The station's contract has yet to be renewed, and at the time of writing Forest have not contacted them to discuss a new deal. This means that the only way people will be able to listen to Forest next season is if they pay for a subscription to Forest Player.
The only way I can access Radio Nottingham when I am at home is on the internet as I live in Bedford, but when I travel to games, I take a portable radio with me and tune in for the pre-match and post match analysis. I am always eager to find out what the team news is at 2pm, too, and when incidents happen during the game it's very handy to have my radio with me to get information. Now I might be forced into buying a smartphone just so I can access Twitter on matchdays, but why should I take out an expensive contract and pay for a service I have always had for free?
There has been speculation that the Al-Hasawis might consider selling rights to Al-jazeera, a TV station which is currently available on the Freeview platform. That's fine and dandy, but what about all those people who are at the match and want to listen to it there? Remember that momentous last day against Yeovil in 2008 when we were promoted, and everybody had their headphones on, anxiously listening out for the other results involving Doncaster and Carlisle? And Colin Fray's excited voice as he read out the scores? And how as soon as he closed his mouth, the City Ground crowd emitted a collective roar of ecstasy? That was all down to Radio Nottingham. If Forest are considering ending their association with them, it will be a crazy decision which will alienate many supporters.
I've heard that the reason why Forest are apparently reluctant to renew their deal is that Billy Davies has a problem with them. Davies refused to do post-match interviews with them last season, so he obviously has some kind of issue. But if he is the reason why we lose the coverage, I will start to feel resentment towards him, and I really don't want to.
If the match coverage is restricted to Forest Player only, a service which frequently fails, and is sometimes a good two-three minutes behind real time, Forest fans are going to feel very short-changed. Radio coverage of matches has existed for as long as I can remember. I was thrilled when back in 1993 my dad realised he could pick up GEM AM on his car radio even down here in Bedford! Until then, I had to be content with watching the match on teletext and listening out for updates on Radio Five Live. Being able to listen to the whole match was a revelation, and it turned me into an even bigger fan as I felt closer to the Club than I had ever done before.
It was good timing that by the time GEM lost the rights, we acquired the internet and were able to listen to Century 106 via RealPlayer software. That was back in the days when we were relying on a dial-up modem, which frustratingly cut out, and I panicked that somebody might ring the phone in the meantime and stop us from listening to the match! Thank god, then for broadband, which came along in 2002. Ever since then, I've been happily listening to Radio Nottingham's coverage every season via Forest Player, and I see no reason why it should change.
If we end up having to listen to the match via Forest Player, it won't be nearly as good as the service Radio Nottingham provides. Colin Fray and Robin Chipperfield are brilliant at what they do. They are passionate and love their jobs. They will be gutted if they don't get to cover Forest any more. I dread to think what the service would be like on Forest Player if somebody in-house does it. If it's anything like the coverage of pre-season friendlies, god help us all.
If Forest do go down the internet-only route, what about all those much older Forest supporters who are not connected to the internet and who struggle with technology? Every matchday after the game, I hear old people call in to the phone-in saying that they listen to matches on the radio. They can't get to the City Ground any more because they are not in the best of health, but they tune in avidly every weekend to listen to their beloved Forest, who they have been following all of their lives since they were six or seven years old. What about them? Or do they not matter because they are not the Club's future?
With only little over a month until the new season, it's a bit worrying that nothing has yet been sorted out. Fawaz al-Hasawi seems like a very reasonable man, though, as he is eager to please the supporters and keep them onside. I pray that something can be sorted out for everybody's sake, because having no local radio coverage of Forest will be unthinkable.
Here here. As a fellow forest fan living in Bedford its wonderful to be able to access BBC Radio Nottingham on digital radio. I do follow the live text commentary on the BBC web site too but that is often a few minutes delayed. The BBC can be criticised on many levels but their sports coverage is revered around the world. I hope that Billy isn't having a strop (Doing a Fergie)? Can you imagine if teh tables were turned and the BBC said that they were no longer doing to give Forest any coverage (thinking football league show)???? Exactly! Come on Fawaz, sort it out.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they will sort something out. It would not look good if Forest were the only Championship club without proper radio coverage!
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