Top footballing journalists from across the industry agreed that on-the-ground journalism will be vital in covering one of the most anticipated World Cups ever
On Tuesday, a lively webinar organised by Newsworks and hosted by talkSPORT drivetime host Andy Goldstein demonstrated the key role news brands will play in ensuring fans receive accurate, insightful information on all the action — both on- and off-pitch.
Goldstein asked The Telegraph’s chief football writer Sam Wallace on whether it still mattered if journalists reported from the event nowadays. Wallace was adamant that journalism’s importance had only increased in the content creator era.
He said: “It’s crucial for the legitimacy of the news brand and the reporter to be able to see things with your own eyes.”
He went on to highlight news brands’ central role in driving the news agenda for the rest of the football ecosystem: “[News brands] still drive the agenda — we don’t pay for rights… but day after day, the FA will put more resources into talking to newspapers because that’s where the agenda is driven… that’s where TV follows, that’s where the internet follows.”
The Independent’s chief football writer Miguel Delaney echoed Wallace’s thoughts, giving webinar viewers an insight into what it’s like to be a journalist at one of the biggest shows on Earth.
“It’s a privilege and it’s intense”, he said. “When you’re walking down Copacabana, it’s unique… people from eighty, ninety countries there, there’s a happiness that nowhere else can produce. That shapes the tournament, imbues the mood.”
He also talked about the opportunities journalists have to pick up on stories that no one would have been expecting previously, mentioning the infamous ear-biting incident by Luis Suarez in 2014.
Referencing Newsworks’ World Cup consumer research, the Daily Mail’s executive sports editor Kate McGreavy explained the unique effect tournaments like these can have on the national mood.
“It creates a general sense of collective experience”, she said, mentioning that Qatar’s 2022 World Cup taking place in winter means that it will be the first summer tournament for eight years. With the better weather also expected to play a factor, McGreavy predicted the buzz will start building significant if England makes it through to the knockout stages.
While football will hopefully be the biggest talking point, the panel did not avoid the subject of US president Donald Trump and recent geopolitical events. According to The Sun’s head of sport Dean Scoggins, it’s likely coverage of the tournament will stray far from the sports pages.
“At every opportunity, [Trump] will be inserting himself into the news agenda”, he said. “The football will be on the back pages, but we can’t remove the World Cup from the front pages, the money pages… it’s going to dominate in every sense.”
The panellists also discussed how news brands will be covering the tournament across a whole host of different platforms, how keyword blocklists will prevent advertisers from harnessing powerful news brand content due to the blunt blocking of words like ‘attack’ or ‘shoot’, plus the strengths of England’s squad in the run-up to the tournament.
The panel’s tips to win? McGreavy and Delaney plumped for Spain, Scoggins for Brazil and only Wallace backed the Three Lions — they had to win at some point in his career!
Brits expect World Cup boost — both for morale and the nation’s finances
Before the panel, Newsworks research and insight director Heather Dansie gave viewers the key stats from Newsworks’ latest World Cup consumer survey. Headlines included more than four in five Brits expecting the World Cup to have a positive effect on the country’s mood, with seven in 10 planning to follow the competition this summer.
In good news for advertisers and the wider economy, 77% of World Cup fans plan to spend more money to enjoy the competition — whether that’s buying more drinks at home or down the pub, buying food to share while watching games or streaming passes to make sure no moment goes missed. What’s more, advertisers will be able to reach 77% of fans in news brands keeping up with every kick, foul and goal this summer.
Jo Allan, Newsworks CEO, introduced the session, saying: “The World Cup is going to be positive news for advertisers, for the economy, and for news brands who will be keeping fans updated, informed and entertained across all of their platforms, making them the best place for advertisers who want to be fully immersed in quality content during this huge cultural event.
“After all, no one does football quite like news brands.”
Read more from our latest consumer survey here.
