The RST AGM

[Zappa 0]

I actually don't understand the logic behind singling out the BBC when we all know that a massive chunk of the Scottish media appear to have a bias.

 

it's probably because we have less free-market choice to excert pressure over what they print.

Britain has just about the least regulated media ownership in the world. That's why we've got something like 250+ newspapers in this country owned by The Mirror Group, a company which is part of one of the most powerful mutinational corporations in the world & much more likely to exert pressure than have it exerted on itself.

[bmck 117]

I'm assuming, like their negative reaction to STS, it is because they have issues with the people involved.

 

that's not necessarily a wrong approach; it depends on the people. the STS contributors were a top bunch though

[bmck 117]

Britain has just about the least regulated media ownership in the world. That's why we've got something like 250+ newspapers in this country owned by The Mirror Group, a company which is part of one of the most powerful mutinational corporations in the world & much more likely to exert pressure than have it exerted on itself.

 

aye, but we have the power not to give them any money, and because they have obligations to their shareholders, if we were to dent their profits they'd change their stories accordingly (in theory). they may be multi national, but if they stop making profits in backwater glasgow, you'll be sure someone up the chain'll be asking why. even so, the point is that it doesn't matter how powerful they are, i don't have to give them money. if i want to watch even the bill, i have to give the bbc money. there is a difference between boycotting a product which you fund through purchasing it, and the bbc, which you fund through taxation. it's not about who's the more likely target to report fairly, but who has a taxed mandate to.

 

that said, i don't even care, i'm just playing devil's advocate. the bbc can do what it wants, i don't watch anything that doesn't come out on DVD, and you can be sure sportscene coverage doesn't make it there.

[rbr 1,247]

The RST AGM was held in the WRC last Sunday, and this is a brief report for those members who couldn�t make it.

 

There were 10 board members and 16 other members attending.

 

The Chairman, Stephen Smith (SS), highlighted the areas that the RST has been working on:

 

� The forthcoming Gerspride conference

� The Erskine appeal

� The Sam English project

� The Founders Project

 

SS had been in touch with the Rangers Financial Director, Donald McIntyre, about the next payment of Gersave cash to the club, but McIntyre had requested it be moved until after the AGM as it was ââ?¬Å?price sensitiveââ?¬Â. (Could it be that the club donââ?¬â?¢t want it to interfere with any sale of shares to a new consortium?)

The Board undertook to issue the AGM minutes on a more timely basis.

 

The accounts showed a small deficit of �£149 for the year, and this was explained as being because the annual dinner was held after the end of the financial year and some auction prizes had to be scrapped.

 

Three board resignations (Cameron Bell, George Gilmour and Stevie Tyrie) were announced. Applications had been received from three members (Alan Harris, Gordon Stewart and Grant MacCalman) and they were voted in (the latter in his absence).

 

Other issues raised and discussed were:

 

� RST membership numbers and how these could be increased. Lapsed members were going to be contacted for one last time to see if they would be interested in rejoining.

� What it would take to get the support mobilised

� Biased press reporting from the BBC

 

Was there any news on when the AGM will be held

[Zappa 0]

aye, but we have the power not to give them any money, and because they have obligations to their shareholders, if we were to dent their profits they'd change their stories accordingly (in theory). they may be multi national, but if they stop making profits in backwater glasgow, you'll be sure someone up the chain'll be asking why. even so, the point is that it doesn't matter how powerful they are, i don't have to give them money.

It's not just about buying their newspapers these days either. These companies are making advertising money from Rangers fans simply hitting their website from links posted across the message boards & news wires. They're taking advantage of the fact that football fans in general are hungry for information about their respective clubs & in many cases what they're actually doing is deliberately fueling exploitable divisions between football fans & their club because that leads to fans being even more likely to read what the press & mass media have to say. Whether it's complete & utter drivel or not, these companies are experts at making money from it.

[bmck 117]

It's not just about buying their newspapers these days either. These companies are making advertising money from Rangers fans simply hitting their website from links posted across the message boards & news wires. They're taking advantage of the fact that football fans in general are hungry for information about their respective clubs & in many cases what they're actually doing is deliberately fueling exploitable divisions between football fans & their club because that leads to fans being even more likely to read what the press & mass media have to say. Whether it's complete & utter drivel or not, these companies are experts at making money from it.

 

agree 100%. it is too simple to say "if you don't like it, don't read it", but i think there is a distinction between the sort of institution the bbc is, and the sort newspapers are. but you're right. it's bad especially given that in all the best responses and nash equilibriums and whatever they use to work out the marketing aspects it is good business practice to tend towards monopoly. the closer you are to monopoly, and away from perfect competition, the better they are doing. the further business' get from the ideal situation for the consumer, the better they are doing.

 

i think this works fine in terms of economics, but you would like to think that newspapers were a special sort of business. somehow fundamentally different than macdonalds and coke. responsible, and interesting in making money so long as truth and quality isn't sacrificed. economics aims at the lowest common denominator if they're the biggest market, and i think that's what's happening. if their profits get hit, they just fire reporters. not solely the public's fault, or the paper's fault (if everyone said 'this isn't good enough', something would happen), but it's led to this sort of state of affairs where cretinous reporting gets mixed in with inept reporting and the only people satisfied are the suprised directors that people will pay for this drivel.

 

maybe the newspapers are too big a target. the bbc is more accessible to us than overturning the dubious machinations of globalised capitalism.

[Bluedell 5,329]

Was there any news on when the AGM will be held

 

No, mate, but there was a post on FF from someone who seemed to think that the accounts would be issued towards the end of Oct (based on info from the printers, IIRC), and presumably the AGM would be 3 weeks after that, although it would be possible for them to give the notice period prior to the accounts being issued.

[maineflyer 0]

Did the RST ever give a reason for not supporting the last demo at Pacific Quay?

 

Follow Follow didn't give the RST permission to attend. Please don't think it's a joke.

[maineflyer 0]

They have ambitious targets for membership numbers..........

 

Having re-invented their grand database, I've heard they're now determined to break the 200 member barrier. Personally I think they need to be more realistic.