Only in Scotland would the national broadcaster refuse to cover the affairs of the country’s biggest club. Only in Scotland would a BBC boycott of the country’s biggest club last almost three years and show no signs of stopping.
It is, quite frankly, ridiculous.
The boycott came after Rangers banned BBC Reporter Chris McLaughlin in 2015 after a match with Hibs. Many, many football clubs, the length and breadth of Britain have banned reporters they found to be obtuse. Fergie banned the whole BBC.
I’m not saying it’s right.
But none of these clubs have been met with the same vociferous response as Rangers have. The BBC Boycott began in January 2016.
McLaughlin has also since switched roles.
Make no mistake, Rangers are not impervious from criticism. But should the club respond if the BBC offer them an olive branch?
Time for BBC to swallow pride
For all the amazing work Rangers have done in stabilising the club and tackling sectarianism, the broadcaster would sooner frame Ally McCoist as finding issues on sectarianism humorous than acknowledge the real effort being put in. There have been plenty of other sketchy instances too.
Rangers would rather not have banned McLaughlin. But let’s be honest. What choice did they have? If you go looking for something you will most certainly find it.
The same Broadcaster didn’t boycott Dundee when Jim Spence was banned from reporting at Dens Park. Why not?
The BBC have a duty under OFCOM and as a National Broadcaster (Rangers fans being license fee payers) to cover matches with impartiality.
Now, Sportscene won’t mention contentious decisions concerning Rangers. Reporters like Michael Stewart are noticeably and irrefutably harsh on the club. The likes of Chief Sports Writer Tom English only mentions Rangers to criticise.
The BBC don’t even have a presence at the club’s matches.
What’s more, it is the fans who suffer through a lack of coverage or representation in that coverage.
Is it time the national broadcaster swallowed their pride, presented a hand to those at Ibrox and ended the BBC boycott of the club?
