Bradley Wiggins needs media training
DonDaddyD
Posts: 12,689
Many of you have shouted me down for suggesting that Bradley Wiggins needs media training.
Firstly, I'm not suggesting that Wiggins becomes a media drone delivering well written sound bites. He has too much charisma for that. I also like my Wiggins outspoken.
However, media training doesn't mean you have to become a soundbite whore. The training teaches the ability remain objective and clearly articulate 'your' (or your organisations) position while not being drawn into responding to loaded questions. Lets face it, Wiggins has had issues with loaded questions in the past: http://www.espn.co.uk/cycling/sport/story/159571.html and has apologised and has cited that he isn't media trained.
Honestly, what good do these raw Wiggins outburst achieve? Read this follow-up report on Wiggins's personal view on cycling safety http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19090898 . There is nothing about cycling up the left of a large vehicle, phased lighting, ASLs, the need for more-wider-clearer cycle lanes or even segregated lanes. There is nothing about road safety awareness or an awareness campaign in general. It's just a snap shot at a singular most likely reactionary comment to what was likely a loaded question. The subsequent discussions spawned from this (as CIB noted on 5Live) are the age-old helemt debate and frivilous comments about road tax and mandatory tests. I fear that to the lay person is that the Wiggins comments will be processed as 'cyclists should wear helmets as they will be protected should a vehicle hit them', which doesn't address or acknowledge any of the real issues or (other) more serious dangers that we face on the road. The comments/article do not even acknowledge the victims death or how he actually died.
Yes, sure, Wiggins probably wasn't fully aware of the situation before he commented. With media training he may have been more cautious about giving a statement while not knowing the full facts. With media training he may have composed himself and given a full and concise (or a man can hope all encompassing) statement.
This could have been a real platform for him to say something constructive about cycling in this Country. Much like the doping question at the TdF could have been a real platform for him to say something constructive about doping in the sport and the perpetual doubters he doesn't have time for. He squandered both and all we got is a rant.
For me, bottom line? If this guy is going to be the spokesman for us cyclists I would like him to do a better job of representing us than giving a rant about helmets that achieves nothing.
So don't shout me down until you yourselves weigh and consider the wider picture.
Firstly, I'm not suggesting that Wiggins becomes a media drone delivering well written sound bites. He has too much charisma for that. I also like my Wiggins outspoken.
However, media training doesn't mean you have to become a soundbite whore. The training teaches the ability remain objective and clearly articulate 'your' (or your organisations) position while not being drawn into responding to loaded questions. Lets face it, Wiggins has had issues with loaded questions in the past: http://www.espn.co.uk/cycling/sport/story/159571.html and has apologised and has cited that he isn't media trained.
Honestly, what good do these raw Wiggins outburst achieve? Read this follow-up report on Wiggins's personal view on cycling safety http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19090898 . There is nothing about cycling up the left of a large vehicle, phased lighting, ASLs, the need for more-wider-clearer cycle lanes or even segregated lanes. There is nothing about road safety awareness or an awareness campaign in general. It's just a snap shot at a singular most likely reactionary comment to what was likely a loaded question. The subsequent discussions spawned from this (as CIB noted on 5Live) are the age-old helemt debate and frivilous comments about road tax and mandatory tests. I fear that to the lay person is that the Wiggins comments will be processed as 'cyclists should wear helmets as they will be protected should a vehicle hit them', which doesn't address or acknowledge any of the real issues or (other) more serious dangers that we face on the road. The comments/article do not even acknowledge the victims death or how he actually died.
Yes, sure, Wiggins probably wasn't fully aware of the situation before he commented. With media training he may have been more cautious about giving a statement while not knowing the full facts. With media training he may have composed himself and given a full and concise (or a man can hope all encompassing) statement.
This could have been a real platform for him to say something constructive about cycling in this Country. Much like the doping question at the TdF could have been a real platform for him to say something constructive about doping in the sport and the perpetual doubters he doesn't have time for. He squandered both and all we got is a rant.
For me, bottom line? If this guy is going to be the spokesman for us cyclists I would like him to do a better job of representing us than giving a rant about helmets that achieves nothing.
So don't shout me down until you yourselves weigh and consider the wider picture.
Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
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No it really doesn't. It relates to Wiggins comments when posed a question about a man being run over by a bus while commuting.Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
I'd rather he 'did a Raikkonen' and just declined interviews.
Let him keep his character.0 -
.................“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0
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You know he was drunk at the time don't you? We all post stupid things on here when we're drunk, regardless of how well we usually handle the media, I think you should cut him some slack, he may be the latest poster boy for cycling but he is a pro cyclist and doesn't represent me or the issues I face every day on the road.0
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I'd say that whatever training he's doing already seems to be working fine! He's a consumate sportsman, he's intelligent and articulate, entitled to an opinion, and the last thing we need is people like him being turned into some sort of pressure group drone. Do you think people can't spot the trained ones? Jeeze, get a good one and we immediately try to turn him into a politician: it's just cycling.0
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I don't think he wants to be a spokesmen; people just keep sticking microphones in his face.
All said though; lets hope it does start a real debate (on cycle saftey) as once again there will be a surge in cycling in large cities highlighting the need for more safety, care and consideration by all road users."If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."
PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills0 -
I think Wiggins has a personality that people like, and I think these wins, combined with his personality will cause a huge boom in cycling this summer. Let's not turn him into the Nigel Mansell of cycling.0
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No.0
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Drfabulous0 wrote:You know he was drunk at the time don't you? We all post stupid things on here when we're drunk...
Hell, some of us even post stupid things or start ridiculous threads when we're sober.Ben
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supersonic wrote:I think Wiggins has a personality that people like, and I think these wins, combined with his personality will cause a huge boom in cycling this summer. Let's not turn him into the Nigel Mansell of cycling.
+1- Genesis Croix de Fer
- Dolan Tuono0 -
I'm sorry that is a bullshit excuse. Talk about shirking responsiblity for your own actions. I take it Ashley Cole isn't a scumbag for cheating on his wife because he was drunk when he did it. Or John Terry not vile for pissing on the dancefloor in a club because he was drunk. 'I was drunk at the time' shouldn't be a justifiable excuse, ever. He is famous, he is in the publics eye so he should be more mindful and if he was drunk at the time he should refrain from commenting or his 'people' should have prevented him from doing so.Drfabulous0 wrote:You know he was drunk at the time don't you? We all post stupid things on here when we're drunk, regardless of how well we usually handle the media, I think you should cut him some slack, he may be the latest poster boy for cycling but he is a pro cyclist and doesn't represent me or the issues I face every day on the road.
Furthermore if he doesn't represent 'us' then he shouldn't comment on 'us'Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
Media training? When I see Wiggo (or anyone else for that matter) interviewed on the media, I want to see that person, what his thoughts & opinions are, how he feels after his latest success / close defeat / calamity.
I really don't want to see more anodyne interviews of people who are scared to say what they think for fear of being up on it by someone who hasn't got a clue, much like Cav's entirely understandable (to us) reaction to the 'were you tired?' question, even if it has kicked up some pretty stupid debates elsewhere on the web about what a deeply unpleasant petulant character he is. Give us the real thing thanks. Save the media training for middle ranking civil servants who might one day be wheeled onto Today to face Humphries, defending some Govt press release.0 -
So he says one thing some people don't like and now he needs media training, knee jerk reaction and my answer is still no.0
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Too early to tell IMO.0
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Yeah but it's always struck me as a decent mitigation for drink driving. If the law wants to punish it as the culprit isn't in control of his actions & decisions, it seems a reasonable defence to mitigate the offence on the basis that the culprit isn't in control of his actions & decisions, through being too drunk to care.DonDaddyD wrote:I'm sorry that is a bullshit excuse. Talk about shirking responsiblity for your own actions. I take it Ashley Cole isn't a scumbag for cheating on his wife because he was drunk when he did it. Or John Terry not vile for pissing on the dancefloor in a club because he was drunk. 'I was drunk at the time' shouldn't be a justifiable excuse, ever.
Please don't debate this as a justification for DD10. It doesn't work anyway. So I'm told.0 -
He used the platform and opportunity presented to him to raise awareness and express some very sensible opinions. He can't be expected to resolve the problem of cycle safety in a press conference. He didn't even call anyone a cnut. I applaud him.0
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Lets look at this again:
1 A guy is crushed and killed by a left turning vehicle. It has been reported, but not confirmed, that he rode up the left handside of said vehicle.
2 This is the second person in London, that we know of, that has been invovled with a left turning vehicle in less than two weeks. The first had life changing injuries. The second lost their life.
3 Wiggins, the most prominent and publicly visible British cyclist at the moment - though uninformed and 'drunk' as he was - is asked about this and rants about us needing to wear helmets.
4 The issue descends into a helmet debate.
Look Wiggins may not want to be representative for all UK cyclists. He is, that is what comes with the fame. He wants more people to ride bikes and take part in the sport he loves and he is going to keep commenting on these questions that are thrown his way. Then he needs to act and respond more responsibly. In my opinion.Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
No. Too many people think there should be some sort of training for everything. You want training to stop people from saying potentially stupid things? Nah, screw that. We'd end with nothing but featureless brainless drones pouring empty words into the atmosphere. Hairy badgers' nadgers to that!Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.0
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step 1 - build them up
step 2 - knock them down
step 3 - see step 1. repeat ad nauseum.0 -
DonDaddyD wrote:Lets look at this again:
1 A guy is crushed and killed by a left turning vehicle. It has been reported, but not confirmed, that he rode up the left handside of said vehicle.
2 This is the second person in London, that we know of, that has been invovled with a left turning vehicle in less than two weeks. The first had life changing injuries. The second lost their life.
3 Wiggins, the most prominent and publicly visible British cyclist at the moment - though uninformed and 'drunk' as he was - is asked about this and rants about us needing to wear helmets.
4 The issue descends into a helmet debate.
Look Wiggins may not want to be representative for all UK cyclists. He is, that is what comes with the fame. He wants more people to ride bikes and take part in the sport he loves and he is going to keep commenting on these questions that are thrown his way. Then he needs to act and respond more responsibly. In my opinion.
Was this a televised conference?0 -
DonDaddyD wrote:
I'm sorry that is a bullshit excuse. Talk about shirking responsiblity for your own actions. I take it Ashley Cole isn't a scumbag for cheating on his wife because he was drunk when he did it. Or John Terry not vile for pissing on the dancefloor in a club because he was drunk. 'I was drunk at the time' shouldn't be a justifiable excuse, ever. He is famous, he is in the publics eye so he should be more mindful and if he was drunk at the time he should refrain from commenting or his 'people' should have prevented him from doing so.Drfabulous0 wrote:You know he was drunk at the time don't you? We all post stupid things on here when we're drunk, regardless of how well we usually handle the media, I think you should cut him some slack, he may be the latest poster boy for cycling but he is a pro cyclist and doesn't represent me or the issues I face every day on the road.
Furthermore if he doesn't represent 'us' then he shouldn't comment on 'us'
You're not sorry, so don't start by saying you are.
He did predicate by saying 'I've probably had to much to drink to comment on something so serious' (though conveniently I can't find the reference anymore).
I don't think people are using it as an excuse, but a reason - there's a difference.
More to blame are the media for blatant misreporting - what's been touted as "demanding laws are brought in" sounded more like "we all need to take a bit of responsibility for our actions, and if some people need persuading by law then so be it" to me.What do you mean you think 64cm is a big frame?0 -
DonDaddyD wrote:
I'm sorry that is a bullshit excuse. Talk about shirking responsiblity for your own actions. I take it Ashley Cole isn't a scumbag for cheating on his wife because he was drunk when he did it. Or John Terry not vile for pissing on the dancefloor in a club because he was drunk. 'I was drunk at the time' shouldn't be a justifiable excuse, ever. He is famous, he is in the publics eye so he should be more mindful and if he was drunk at the time he should refrain from commenting or his 'people' should have prevented him from doing so.Drfabulous0 wrote:You know he was drunk at the time don't you? We all post stupid things on here when we're drunk, regardless of how well we usually handle the media, I think you should cut him some slack, he may be the latest poster boy for cycling but he is a pro cyclist and doesn't represent me or the issues I face every day on the road.
Furthermore if he doesn't represent 'us' then he shouldn't comment on 'us'
Don't think he was ever claiming to represent us. Pretty sure you were the one that said he would become supreme ambassador of all things cycling.
He is famous and in the public eye, sure. 'The public' should learn to not be so f*cking stupid and think about what someone says and the context they've said it. Unfortunately the majority of people are thick (/lazy/reactionary) and we seem to want to ensure that people neuter what they're saying so that they can't be taken out of context because people don't consider the context in the first place.0 -
It would be better to give the media, media training.
Standards in journalism are hitting an all time low. One man says something, 10 newspapers print whatever suits their own agenda (... which is mostly just filling newspapers).
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TheStone wrote:It would be better to give the media, media training.
Standards in journalism are hitting an all time low. One man says something, 10 newspapers print whatever suits their own agenda (... which is mostly just filling newspapers).
Very much agree. We don't even know what the exact question posed to Wiggins was.0 -
clarkey cat wrote:doesnt this belong in Cake Stop?
I agree with DDD: if this was over in cake stop I'd probably not have spotted it, and I'd therefore be denied my democratic right to join the large number of people pointing out what a ridiculous suggestion it was.0 -
rhext wrote:clarkey cat wrote:doesnt this belong in Cake Stop?
I agree with DDD: if this was over in cake stop I'd probably not have spotted it, and I'd therefore be denied my democratic right to join the large number of people pointing out what a ridiculous suggestion it was.
Actually laughed out loud.What do you mean you think 64cm is a big frame?0 -
I was hoping that if it was in Cake Stop this thread would have died the lonely and quiet death it deserved.0
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Him not spouting the media-friendly response is precisely why he is popular imo. He is eloquent and funny when he speaks, doesn't worry about who he upsets. This is such a refreshing change from most dullards on tv he it is easy to see why the public is lapping it up.0
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clarkey cat wrote:I was hoping that if it was in Cake Stop this thread would have died the lonely and quiet death it deserved.
Good point well made!0
This discussion has been closed.
