New Programme on Racism & Football Slams Interference in the Beautiful Game

London, United Kingdom, September 22, 2012 --(PR.com)-- WORLDbytes, the online citizen TV station, has today launched a new programme tackling racism in football. Entitled Views on the News: Racism & Football the programme sheds a fresh light on demands that football should ‘clean up its act’. Name calling, tweeting and sharing on Facebook can now get you locked up if it’s football related and involves an ‘ethnic qualifier’. But in this compelling programme, young volunteers ask, why is football in the frame anyway? Is bad language what qualifies as racism today? Are we so sensitive that we can’t cope with a few insults and need protection by a state which paradoxically still deports migrants?

In the programme, intercut with the infamous John Terry case and illustrative archive, Dr Stuart Waiton, author of “Snobs’ Law Criminalising Football Fans In An Age Of Intolerance” gets a grilling and his answers breach prevailing taboos on the subject. When asked why football shouldn’t be treated like a place of work where bad language and offensive behaviour are regulated, he tells us:

“Well if I was allowed to do slide tackles and shoulder barge my work mates into the office wall I might agree with you but I don’t. Football is an aggressive physical battle – and this is actually part of its beauty.”

Director Ceri Dingle said today “I think the excellent questions raised by volunteers are ones that should be debated far more widely. Dr Waiton deals assiduously with the issue, particularly the elitism, faux anti-racism and censoriousness that have much wider implications for society. I hope this programme goes some way to redressing a great imbalance in prevailing debate on the issue.”

The programme is available to watch on WORLDbytes at
http://www.worldbytes.org/views-on-the-news-racism-football-2/

WORLDbytes welcomes reproduction, embedding and sharing of this report.

For more information and interviews contact:
Ceri Dingle or Viv Regan at: info@worldbytes.org Tel: +44 (0)20 8985 5435

Notes to editors:
WORLDbytes is a unique online Citizen TV channel featuring reports and programmes created by young volunteers learning to shoot 'on the job'. Its programmes aim to get behind the headlines and promote a people-first perspective on a wide-range of issues. The channel's credo is "don't shout at the telly, change the message on it".

WORLDbytes is run by the education charity WORLDwrite, registered charity number 1060869. The charity champions quality citizen reporting and provides free film training to make this possible. The charity's website address is www.worldwrite.org.uk

WORLDwrite has an open door policy and encourages all-comers to get involved and recognise there are no limits to what's possible.

For more general information, please visit: www.worldwrite.org.uk & www.worldbytes.org