Monday 9 August 2010

Hark the Herald: Drawings scupper Saints pic ban



The Plymouth Hearld website is carrying Roy of the Rovers style illustrations of the Plymouth Argyle match away against Southampton on Saturday to show how it countered a ban on its photographers covering the game.
The drawings, by city historian and Herald contributor Chris Robinson, were commissioned in response to Southampton Football Club's controversial decision to attempt to force newspapers to buy photos from a single accredited agency. They were used alongside pictures released by Plymouth Argyle of their players in their 1-0 season-opening win at St Mary's.
The Herald, along with many other media outlets, had refused to buy the "official" images from Southampton.
The Herald's editor, Bill Martin, said: "It's outrageous that a football club is blocking photographers from covering something which is of much interest and importance to many people. All credit to Argyle for putting the best interests of fans, their players and their sponsors first and publishing their own photographs."
Via HoldtheFrontPage
  • Press Gazette reports today that Southampton Football Club's plan to ban all photographers bar one agency from its ground this season appears to have run into trouble already. It says: "The club informed media last week that it had made a deal with Digital South photo agency for it to have a monopoly on photojournalism at home games this year and then syndicate pictures to other media. But agency boss Robin Jones has now revealed that he has refused to sign the deal with the club. And Telegraph Media Group has announced that it will not use any photos provided under such a deal. The Sports Journalists Association has also recommended that no sport or picture editors use Southampton photos provided under such a deal."

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