agenda was the pursuit of sales
based on an anti-Newcastle United
stance, rather than a fair and balanced
approach.
“We could never dream of
generating this level of coverage, over
such an extended time-frame, for
some of our positive news such as
some of the fantastic work undertaken
by our Foundation in the local
community which benefits so many or
the recent announcement of reciprocal
ticket pricing for away fans which
received a fraction of the coverage of
the march.
“Having given due
consideration to the above and your
response to my email of Monday 21
October, the club’s owner, director of
football, board of directors and team
manager have reached a unanimous
decision that the three NCJ Media
titles, The Chronicle, The Journal and
Sunday Sun, will not be permitted
access to any media facilities, press
conferences and player interviews at
Newcastle United indefinitely and with
immediate effect.”
The first game after that ban
was imposed would see the non-presence
of regional press but the allowance of
national media cameras into changing
rooms and the managers’ private lounge
prior to kick off of the Carling Cup
match with Manchester City. A statement
of intent clearly laid down by the
hierarchy at the football club. A
statement that, quite frankly shows that,
although the events surrounding the
march was heard, was it not ultimately in
vain?
There was, and most likely still
is, a need to unite the supporters of
Newcastle United Football Club and
show that strength arrives from the unity
that we, the supporters, show for what
surely is, our club.
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