Abstract
From the British Journalism Review of 10 years ago (vol.17, issue no 3, 2006)
‘Doubts about the commitment of the government to its own Freedom of Information Act have again been raised by the leaking of a cabinet memo from Lord Falconer, aimed at reducing the number of requests made under it … the act has been in operation only since January of last year. Yet already the people have discomfited Lord Falconer, the secretary of state for constitutional affairs and lord chancellor, for actually having the temerity’ to exercise their rights.’
– BJR editorial
‘… most of the English fans are great, absolutely normal, absolutely fine and absolutely embarrassed by the significant minority who bring shame on us all. Needless to say, empty vessels made the loudest and most offensive noise. Extravagantly decorated vessels most of them are too, which all goes to reinforce their collective tribal psychology. Some of them had so much’ sub-dermal ink, I thought they were wearing Hawaiian shirts …
– Nicky Campbell of BBC Radio Five Live on English supporters at the World Cup in Germany
‘Television and corporate money have created a generation of sporting millionaires, often in their early 20s, so the informal social contact between sports people and journalists, much beloved of the previous generation of journalists, has ended. Want an interview with a top, London-based French footballer? The club may be happy to allow you access, but you will need to clear it with the player's agent as well as those representing his core sponsors. You can speak to him, but he may want copy, picture’ and even headline approval, and also a hefty fee.
– Professor Raymond Boyle, of the Stirling Media Research Institute at Stirling University