The Power of the Media

The Lord Triesman affair clearly illustrates the power of the media to shape events to a degree that is totally disproportionate to what is should be.

England are bidding to host the World Cup in 2018 – an event that would be truly inspiring and historic. To succeed the bidding team will need to convince FIFA, the world authority for football, that the country is totally supportive of FIFA’s aims and processes.

The Mail on Sunday reports that Lord Triesman, the chairman of the English Football Association and, more importantly, the English bidding team, beleives that Spain and Russia will collude to bribe referees with a view to Spain benefitting in this year’s South African tournament and, as a thank you, pulling out of the battle to also host the 2018 tournament leaving the route open for Russia to win the mandate.

Ridiculous. Who knows? The Mail on Sunday has admitted to using a friend of Lord Triesman to trap him into having an apparently “off the record” conversation which is actually recorded and then reported in the newspaper.

How can a newspaper be allowed to report a private conversation in this manner to the detriment of millions of people who would enjoy with pride a World Cup in our country?

Is it really right that a newspaper should be allowed to report something said in private and totally out of its proper context?

I am not against free speech. I am against an invasion of privacy and entrapment.