The value of a quote

[ardasell]

I'm sure most of you know, but headlines are written by sub-editors in nearly all cases, rather than by the journalists themselves.

Subbies are looking for a catchy, pithy headline which, hopefully, relates to the story it is headlining, but most importantly, which fits into the space they have available for it.

Journalists may take issue with the headlines to their stories  after the fact, but have little control over either them, or the prominence/ position of their story on the page.

I know this comment is not really about quotes, but I hope it does shed light on (apparently?) misleading articles in the papers.

[irunthev]

Grassroots, I have to agree with you on that and as a journalist myself I hate the fact that that is the way it is, but if I have ten or twelve pages to fill each week, I need as many friends out there as possible to help me do it. Do we really like a lot of these managers? Not at all. Some of them aren't anywhere near as smart as they like to pretend they are and treat us with quite a bit of contempt (except of course when it suits them). It's a necessity though. On behalf of all like-minded journos I do apologize but our hands are tied and as you quite rightly pointed out, especially with regards to a sport as close-knit and incestuous as the GAA, if we don't pander to them we will get black-balled, and the reader will end up with a load of match reports and nothing else. I know it might appear spineless on our behalf, but when you have a mortgage the size of mine it's amazing just how flexible your backbone becomes. Mind you, there are a few writers out there who love sucking up, real brown-nose merchants.

[bennydorano]

Best misleading headline ever has to be the Sunday Mirror's  "Bushmills sponsors terrorism" (or something to that effect) and the content of the story(about 5 lines) was about Geraoid Adams  playing for Antrim!!

[Fear Boirche]

I'm not saying that many of the managers in Ireland are that powerful, but Billy Morgan did take exception to journos last year.

I also believe that Mickey Harte refuses to talk to the Irish Star over a couple of stories they ran.

I have to say, as a reader or viewer, I couldn't really be bothered reading quotes pieces or post-match interviews, unless there was a particular burning issue that I was keen to hear someone's opinion on.

By and large, it's just wasted air or print.
Players are worse, there are very few articulate ones out there and I often cringe when I hear some of them being interviewed.
However, we shouldn't expect great players to be able to come out with great comments.

[irunthev]

In fairness to the players, there wouldn't be that many of us would be too articulate if someone stuck a microphone under our noses five minutes after playing in front of a packed house at Casement, Croker or McHale Park. While some of them like the attention, the fact is that they train to be footballers, not TV personalities so what you get is a footballer talking, not a well-briefed, well-drilled politician. They do their best, but I am sure some of them cringe themselves when they hear or read the interviews they have just given

[Rav67]

Brendan Crossan in the Irish News has a dig or even dedicates an article now and again about managers who dont always give the media a few quotes (Charlie Mulgrew springs to mind) or unco-operative hostile types (Paul Caffrey), and he makes this out like its depriving the fans of what they expect to hear or read. I would guess though that most fans of county sides wouldn't exactly be scouring reports to get a bland quote from the manager after a McKenna cup game. 

[ONeill]

I have to say, as a reader or viewer, I couldn't really be bothered reading quotes pieces or post-match interviews, unless there was a particular burning issue that I was keen to hear someone's opinion on.

Totaly agree. I never find myself looking for a manager's quote the day after a game. I think journalists place too much emphasis on padding out articles with banal soundbites. Everyone can remember how Tyrone won the '05 final. I'd predict a very select few can recall Harte's quotes in the IN on the Monday. Pre-match quotes are a different matter.

[corn02]

Minder I see you have took a swipe at the IN and Paddy Heaney in two different threads, did they give you a bad player rating or something? 

[Minder]

Minder I see you have took a swipe at the IN and Paddy Heaney in two different threads, did they give you a bad player rating or something? 

Not at all, and i dont think i was too scathing. Just an honest opinion. I just think some journalists see themselves as more important than they actually are.

[corn02]

Fair enough boy.

[Gold]

when i read IN on a monday the first thing i look for is the team lineups, the subs that came on and then the scorers--the quotes and match reports are just paper-talk and are usually boring--i'd bet that almost anyone on this board could do a similer match report to any IN journo

In the summer i like to read the player ratings-they are a good read

The thing that is really worth reading are some articles ie against the breeze--Heaneys article today was good--or as mentioned articles that give an insight as to the player himself and his life

[stephenite]

Once the players are officially getting 'paid' I expect tp see a big increse in the number of scandal stories about high profile GAA figures on the front pages of the tabloids. Meaths Jmmy McGuinness is a loverat type of thing, was one of the first that I can recall, there was a bit of a backlash on the grounds that GAA players were amateurs and shouldn't have to put with that level of intrusion.
I know they'll be getting a pittance but I'd still be surpised if it didn't start to happen