wtf just happened to cricinfo

[Spark]

So Dobell has left/been fired from Cricinfo.

Don't need to remind anyone how much I dislike his writing in general, but it seems that he's leaving because of "differences in journalistic/editorial direction" which is pretty ominous. Expect cricinfo coverage to be even more corporate and sycophantic from now on.

 

[honestbharani]

So Dobell has left/been fired from Cricinfo.

Don't need to remind anyone how much I dislike his writing in general, but it seems that he's leaving because of "differences in journalistic/editorial direction" which is pretty ominous. Expect cricinfo coverage to be even more corporate and sycophantic from now on.

They have been editorially and completely biased for the best part of 7/8 years now and have had very clear agendas for a while even before that. Dobell is basically moving out now coz the agenda is now something he does not agree with, whilst before, their bias probably suited his. It is not because they had any actual integrity before this.

 

[Shri]

They have been editorial for the best part of 7/8 years now and have very clear agendas for a while. Dobell is basically moving out now coz the agenda is now something he does not agree with, whilst before, their bias probably suited his. It is not because they had any actual integrity before this.

what agenda before and what agenda now lol

 

[honestbharani]

what agenda before and what agenda now lol

We will have to wait and see.. I have my suspicions. But the agenda has always been clear from Sambit Bal.

 

[Shri]

But the agenda has always been clear from Sambit Bal.

not to me

 

[Shri]

 

[Spark]

They have been editorially and completely biased for the best part of 7/8 years now and have had very clear agendas for a while even before that. Dobell is basically moving out now coz the agenda is now something he does not agree with, whilst before, their bias probably suited his. It is not because they had any actual integrity before this.

As I said I don't like Dobell and his agenda but there's a very big difference between an individual journalist having a clear bias and agenda and a publication as a whole having one when it claims to be the pinnacle global outlet for cricket coverage and journalism. You can always just hire other journalists with different opinions; it's not as if covering English cricket is a one-man job.

For all his faults he has been pretty consistent that the ECB and global cricket's move to a more stagnant, more money-driven, more corporate and more soulless model has been a bad thing. It's hard to imagine what else he means by editorial direction no longer suiting him; it's even more concerning if he's being actively driven out because he objects to a more sycophantic line. You don't have to like the individual journalist to know that media orgs acting in this way isn't a great sign.

 

[honestbharani]

there's a very big difference between an individual journalist having a clear bias and agenda and a publication as a whole having one when it claims to be the pinnacle global outlet for cricket coverage and journalism.

My point is that crapinfo has been this way since about 2013 or so IMO. And he has a problem with it now because suddenly the direction that bias has gone is not the same as his own. That is all. I am not denying it is bad. I just dont think he is some kind of martyr who has quit coz of principles.

 

[Spikey]

he left because he wanted to write one ben stokes article each day for a year

 

[GIMH]

he left because he wanted to write one ben stokes article each day for a year

yeah you

 

[Prince EWS]

As I said I don't like Dobell and his agenda but there's a very big difference between an individual journalist having a clear bias and agenda and a publication as a whole having one when it claims to be the pinnacle global outlet for cricket coverage and journalism. You can always just hire other journalists with different opinions; it's not as if covering English cricket is a one-man job.

For all his faults he has been pretty consistent that the ECB and global cricket's move to a more stagnant, more money-driven, more corporate and more soulless model has been a bad thing. It's hard to imagine what else he means by editorial direction no longer suiting him; it's even more concerning if he's being actively driven out because he objects to a more sycophantic line. You don't have to like the individual journalist to know that media orgs acting in this way isn't a great sign.

Yeah it's the first time I've ever seen it openly admitted that there even is an editorial direction from cricinfo. It has always just presented itself more as a collection of writers with their own autonomy than a publication with a hard editorial line. Belieiving this was entirely true was always a little naive, but the mask seems to have slipped entirely now.

@GoodAreasShane once described Dobell as a "sycophantic little turd". I thought "sanctimonious" may have fit better, but the ending of that phrase was certainly correct, so I'm not sad to see him go. His stated reasons are more than a little bit concerning though.

 

[Flem274*]

I think it's been pretty evident for years that cricinfo plays favourites, but if someone as dire as Dobell can't handle it anymore then I can't wait to see how bad cricinfo dives in the coming months.

I guess they have their market and they're gonna cater to it.

 

[Noumenon]

George Dobell's snark and a spot of virtue signalling is pretty interesting. Implying that he alone stood between real reportage and the corporate/Indian slant of the editorial team at Cricinfo. Would be nice to hear how his colleagues feel about that.

 

[Burgey]

They’re probably like Michael Holding when commentating in England over the years - they know which side their bread is buttered on.

cricinfo is terrible. Has been forever. Dobell is a spud writer too, just he has a tosspot Pommy accident to go with it instead of being a BCCI lackey like most of the others are.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

I noticed there is an option to change crap info to Hindi language.

I’m waiting for when many other options for languages comes up.

 

[Prince EWS]

I noticed there is an option to change crap info to Hindi language.

I’m waiting for when many other options for languages comes up.

Latin next IMO.

 

[Gnske]

The irony of course is that Dobell was never that interesting enough anyway where taking a stand would be tantamount to significance.

I hope he finds gainful employment at www.simps4moeen.net

 

[Bahnz]

Amongst the cricinfo staff it was always a close race between Dobell and Andrew Miller for rampantly biased **** takes (I still remember the time Miller implied that Graeme Swann could be as great Shane Warne). I wonder if Dobell's departure has anything to do with his constant whinging about the Hundred (the success of which he compared to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan ).

 

[Spark]

Amongst the cricinfo staff it was always a close race between Dobell and Andrew Miller for rampantly biased **** takes (I still remember the time Miller implied that Graeme Swann could be as great Shane Warne). I wonder if Dobell's departure has anything to do with his constant whinging about the Hundred (the success of which he compared to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan ).

This is my suspicion too

 

[ataraxia]

Hear me out – cricinfo have, presumably accidentally, made a good change. I think that previously a player's last matches could only be seen for recent players, but now it's available for all. What was already a very interesting feature has become better.

... unfortunately, the list only includes tests and FC matches of importance that happen to have been uploaded onto the main cricinfo site, and not all the county matches etc. available through static.cricinfo. Sad tstl.