Jim White launches bitter attack on Celtic fan media after Russell Martin’s Rangers exchange

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Fan media outlets have become a staple at Celtic media conferences.

For a number of years, Celtic podcasters and YouTubers have been allowed to ask questions of the players and manager, something fairly unique in British football.

In fact, one of the only other clubs to allow fan media questions is Rangers – and this led to an intense discussion between Russell Martin and another individual after the side’s defeat to Hearts on Saturday.

Brendan Rodgers’ incredible press conference ahead of Sunday’s Kilmarnock match was the latest example of how engaging media conferences can be – and adding fan-led outlets to the mix, in theory, adds to the fun.

But TalkSPORT’s Jim White has questions about this, raised in a rant when live on air with Simon Jordan.

Jim White incredulous at Celtic fan media in radio rant

When discussing Martin’s conference after the Hearts defeat, White was quick to blame it on the numerous fan media outlets being allowed in by the Glasgow clubs.

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Speaking live on White & Jordan, he said: “In that exchange yesterday that we heard between a reporter post-match and Russell Martin – I’m advised that it turns out to be a member of this so called ‘fan media,’ these days. Part of a podcast.

“He says that Celtic do the same, and Rangers seem to do it as well. A member of the fan media or several members get to sit with the real journalists and fire in questions.

“Is that advisable? You [Simon Jordan] always said to me to never have fans in the boardroom. But here we are in an after-match news conference, and they can fire in!?”

That any journalist thinks highly enough of themselves to talk down to fans like that is fairly staggering.

Is fan media here to stay?

The rise of YouTube and podcasts is giving more legitimacy to non-legacy forms of football media and journalism.

Does a rise in their audiences warrant a regular place at club media conferences? As long as those involved act with the level of professionalism you’d expect, you’d say that it does.

In this monologue, White comes across as simply not reacting well to change – change which is happening everywhere in the media sphere.

He may question their right to sit with the ‘real journalists’ – but given his lack of understanding of the topic, one may wonder who the ‘real journalists’ are here?