Club 1872 is disappointed to note that the Daily Record chose not to cover our statement last week regarding the Big Tax Case (BTC) verdict. This was despite running calls for title stripping from Aberdeen, Dundee Utd and Celtic fans’ groups both prior to and following our statement.
Unfortunately this is not the first time the Daily Record has failed to treat Rangers and its supporters in an equivalent manner to how it has treated others. Last year Club 1872 polled members on action following a completely fabricated story by Record journalist, Jane Hamilton about Rangers fans causing disruption at the Cup Final. This prompted an apology and IPSO judgement against the paper.
Rangers and Club 1872 have met with Daily Record Editor, Murray Foote on several occasions and attempted to resolve the ongoing issues with a number of Daily Record staff who appear unable to put their own feelings for our club to one side. Despite these efforts – and reassurances that more balance would be achieved – the situation has worsened.
The Daily Record has a number of fair and competent journalists but the senior management of the paper seem to be completely unable or unwilling to control a handful of their staff, who go out of their way to produce skewed and at times completely false coverage of our club.
There are currently three people paid by the Daily Record – one in a senior editorial role – who have made overtly sectarian comments about Rangers fans. This has been condoned and they continue to be in a position to influence the output of the newspaper on matters regarding our club.
Club 1872, and in our opinion Rangers, have now done all we can in terms of raising these issues and seeking a resolution with Murray Foote. We do not believe there is any genuine wish from his side to remedy the situation.
Unlike BBC Scotland, which has a duty to be impartial, the Daily Record is entirely free to push a one sided agenda if it so wishes. There is no duty to be impartial or even handed. There is a duty to be accurate however, and Club 1872 is currently in the process of examining several recent articles to see if there have been further breaches of IPSO guidelines.
Club 1872 understands that the press has a role to play in holding Rangers, its directors and supporters to account. They did so with regard to the previous regime at the club but there is a difference between holding to account and pursuing a baseless agenda to attack and diminish. Particularly when that agenda slavishly follows the promptings of those whose commitment to sporting integrity extends no further than using the words to attack those they dislike.
Just as we believe the Daily Record has made its choice – so too can Rangers supporters. We can choose not to buy the Daily Record. We can choose not to click links to Daily Record stories online. We can choose not to share those links and stories on our social media networks and forums.
In summary, we can treat the newspaper and the management who are running it into the ground with exactly the same level of contempt they show to Rangers and Rangers supporters on a weekly basis.
If Rangers supporters continue to choose to spend their cash or read news online via the Daily Record website then it is unlikely anything will change. If we do not, then perhaps those running it will finally realise that we will no longer accept anything other than fair and balanced coverage of our club.
It’s time to change the Record.
Issued by Supporters Voice Limited, a Club 1872 company.
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