I was watching the Freo v St. kilda game on the weekend, and the blatant bias of Eddie and his commentary not just his un subtle digs at Sydney's recruitment of Buddy, but his blatant barracking for St. Kilda got me wanting to cancel my Foxtel subscription.
I've had enough of him. I want him off foxtel. I'm not paying to watch a sports channel that has a commentator that disenfranchises a large portion of the national audience. I sent the attached email to Foxtel.
Subject: Biased commentary must stop
To the Manager Fox Footy Channel
I have to say, I have had enough of the Victorian centric bias of Mr Eddie McGuire in both his role as a commentator during games and as a host of other shows broadcast by Fox Footy Channel. I believe Fox Footy Channel need to act and have Mr McGuire removed from both commentating and hosting of any shows due to his total disrespect for a large portion of the national TV audience.
Commentating during the recent Fremantle v St Kilda game was disgusting in its biased support in favour of St Kilda. Its not what commentating is about. Such commentating in favour of a Victorian based team is not the first time this has occurred, West Coast v Carlton was another such occasion, and will mostly occur when Eddie McGuire is commentating. In all fairness Sandy Roberts attempted to keep some semblance of balance during the St Kilda V Fremantle game on Saturday. Fox Footy Channel needs to remember that this game was more than likely being viewed by more Fremantle supporters than St Kilda supporters (Fremantle do have more members than St Kilda) and the blatant bias by commentators cannot be good for both growing the game outside of Victoria, or Foxtels ability to attract new customers outside of Victoria.
The Sunday night program on Fox Footy Channel, also featuring Mr McGuire and Mr Brereton is nothing more than a direct and indirect promotion and support of the Victorian based clubs, at the expense of Interstate Clubs. (?let?s get the game back to Victoria, where it belongs? was the subject of one of Eddies recent rants whilst hosting)
It is time for Fox Footy Channel in its role as a national broadcaster of the national game, to remember that there are 8 teams outside of Victoria and a further 4 Victorian teams that are regularly playing games in other States, Territories and Countries in an effort to expand the game. That?s 12 teams out of an 18 team competition that are attempting to reach out and engage markets outside of Victoria. Fox Footy Channel has an obligation to consider its national audience, and not just promote itself to the Victorian market. I am sure that the population these 12 teams are attempting to engage with is a significantly greater audience than just the Victorian population that the remaining 6 teams represent and therefore by allowing such biased commentary Fox Footy Channel is disenfranchising a huge portion of a market that they are trying to attract as customers. If I was a Fremantle supporter, I would have switched off Saturdays game and vowed to cancel my Foxtel subscription after such an openly biased commentary performance on the weekend.
At the same time, the AFL in attempting to promote the game both nationally and internationally should have an interest in the balanced promotion of the game. It is therefore time for one of its key national broadcasters to ensure that its on air commentators and presenters promote the game nationally. The first step in doing this would be to censure Mr McGuire and remind him that both the AFL and its NATIONAL broadcaster expects the game to be promoted evenly, and no team is promoted at the expense of another.
Regards
Current Foxtel subscriber (but not for long)
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