The Local Goes Global

www.heraldsun.com.au

The greatest thing ever to come out of the internet would have to be its ability to make things that happen locally, matter on a global level. 

The website where this article (http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=19305&mycomm=SC) was published is called Street Corner - a news website that provides information on local cities around the world. 

Personally, I LOVE magazines and websites which tell me what's going on in the physical world around me. Time Out Sydney and TwoThousand are two i am particularly fond of, but having stumbled across Street Corner in my quest for sporting articles, I must say i welcome it into my fold of frequented, localised media. 

But, on the article in particular. While it's not technically about sport, it is about the passion behind sport. A passion that defines the popularity of professional sport in this country. 

The best thing about the article, especially concerning it's online medium, is the end of it. 

And not because it was so poorly written that I longed for it to finish.

The last two lines are links. Links that lead off onto more information.

And herein lies the advantage that online media has over it's print and broadcast counterparts. User Interaction. 

The ability for users/readers to gather more information about the topic they were just enlightened to with ease and precision. In this case, one reads about Kristina Keneally's support for Rugby League in Sydney and automatically, one can press a link that goes to the Rugby League home page and one to a site about NSW Events.

As a news and reading junkie, this makes my life so much more fufilling.

Hooray for Street Corner! Hooray for the Internet!

In the Public Interest?

(http://handballnews.blog.com/tag/drago-cosic)

Ray Warren. Sports Commentator Debonair. Has not missed calling a grand final since 1991.

And he may be forced to give the reins to someone else this year. . . because he's in hospital. . .

with a urinary tract infection.

Oh dear.

I'm really glad that this online article is not accompanied by a picture of Rabs himself. To forever have one's face immortalised online next to the letters UTI is just too wrong to be discussed.

Was this really in the public interest>? No. Is Warren just oversharing? Yes. This is the textbook definition of an overshare.

Thanks Rabbits. Get well soon??? =S

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/leagues-no1-caller-has-a-no1-problem-20100929-15xhs.html

Bad Boys Of League

www.theaustralian.com.au

Ah, nothing is as enticing to the media as a trial. 

And you know it's serious when The Australian decides to publish full coverage. Pfft, it's no Daily Telegraph after all.

Young Brett Stewart, pictured above with his partner, has been accused of sexually assaulting a young girl earlier this year. You can read the full backstory in the Australian article here.

This particular article doesn't reveal any new information. Just an assumption that the trial will go for a whole two weeks. oh wow, breathtaking stuff.

Begs the question, why do we need to have tiny updates on everything in life? Online News and Social Networking are breeding a society hooked on instantaneous updates.

Oh dear.

EDIT: Brett Stewart was cleared of all charges. A not guilty footballer? well it had to happen sometime i guess.

Hong Kong's Secret Love of Rugby League

www.thestandard.com.hk

On doing a simple search for a particular Rugby League story, i came across this article posted on a Hong Kong Newspaper website.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=18469&icid=a&d_str=

Ah.... what?

Since when have Hong Kong ever had an interest in Rugby League. . .  ever?

I don't even know whether they have a football team.

But here, on this page, a prominent newspaper website in Hong Kong, is an article about Mark Gasnier's return to Rugby League in Australia.

Now before i get too carried away with my opinions on Gasnier and his move to France and then back to Australia, I must point out the strangeness of the placement of this online news story. 

While The Standard does have a sports section, this particular article seems to have been filed under 'breaking news'. The strange placement of this article is quite significant as it explains the need for news websites to be clearly labelled and organised so that articles can be easily accessed by those who actually want to access them.

I stumbled across this gem in a google news search. God forbid had I been able to find it by going directly to The Standard's home page.

Curiouser and Curiouser. 

Money Grab

Courtesy of Daily Telegraph

When I first set my eyes on this article, i couldn't help but shake my head.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/saints-fans-challenged-to-turn-up/story-e6frexnr-1225926472204

Oh Journalism! How I loathe it when you try and use your power and skills to promote financial endeavours!

I am not a naive person - I know how the world works. But the dual interest that News Limited has in the National Rugby League is sometimes so disconcerting that it makes me want to vomit.

In this article, News Limited is playing on the egos of supporters by accusing them of having no passion in an attempt to sell more tickets to the finals match between the Dragons and the Tigers.

I can feel the bile coming up in my throat. And for the first time, its not just because the St George Dragons were mentioned.

Clearly you need to fix yourself News Ltd... your obvious grab for money is making me feel sick!