Media scrum

Media scrum
Jack Layton, leader of the Official Opposition New Democratic Party of Canada in a scrum in Ottawa
I don't think this is any way to report important events.

Lester B. Pearson during a scrum, April 1968, [1]

A media scrum is an impromptu press conference, often held immediately outside an event such as a legislative session or meeting.[2][3] Scrums play a central role in Canadian politics[4] and also occur in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

Origin of the term

A scrum in rugby is a procedure to restart the game following a foul. In this formation, players from both teams cluster tightly around the ball competing for possession, analogous to reporters clustering around a public figure competing for his or her attention.

Canada

In Canada, the scrum is a daily ritual in the hallway outside the House of Commons. Members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery surround politicians as they exit the chamber. The disorganization and pressure of the scrum makes it notorious for drawing remarks that are unplanned or controversial.[4] Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish remarked, "damn Americans, I hate those bastards" during a scrum in the run-up to the Iraq War.[5][6]

Because of these concerns, politicians have sometimes tried to avoid the scrum in favour of more formal venues.[7] Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day declined to scrum, instead holding a daily press conference. Brian Mulroney restricted scrums during his time as Prime Minister of Canada by positioning himself on the stairway up to his office. This allowed him to tower over the media on the steps below him.[1] The media so resented this practice that when Jean Chrétien held a "staircase scrum" soon after assuming office, their reaction was so negative that he promised never to do it again.[8] By contrast, although Pierre Trudeau's relationship with the press was rocky, he was famously quick-witted and enjoyed deflecting — or returning — barbs from reporters.[1] Many of his famous quotations, including "there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation" and "just watch me", were made during scrums.

References

  1. ^ a b c Scrum Wars: The Prime Ministers and the Media by Allan Levine. Dundurn Press. ISBN 1550022075. Some text available online.
  2. ^ In the News: The Practice of Media Relations in Canada by William W. Carney. University of Alberta Press. ISBN 0888643829. Some text available online.
  3. ^ Washington Post: Canadian Apologizes For Expletive About U.S., by DeNeen L. Brown 28 February 2003, Page A17. Available online.
  4. ^ a b PressThink: Stephen Harper's Press Gallery Put Down: A Report from Canada by Ira Basen
  5. ^ CTV Toronto - Parrish faces heat from the House and the South
  6. ^ CTV Toronto - Parrish mainly unrepentant for anti-U.S. remark
  7. ^ Ryerson Review of Journalism: The 140-Year War
  8. ^ Embassy Magazine, May 17, 2006: Brown-Bagging it for the Harper Family, Sean Durkin

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • media scrum — /ˈmidiə skrʌm/ (say meedeeuh skrum) noun the melee experienced when a large number of media people surround a person who is the object of media interest …  

  • Scrum — can refer to:* Scrum (rugby), a way to restart a rugby union or rugby league game after an interruption (e.g., after a minor foul) * Scrum (development), an agile software development method for project management * Media scrum, when public… …   Wikipedia

  • Media circus — News media satellite up link trucks and photojournalists gathered outside the Prudential Financial headquarters in Newark, New Jersey in August, 2004 following the announcement of evidence of a terrorist threat to it and to buildings in New York… …   Wikipedia

  • Scrum (rugby) — Scrum (an abbreviated form of scrummage, which is now rarely used), in the sports of rugby union and rugby league, is a way of restarting the game, either after an accidental infringement or (in rugby league only) when the ball has gone out of… …   Wikipedia

  • SCRUM — (engl. das Gedränge) ist ein Vorgehensmodell mit Meetings, Artefakten, Rollen, Werten und Grundüberzeugungen, das beim Entwickeln von Produkten im Rahmen agiler Softwareentwicklung hilfreich ist. Teammitglieder organisieren ihre Arbeit weitgehend …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Media of Wales — See also: Media in Cardiff The media in Wales provides services in both English and Welsh, and plays a role in modern Welsh culture. BBC Wales broadcasts since the 1930s have helped to promote a form of standardised spoken Welsh,[1] and one… …   Wikipedia

  • Media in Wales — The media in Wales provides services for people in both English and Welsh, and plays an important role in modern Welsh culture. BBC Wales broadcasts since the 1930s have helped to promote a form of standardised spoken Welsh, [The Welsh Academy… …   Wikipedia

  • Disney Media Networks — Création 2004 Forme juridique Filiale Direction Anne Sweeney George Bodenheimer …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Disney Interactive Media Group — Création 5 juin 2008 Forme juridique filiale Direction John Pleasants (division Jeux) Jimmy Pitaro (division contenu) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • IParenting Media — Logo de iParenting Media Création 1996 Forme juridique filiale …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”