The "Great" British Broadcasting Corporation

The BBC go out of their way to promote union, because they perceive it to be a part of the mainstream national culture, whereas there is still a perception of RL as being a northern M62 sport.

It isn't - I can happily report on Gloucester Uni's impressive victory in Newcastle against Northumbria in the elite student competition, that Loughborough beat Hull and St mary's (London) beat UCLAN in the same competition, while Exeter are unbeaten at the top of the Premier South Division, and Bristol Sonics are already into their pre-season for the 2012 competition. But it's how it's preceived.

In comparison, the BBC news team has a 'North of England' correspondent. They don't, however, have a south of England correspondent, because they regard the south of England as [ibeing [/i mainstream England. That's why they also report on union as a matter of course, and on league less frequently.

It's coverage, then, is reflective of the depth and experience of the respective codes in southern England, which the BBC regards as 'real' England, and in the background and experience of the editors and journalists, who disproportionately reflect southern English graduates, many from a private educational background - even though, in numerical terms, there's not a huge amount to choose between them. But, as has been pointed out, its relative lack of coverge for league becomes self-perpetuating: the nation doesn't care so it's not reported; the nation deosn't know because it's not reported; the nation doesn't care because it doesn't know; the nation doesn't care so it's not reported; and so it goes, round and round.

Another reason why union gets coverage... it pays for it. Tens of thousands for column space in tabloids and broadsheets. Tens of thousands on all expenses paid trips to the World Cup for journalists, on condition that the game is covered. BBC doesn't take such payments, but it does follow the news agenda. If a story is in every paper, the broadcast media just can't ignore it.

For a start, the RFL hasn't got that kind of money. But, even if it did, how would Leigh Miners or Skirlaugh react if they suddenly started shelling out thousands to southern journalists, instead of supporting community the game at home. £20,000 would just about fly a single journalist around the world and support 6 weeks expenses in four star hotels, or it would pay a community coach for a year to deliver 2,000 hours of coaching. The RFU can afford both. We'd can barely afford the latter.

Complaints to the BBC, calls to national phone-ins, letters and comments to journalists and talkshow hosts, that's the way forward. Make the BBC understand what RL means to hundreds of thousands of people - albeit people they don't know, in communities which they don't know, in towns and cities they don't know, but which all pay licence fees to keep them in post.

Turing up and buying tickets and getting behind our game, getting involved with the local club or refereeing or playing touch or bringing mates along or starting a works' touch league etc etc etc... that's the other thing to do. Be proactive, make the game bigger, tell people how much it means and it matters, and do your bit.

A bit of positivity in the RL community? Maybe it could catch on. Maybe it could be what we're known for? Now, that would be a national news story!