spain

Illustrated Women’s World Cup 2015 #2 (my complaint to the BBC)

Football, WOMEN WC2015, womens football

Watching the excellent and exciting Spain vs Nigeria game online because the BBC doesn’t think that women’s football is important enough to be on TV. (This was drawn at half time, the final score was 3-3 = shouting at the screen exciting!)

Sweden vs Nigeria Woman's World Cup 2015Meanwhile, on the telly, the BBC3 was showing a ‘documentary’ about stag weekends in Prague.

Afterwards I wrote a complaint to the BBC.

My complaint: “Only a few games of the Women’s World Cup are being shown on BBC3, the rest are online. There is no or little build-up or analysis to the games, information is not prominent on the BBC Sport website, matches are not reported in the news. When you compare the BBC’s no-expense-spared dedication to the 2014 Men’s World Cup I believe that the BBC are prejudicing against women in sport, and are behaving in a way that can only be described as sexist. To claim that there is less interest in women’s football is not a reason for such a lack of coverage, this is a major world sporting event and if the BBC even gave the Women’s World Cup 10% of the budget and attention that it gave the Men’s World Cup then this would lead to a massive amount of people discovering that women’s football is just as exciting as men’s.”

BBC’s reply: “Dear LORNA
Reference CAS-3343011-BZFQ8Q
Thanks for contacting the BBC regarding our coverage of the ‘Women’s World Cup’.
I understand you feel there is not enough coverage of this event. You also feel there is no build up or analysis.
BBC Sport is devoting a great deal of coverage to this event but we appreciate that you would personally like to see more matches live on our main TV channels.
In catering for audiences of many, many millions, we just cannot accommodate every individual preference, either in the programmes we produce or their scheduling. There will always be some scheduling that does not satisfy some people and this is the nature of broadcasting whereby we are serving many different people with many different expectations and sensitivities.
In comprising our schedule, which includes regular programmes and one-off events, we do have a difficult task in catering to the diverse audience we serve. There is added difficulty in balancing the interests of those interested in a particular sporting event and those with no interest.
For the moment you can read more about what coverage we do have here –
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32628063

And this is the schedule which tells you where to find each game –
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32951310
All 52 games will be covered live via our services but unfortunately not all can be accommodated on TV. You can also view all our TV broadcasts as well as listen to our radio sports programming on the BBC iPlayer.
Further to this you will find this BBC Sport page devoted to Women’s football including the WWC where you can read features and analysis-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/womens/
That said, please be assured your feedback about our coverage is much valued. All complaints are sent to senior management, channel executives and BBC Sport every morning and your points were included in this overnight report.
These reports are among the most widely read sources of feedback in the BBC and ensures that your complaint has been seen by the right people quickly. This helps inform their decisions about current and future programmes.

Thank you again for bringing your feelings to our attention.
Kind regards
Audrie Wilson
BBC Complaints”

Wow! They think that there is ‘no interest’ in the Women’s World Cup. And hey, why am I complaining because there is “A WHOLE PAGE dedicated to Women’s football” (and how many hundreds of pages dedicated to men’s football?). I am so absolutely disgusted with the way that the women’s football is ignored. (and also the number of times that the male commentators suggest that the players are “close to tears”.)

The Munster Raving Loony Party 2015 – Roda de Bará, Spain

music

3 days of sun, sand, and fantastic garage-punk. The party was based in a camp site, a better location than the hotel that the party was held in last time I went 2 years ago. All the bands of the weekend were brilliant. I watched all 12 bands, and it was great to be participating, as my band The Pukes played at the pool party on Friday afternoon.

the pukes

The first band of Friday night was Las Marlenes, one of my favourites of the fiesta.

las marlenes

After Las Marlenes was Charm Bag, then the Jackets and lastly Miss Ludella Black. Afterwards we did dancing in the bar til the tiny hours, and then walked home (without even a jumper or anything! it was so hot!)

Saturday was my favourite day, starting with The Cheating Hearts playing on the bar terrace, followed by Leadfoot Tea and Fernando.

the cheating hearts

leadfoot tea and fernando
After Leadfoot Tea & Fernando there was a couple of hours break to listen to the excellent DJs, sample a few copas de cerveza and enjoy the sunshine. The Masonics kicked off saturday night, followed by Thee Jezebels, the The X-Men and a punk-rock finale of Biznaga. I absolutely loved all of the bands that played on the saturday.
Roll on next year for more Munster fun!