Claims that James Traynor ran his stories past Craig Whyte before publication may be embarrassing for the Daily Record but pose a bigger question of BBC Scotland.
People can take or leave the opinions of the Record but unfortunately there is no opt-out with the state broadcaster.
For over a decade Traynor was given the freedom of the airwaves to push his views fronting various programmes in addition to his role at the Record.
Suspicions of objectivity are part and parcel of being in the public eye with Traynor’s blind obedience to whatever regime held power at Ibrox regularly becoming a focus of discussion.
The most famous incident occurred in April 2010 when he had an on-air rammy with Chic Young as they exchanged insults labelling each other Rangers cheer-leaders and puppets.
Earlier today on his Channel 4 news blog Alex Thomson alleges that Traynor ran stories past Whyte for approval and also prospected for a job at Ibrox shortly before the club went into administration.
It’s the second time in the last six months that information of Whyte’s communications have been made public with earlier revelations about Duff & Phelps being under investigation.
The BBC have come under scrutiny across the UK in recent times with their indulgence of Traynor not showing up the Scottish operation in the best of lights.
Retrospectively there is little that BBC Scotland can do about a highly paid pundit who appears to be less than objective.
In order to restore their flagging credibility they could however question their current panel of experts, among them Billy Dodds and Stevie Thompson who both benefited from EBT’s from Rangers while keeping quiet as programming hours tried to shine some light on the issue.
Perhaps getting their current pundits to go on record confirming their objectivity, that they have never ran their stories past a club official before publication.
Independent newspaper publishers are at liberty to employ whoever they wish and push any agenda of choice. The state broadcaster however should set higher standards of objectivity and ensure that no one on their payroll has ever been a mouthpiece for any particular football club.
Until BBC Scotland publish a statement that their pundits and experts have never ran their stories through third parties for approval suspicions will remain that the state broadcaster is just another vehicle for spin.
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Allowing the public airwaves to be used for an extended job application should embarrass the BBC
Chick Young was right – Traynor was a puppet all along
Spot on. I wrote to BBC about this and Traynor in particular a few months ago. To me, at the time, I thought his agenda was clear to see. Now Alex Thomson has confirmed what I always suspected.
A few weeks before getting his move to Shutter Island, Jabba held court on his BBC Radio Scotland slot one Saturday night. The particular bone to be chewed that evening was the ‘demotion’ of that proud club Rangers to the third division of the SFL.
I can’t remember the particular
individuals ‘selected’ for jury service on this occasion but if I tell you they were typical of the journalist and pundit we have come to expect where Sevco are concerned then you’ll get the picture instantly.
Even for a kangaroo court charged with the remit of exonerating the proud club Rangers from any wrongdoing this was a particularly unctuous and slabbering affair. Predictably, Jabba paid no lip service to anything approaching fairness or examination of the facts, going immediately instead for a unanimous verdict that ‘demoting’ the proud club Rangers to the third division, when they had done no wrong, was a venomous witch hunt by agenda driven neanderthals (no, I don’t think he’ll ever see the irony) against a proud club.
Even for Scottish football journalism it was a low point. Sevco and he deserve each other.
They’re a bunch of cowards. They expect us to believe that every single person in the MSM shares the exact same views, thoughts and opinions when it comes to anything Rangers and Sevco. Never a dissenting voice or even a devils advocate role, just 100% of the MSM peddling the same shite they are told to.
First it was Jimmy Saville now its Jimmy Traynor!! Will the BBC ever learn to question the moral integrity of these toxic excuses for human beings?
How much longer do we the tax payers have to put up with such scandalous behaviour. We are entitled to a fair and balanced radio programme and that is what we pay their wages to do.
It simple . . .unless the head of BBC radio Scotland is also corrupt!? Methinks we do not complain often or strong enough for them to get the message!
BBC Sportsound is so full of ex hun players it’s almost a retirement benefit.
Derek Ferguson,Craig Paterson,Billy Dodds,Stephen Thomson, Sandy Clark et al, and we’re paying for this auld boys club through our licence.
A national disgrace and only in Scoddland.
Surely now questions need to be asked. This is the tip of the tip of the iceberg. These clowns are being paid by tax payers to spout propaganda for a rancid institution, printing and spouting lies and whatever crap they are told to without question. The relationship between the MSM and RFC and now Sevco are concerning for the national game in Scotland.
with a prime minister as dirty as david cameron, WTF do you expect?!
Not that Jabba’s garbage was worthy of reading at ANY time, now we have confirmation that he was working to instructions – not that it wasn’t obvious.
Just makes his press releases even more irrelevant than the chip wrappers.
James Traynor is a very fat Noel Hunt!
This is pure conjecture, the word of someone writing a blog in the media. It is pretty obvious by now that whichever team you support, Rangers or Celtic, that the mainstream media narrative cannot be trusted. The truth is skewed on both sides of the fence as it is for every topic of discussion. For example, this can be seen regularly in the Daily Mail which regularly contradicts itself on what cause and prevent heart attacks and cancer. These tactics are employed by the media to control your opinions and keep them limited to a narrow spectrum of debate and also to manipulate you all into pointless debates, keeping you pre-occupied and squabbling amongst yourselves. Classic divide and conquer tactics. I would take it all with a pinch of salt. The truth is, Jim Traynor is a self serving, sadistic moron. He couldn’t give a rats ass about Rangers or Celtic, he looks down on football fans and takes great pleasure in winding you all up. He’d switch sides tomorrow if Celtic offered him more money.
Or pies
We’re paranoid!!
Surely he doesn’t get PAID to write such utter drivel, unworthy of a primary school kid ???
He’s a busted flush, who THINKS his voice / opinion is important, but given the ever decreasing sales for the Record and equally those who watch / believe the BBC. He at least has found his true level in the bottom tier of Scottish Football.
He fell for the succulent yorkshire pudding.
nice one ha ha