The Listening Post

An alternative angle on the World Cup

News outlets get a red card from demonstrators unhappy with the way the protests were covered.

In 2007, when Brazil won the right to host the World Cup, fans everywhere were excited at the prospect of feast of football in a country with such a rich tradition in the world’s favourite sport.

For the government there, the fringe benefit was showing Brazil off to the world and reaping the PR benefits. But as the cost of the tournament grew, so did the size of anti-World Cup protests on the streets. And the demonstrators had a bone to pick with the mainstream media and their coverage of the demos.

Either the media failed to understand what was unfolding – or there was a reluctance in newsrooms to be critical of an event the government wanted to showcase.

The Listening Post’s Gouri Sharma now, on some of the new media startups filling the gaps in the coverage of news stories, that can sometimes get in the way of a big sports story.

undefined

Listening Post can be seen each week at the following times GMT: Saturday: 0830, 1930; Sunday: 1430; Monday: 0430.

Click here for more Listening Post.