General The Board & Senior Management

[Sarge]

Before we all jump off the deep end about this being an attack or smear campaign, this came out today as part of a government report, which you can see in the link below. It has been widely reported this morning. Of course the Oxford Mail could have handled it more gracefully, but we all know the "standard" of their reporting.

More than 200 companies named for not paying staff minimum wage

Over 200 employers are today (21 June 2023) being named by government for failing to pay their lowest paid staff the minimum wage.

www.gov.uk

after recently moving to into a flat , after 30 plus years of supporting the local newspaper, Ive decided to no longer have the Oxford Mail delivered. Ive had enough of the anti-Oxford United stance they've been taking for some time now, in their 'news' pages, and letters page. Frankly Im sick of their anti Oxford United bias. - pro OUFC pieces hidden in the sports pages, IMO, do not count .

Fact is if OUFC cease to exist, its highly likely the Oxford Mail would also cease to exist.
Theyre owned by an American company, they are more interested in clickbait than genuine news stories, they fail to realise that Oxford United are one of the main reasons that their rag is still in existence. there's more than enough any half decent investigative reporter could, and should be actually investigating. They chose not to, or are no longer of capable of doing so it seems to me.. Fuckem I say

 

[MarkG]

£10K sounds quite small in the overall costs of the club, over a number of years and 31 affected employees.

Meanwhile creditors of Kate Middleton’s parents’ party company aren’t happy

Creditors hit out at Carole Middleton after party business collapsed

The Middleton family finances have always been shrouded in mystery. How, observers have often wondered, did Carole and Michael manage such a spectacular ascent up the financial ladder?

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Colin B]

after recently moving to into a flat , after 30 plus years of supporting the local newspaper, Ive decided to no longer have the Oxford Mail delivered. Ive had enough of the anti-Oxford United stance they've been taking for some time now, in their 'news' pages, and letters page. Frankly Im sick of their anti Oxford United bias. - pro OUFC pieces hidden in the sports pages, IMO, do not count .

Fact is if OUFC cease to exist, its highly likely the Oxford Mail would also cease to exist.
Theyre owned by an American company, they are more interested in clickbait than genuine news stories, they fail to realise that Oxford United are one of the main reasons that their rag is still in existence. there's more than enough any half decent investigative reporter could, and should be actually investigating. They chose not to, or are no longer of capable of doing so it seems to me.. Fuckem I say

Fair play Sarge, you've always been a man of principle. I don't live in the area, so it's not an issue for me, but here's what I posted on Twitter earlier today about the Ox Mail headline regarding the minimum wage stuff:

It was 8 years ago!!!!!!!! Nothing to see here, but the Oxford Mail doing their usual good job of running the club down and getting a cheap headline. They must be the worst local rag in the country. I'd stop them having any official access to the club, its players, or its games.

 

[chuckbert]

Perhaps I phrased it wrong, I was suggesting that somebody had been tampering with yr bfs. Otherwise no way would I hunt you down like a dog and shoot you, nor would I hunt you down and shoot you like a dog. Wouldn't shoot you at all. Well, maybe wing you when you're off on one, but I wouldn't count that as shooting.

https://img.freepik.com/premium-vector/hunting-dog-aiming-target-cartoon_8296-52.jpg?w=996

 

[brightonyellow]

Looks like further investment?

 

[guyellow]

Looks like further investment?

Based on the time of year (accounting year end date approaching) I suspect this is to cover some of the losses for the year without further increasing loans.

 

[MarkG]

Based on the time of year (accounting year end date approaching) I suspect this is to cover some of the losses for the year without further increasing loans.

EFL Official Website - Appendix 5 - Financial Fair Play Regulations

www.efl.com

I suspect it is to pass the Salary Cost Management Protocol, where equity (issuing shares) counts as Turnover, but loans don't.
APPENDIX A – DEFINITION OF RELEVANT TURNOVER AND FOOTBALL FORTUNE INCOME
10.2.10 Equity Injections – Only include non-redeemable Equity investments received (or to be received) in the relevant Reporting Period .

 

[Hackney Jack]

Fair play Sarge, you've always been a man of principle. I don't live in the area, so it's not an issue for me, but here's what I posted on Twitter earlier today about the Ox Mail headline regarding the minimum wage stuff:

It was 8 years ago!!!!!!!! Nothing to see here, but the Oxford Mail doing their usual good job of running the club down and getting a cheap headline. They must be the worst local rag in the country. I'd stop them having any official access to the club, its players, or its games.

Good post Colin. In such an incredibly important and delicate time in our clubs history, I too have found their reporting to be very very skewed.

I'm not stupid, and am fully aware how the media works in terms of money/power/ownership/advertising/who they have deals with etc, and I find it appalling that the City has it's only main newspaper appearing to be against what we clearly need the good of the football club.

Radio Oxford feel far far more balanced to me.

 

[Colin B]

Good post Colin. In such an incredibly important and delicate time in our clubs history, I too have found their reporting to be very very skewed.

I'm not stupid, and am fully aware how the media works in terms of money/power/ownership/advertising/who they have deals with etc, and I find it appalling that the City has it's only main newspaper appearing to be against what we clearly need the good of the football club.

Radio Oxford feel far far more balanced to me.

Yes, and rather ironically, printed at the very time the current owners were putting another £2m in as equity!

I wonder if the Ox Mail will report that?

 

[Sarge]

Fair play Sarge, you've always been a man of principle. I don't live in the area, so it's not an issue for me, but here's what I posted on Twitter earlier today about the Ox Mail headline regarding the minimum wage stuff:

It was 8 years ago!!!!!!!! Nothing to see here, but the Oxford Mail doing their usual good job of running the club down and getting a cheap headline. They must be the worst local rag in the country. I'd stop them having any official access to the club, its players, or its games.

not that it will do much nor probably change anything in the greater scheme... however would petitioning both @OxVox and @OUSP Secretary to raise with the club to do exactly that, as in limit, at the very least, OM access to OUFC , see how the powers that be at Newsquest react when probably one of the biggest reasons for their substandard rag actually selling newspapers is restricted?

probably not

albeit @OxVox do seem to have a regular weekend page in OM

maybe a petition from YF to OM editor perhaps?

Having moved Ive cancelled having the OM delivered, after 30 plus years, that's how annoyed I am with the continual anti Oxford United stance they perpetuate in their newspages and letters page

 

[Scotchegg]

not that it will do much nor probably change anything in the greater scheme... however would petitioning both @OxVox and @OUSP Secretary to raise with the club to do exactly that, as in limit, at the very least, OM access to OUFC , see how the powers that be at Newsquest react when probably one of the biggest reasons for their substandard rag actually selling newspapers is restricted?

probably not

albeit @OxVox do seem to have a regular weekend page in OM

maybe a petition from YF to OM editor perhaps?

Having moved Ive cancelled having the OM delivered, after 30 plus years, that's how annoyed I am with the continual anti Oxford United stance they perpetuate in their newspages and letters page

As you've said, OxVox (and OUSP) have regular features in the Oxford Mail and this provides a platform to talk positively about the club and its supporters, and this will hopefully resonate with more people than a few column inches in the letter's section.

I get frustrated with some of the bias that appears to come across in favour of those against the stadium but if the club didn't engage at all with the Oxford Mail we would have no alternative narrative.

I'm more than happy to raise with the club that some fans are unhappy with the coverage the club gets from our local paper but suspect that will need to be managed with some sensitivity until planning is approved and we can finally get to work on the stadium.

 

[Cass63]

As you've said, OxVox (and OUSP) have regular features in the Oxford Mail and this provides a platform to talk positively about the club and its supporters, and this will hopefully resonate with more people than a few column inches in the letter's section.

I get frustrated with some of the bias that appears to come across in favour of those against the stadium but if the club didn't engage at all with the Oxford Mail we would have no alternative narrative.

I'm more than happy to raise with the club that some fans are unhappy with the coverage the club gets from our local paper but suspect that will need to be managed with some sensitivity until planning is approved and we can finally get to work on the stadium.

And then f**k them off.

 

[Sarge]

As you've said, OxVox (and OUSP) have regular features in the Oxford Mail and this provides a platform to talk positively about the club and its supporters, and this will hopefully resonate with more people than a few column inches in the letter's section.

I get frustrated with some of the bias that appears to come across in favour of those against the stadium but if the club didn't engage at all with the Oxford Mail we would have no alternative narrative.

I'm more than happy to raise with the club that some fans are unhappy with the coverage the club gets from our local paper but suspect that will need to be managed with some sensitivity until planning is approved and we can finally get to work on the stadium.

please do @Scotchegg ... I agree that banning OM maybe counter productive, however the sheer bias (IMO) of late in the news section is more than annoying, fact is OUFC sell more paper for the OM than any other subject, their yank owners , Newsquest need to realise that. IF Oxford United fold, OM will follow!

 

[Manorlounger]

As you've said, OxVox (and OUSP) have regular features in the Oxford Mail and this provides a platform to talk positively about the club and its supporters, and this will hopefully resonate with more people than a few column inches in the letter's section.

I get frustrated with some of the bias that appears to come across in favour of those against the stadium but if the club didn't engage at all with the Oxford Mail we would have no alternative narrative.

I'm more than happy to raise with the club that some fans are unhappy with the coverage the club gets from our local paper but suspect that will need to be managed with some sensitivity until planning is approved and we can finally get to work on the stadium.

The club were made very much aware of the feelings of the fans at the last Fans Forum. It was our very own @Sarge who very politely suggested that the club tell the OxFail where to go. This was met with general amusement and applause. One embarrassed reporter shrunk into a dark corner and, hopefully, feared approval from the board. Sadly, it was seen as no more than a piece of wry humour. Truth be known, several of us had made our opinion quite clear. Either the mail reported without bias or face a ban.
It is true that the local press are important however, it should be the club with the upper hand and not some distant, detached regional editor simply looking for more click bait. If the BBC can remain impartial (ok, almost) then so can the local press.

 

[MJB]

I don’t think the Oxford Mail has been particularly biased either way in truth.They print positive and negative letters and they looks to be about 50/50 to me.

They print positive regular pieces from OxVox and from the club in the sports pages, and generally both sides are given a chance to comment in articles on the news pages.

Their political reporter wrote a positive piece in the last fortnight too. It’ll be the Editorial Comments in September, when planning (hopefully) goes in and ahead of a planning application being decided that will be most illuminating. If the club get overall support from the paper’s editorial at that stage, even if it is caveated which would be understandable, that would be a success. The club should be working on that.

We’d all love the paper to support the club more positively all of the time (and not least given how important fans are in terms of site traffic and paper sales) but I think a neutral would probably say it’s pretty balanced right now.

People will cite particular articles to me in response but overall I think it’s about what you’d expect from a click-baity Newsquest title with very few senior and specialist reporters left.

Having headed up press offices, the last thing I’d advise the club to do is ban the paper or close down communication. The club still relies, to some extent, on maintaining good local media relations and not least during a time when wider public engagement is so key.

It’s up to the club to try and influence the reporting through briefings, press releases, clear messaging and generally owning the discussion. If you think coverage is suboptimal now, it would much, much worse were the club to throw their toys out of the pram (and particularly if we were to do so publicly).

 

[OUSP]

please do @Scotchegg ... I agree that banning OM maybe counter productive, however the sheer bias (IMO) of late in the news section is more than annoying, fact is OUFC sell more paper for the OM than any other subject, their yank owners , Newsquest need to realise that. IF Oxford United fold, OM will follow!

@Sarge you raised this yourself at the last forum, and whilst the then managers reaction was immature, the point was made that overall the OxMail is also good for us. I know many people who use it as their way to keep track of what's going on at OUFC ) especially older folk who don't do forums etc.
The scope that the Oxmail has given OUSP and OxVox for a weekly page is pretty decent, and helps us put across a positive view.

 

[bazzer9461]

I’m

please do @Scotchegg ... I agree that banning OM maybe counter productive, however the sheer bias (IMO) of late in the news section is more than annoying, fact is OUFC sell more paper for the OM than any other subject, their yank owners , Newsquest need to realise that. IF Oxford United fold, OM will follow!

This is an email I received from Andrew Colley the OM editor a while back in response to my email

Note the last bit

Dear Barry,

I can't locate the email you sent in on the 10th, but I can see we did publish a letter from you on the 7th in support of the proposed stadium move (attached).
Was it a different letter to this?
I appreciate this is a very controversial subject matter with strong feelings involved, but please let me reiterate there is no bias.

 

[Sarge]

@Sarge you raised this yourself at the last forum, and whilst the then managers reaction was immature, the point was made that overall the OxMail is also good for us. I know many people who use it as their way to keep track of what's going on at OUFC ) especially older folk who don't do forums etc.
The scope that the Oxmail has given OUSP and OxVox for a weekly page is pretty decent, and helps us put across a positive view.

I did raise the subject- albeit tongue in cheek at that point- at the last forum- incidentally when IS the next Fans Forum, the one we were promised before the end of the season at that same Fans Forum? Any likelihood of one soon?

Ive cancelled having the Oxford mail delivered after 30 years, a decision I took because Im sick and tired of almost any pro Oxford United features and pieces confined to merely the sports pages. My Dad used to have the Oxford Mail delivered, he too was getting fed up with the anti Oxford United stance perpetuated in the news pages.

I agree that IF the Oxford Mail operated as a newspaper should, it would provide balanced coverage of the Stadium Project, it hasn't been doing that since before the Stadium Project on the edge of Kidlington was announced. Sadly the owners of the Oxford Mail, Newsquest have Americanised the way the local paper presents things. Clickbait above everything else. IF there were still investigative journalists employed by the Oxford Mail Ive a feeling a certain 'neutral' councillor and a local pressure group may have had an expose or two about them published, instead they've been allowed to spout misinformation and to fear monger, unchallenged, with the local paper providing them the oxygen of free, unchecked, publicity , which is blatantly wrong IMO

I agree that if Oxford United fold, which is likely should the stadium project not progress, the Oxford Mail would follow in ceasing to exist. Something I think the Editor of the Oxford Mail, and the owners of the newspaper, Newsquest, should be reminded of.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

I did raise the subject- albeit tongue in cheek at that point- at the last forun- incidentally when IS the next Fans Forum, the one we were promised before the end of the season at that same Fans Forum? Any likelihood of one soon?

Ive cancelled having the Oxford mail delivered after 30 years, a decision I took because Im sick and tired of almost any pro Oxford United features and pieces confined to merely the sports pages. My Dad used to have the Oxford Mail delivered, he too was getting fed up with the anti Oxford United stance perpetuated in the news pages.

I agree that IF the Oxford Mail operated as a newspaper should, it would provided balanced coverage of the Stadium Project, it hasn't been doing that since before the Stadium project on the edge of Kidlington was announced. Sadly the owners of the Oxford Mail, Newsquest have Americanised the way the local paper presents things. Clickbait above everything else. IF there were still investigative journalists employed by the Oxford Mail Ive a feeling a certain 'neutral' councillor and a local pressure group may have had an expose or two about them published, instead they've been allowed to spout misinformation and to fear monger, unchallenged, with the local paper providing them the oxygen of free, unchecked, publicity , which is blatantly wrong IMO

I agree that if Oxford United fold, which is likely should the stadium project not progress, the Oxford Mail would follow in ceasing to exist. Something I think the Editor of the Oxford Mail, and the owners of the newspaper, Newsquest, should be reminded of.

God bless you Sarge.

And very well said, once again.
Keep fighting the good fight Sir

 

[holdsteady]

Haven’t read a local newspaper in years but from bits that go on social media they seem obsessed with takeaways/restaurants that get low hygiene scores, when you are reduced to reporting that on a daily basis then, whether sarge buys the paper or not, the writing is on the wall.