Oliver Holt - a message from Joel at BBC Radio Berkshire

[BBC Radio Berkshire]

Dear All,

Just to re-iterate my earlier post.

You may violently disagree with Mr Holt's views on Reading but the guy is entitled to his opinion.

And its the role of the BBC to allow lively debate from all sides.

It will be extremely interesting to see what evidence / arguments Mr Holt has to back up his views and also his reaction to what Reading fans think of him and his articles.

Please tune in as it will be a good listen I'm sure.

All the best

Joel

[noise]

can we have a lively debate from informed people, that is all I ask.

[cheeryoleary]

we will sometimes need to report on or interview people whose views may cause serious offence to many in our audiences. We must be convinced, after appropriate referral, that a clear public interest outweighs the possible offence.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editori ... pariality/

What is 'appropriate referral' and have you undertaken this?

Sorry Joel. You're a nice guy, and it pains me to question you.

[ElmParker]

we will sometimes need to report on or interview people whose views may cause serious offence to many in our audiences. We must be convinced, after appropriate referral, that a clear public interest outweighs the possible offence.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editori ... pariality/

What is 'appropriate referral' and have you undertaken this?

Sorry Joel. You're a nice guy, and it pains me to question you.

I’m pretty sure this refers to people like Abu Hamza and Gerry Adams rather than second-rate, know-nothing gobsh*tes from a tabloid rag.

[Fat Leather Jacket]

Joel, will you be questioning all the statements made by Holt over the last few months and not let him wriggle off the hook?

Its called 'doing a Paxman'.

[bigmike]

Dear All,

Just to re-iterate my earlier post.

You may violently disagree with Mr Holt's views on Reading but the guy is entitled to his opinion.

And its the role of the BBC to allow lively debate from all sides.

It will be extremely interesting to see what evidence / arguments Mr Holt has to back up his views and also his reaction to what Reading fans think of him and his articles.

Please tune in as it will be a good listen I'm sure.

All the best

Joel

I agree he is entitled to his opinion however when it is fatally flawed and printed it then becomes Libelous.

I hope he enjoys his day in the dock for his little publicity stunt

[RoyalBlue]

Dear All,

Just to re-iterate my earlier post.

You may violently disagree with Mr Holt's views on Reading but the guy is entitled to his opinion.

Joel

Joel, I suggest you check that with your BBC lawyers! He is not entitled to express those opinions in a manner that suggests they are fact, particularly if/when they are libelous.

I for one will not be wasting my time listening the opinions of this fool/bigot, any more than I would listen to the opinions of the likes of Nick Griffin.

He should be paying you/the BBC for the privilege of using your air time to spout forward his 'opinions/propaganda.

[brendywendy]

can you please ensure that you somehow show him the replay of the hunt incedent that clearly shows the keeper catching his leg, causing him to collapse into czech
maybe he would shut up about us then
probably not, hes clearly deranged, but it may just work

[Forbury Lion]

can we have a lively debate from informed people, that is all I ask.

Or, in this case, Allow someone to show themselves up as an uninformed mass debater.

[PieEater]

You may violently disagree with Mr Holt's views on Reading but the guy is entitled to his opinion.

It's not so much my violent disagreement with his views, I really don't care about his views, it's the fact he puts them in the media which has incited someone to send death threats to Hunt and Sonko. This is way past the point of controversy and fair comment and much closer to incitement.

[Royal Lady]

Good point. Joel - make sure you ask him how he feels about being personally responsible for the death threats to our players, thanks to his libellous tirade against them. You might do well to remind him that if he repeats any of his written statements, he will also be liable to slander and I suspect Mr Madejski's lawyers will be listening very closely. He should also allow his poor old mum to retire gracefully from the Street.

[RoyalBlue]

Good point. Joel - make sure you ask him how he feels about being personally responsible for the death threats to our players, thanks to his libellous tirade against them. You might do well to remind him that if he repeats any of his written statements, he will also be liable to slander and I suspect Mr Madejski's lawyers will be listening very closely. He should also allow his poor old mum to retire gracefully from the Street.

As it's broadcast media it will actually be libel and BBCRB will get sued too! Serves them right on this occasion.

After devoting airtime to this scumbag (who has launched a very high profile scandalous attack on everything to do with RFC), what are the chances of them getting live coverage of Reading games next season?

[WestCoast Life]

Joel,

As a fellow Reading fan, I am expecting you to give this guy a hard time. Personally, I couldn't care less what he thinks of or says about Reading. However, I am very unhappy at his attacks on a number of Reading players/staff. In particular, his personal vendetta aimed at Steven Hunt is not only unsavory but may impact the player's reputation and career. Anyone who has watched Steven Hunt play will know that he is not the kind of player that Oliver Holt makes him out to be. It is clear that Holt is simply stirring things up to make a name for himself and sell more newspapers (hence his appearance on your show this week). I expect you to deal with this issue when questioning him and not to wimp out.

Don’t let us down.




WCL

[Jimbo]

Frankly I don't care what he writes about RFC in his arsewipe of a 'newspaper'.
He is a media whore and wants all the attention he can get.

And no matter how much we argue the case his views won't change.
Our views won't change either.

So what is the point of giving this poor excuse of a journalist anymore publicity?

I would much rather discuss the future of RFC, the team for Saturday, the cup game, the expansion, the new players etc.
Therefore, I'm afraid I won't be listening, and I am disappointed BBCRB has fallen for his little stunt.

[Ollie]

Some people seem to be arguing that because we're giving airtime to someone who doesn't like Reading, it's somehow a cardinal sin.

I don't agree. As I have said elsewhere, Oliver Holt is a national sports writer who's covering Reading week in, week out for the first time this season. The fact that he doesn't appear to like Reading, and is highly unlikely to change his mind, is only half the story, if that.

The other half, and the half I'm more interested in, is why he's chosen that approach - and indeed I'd like to hear more about his job and how he goes about it, which might lend some insights as to why he feels the way he does, since he's in such a clear minority of approximately one.

It seems some people would gather outside the radio station with torches and pitchforks purely because they don't agree with an interviewee and don't like him. I think Tim and co will find a better means of conveying that to Mr Holt.

[AthleticoSpizz]

see my last post on the other thread Ollie


genuinely would like to know if he's getting paid or not (after all, if he's not, then I find it commendable of him to stick his head above the parapet.......if he is, I'd like to think that he could do some good with it somewhere)

[Forbury Lion]

It seems some people would gather outside the radio station with torches and pitchforks purely because they don't agree with an interviewee and don't like him. I think Tim and co will find a better means of conveying that to Mr Holt.

Make sure you have a Royals mini kit on display in your car window if you want to make it past the picket line in one piece.

[shadesrwrf]

You may violently disagree with Mr Holt's views on Reading but the guy is entitled to his opinion.

I don't actually believe it is his opinion though. I just think he's hit upon a very effective way of getting some publicity for himself and the paper he works for. Personally I think it's a bit low but only Oliver really knows what he thinks of himself.

I wonder if you'd mind asking him something for me. Studys have shown that the tabloid newspapers are written so that anybody with a reading age of between 9 and 12 can access them. I've always been intrigued to know how it feels to waste a good education writing for a paper that is aimed at this level. Or put more simply, has he made his mother proud?

[fozziebear]

I for one have now stoppped reading The Mirror due to Mr Holts comment on Reading Fc.
Was looking forward to the papers comment on Reading Fc great trip to old trafford last saturday,but all we got from Oliver Holt was 2 pages of Ronaldo and little Reading Fc some where in his sarcasm comment on the Utd match.
Many thanks Oliver for you stupid childish comments and attack on John madejski,to whom saved Reading Fc and has worked wonders to get Reading Fc where we are today.I will no longer buy your paper .

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I think you should ask why he regards John Madejski, a man who built a fortune through honest hard work, as untrustworthy. Perhaps in comparison to a chairman who, I don't know, might have made his money by dodgy share trading which resulting in him "acquiring" the investments of millions of his own countrymen and having to flee the country to avoid going to prison for 50 years, and has been investigated by the swiss in connection with a multi-billion dollar fraud, and also by the french for money-laundering.