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Bring Back the Biff - Will Facebook save Matty Johns' career?

18 May 2009 | 11:07 - By Jacquie Riddell

A week is an eternity in social media.

Already 20,000 - that's twenty thousand - Australians have formed a Facebook group to bring footballer Matty Johns back to the goggle box, just 6 days after the nation heard shocking revelations of group sex and just 3 days after Channel 9 suspended him from hosting The Footy Show.

Mine is not to pass comment on the subject matter, tempting as it is. That is the subject of another post! I will, however, marvel at the speed and ease in which thousands and thousands and thousands of people can mobilise in support of an issue. Courtesy of social media.

It is a wild west frontier and people can publish anything - just a cursory perusal of the aforementioned Facebook group left me angered about the vitriol which had been posted regarding the woman at the centre of the story.

The group plans to petition Channel 9 to put Matthew Johns back on air.

Of course, in this particular case there are bigger and more important issues for Channel 9 to consider than just people power. But it is fascinating because of its intensity, and will be interesting to see how organisations increasingly deal with new world feedback.

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Comments (5)

23 May 2009 16:35 AEST

peter

From: cremorne nsw

Mattie Johns

If u take a girl out 4 the night r ask her back to ur motel room; then you should make sure nothing bad happens to her. and at the very least not hand her over to 10 r 12 other men to use. It is clear in this case that Mr Johns failed to care for the girls health r safety. I would like to ask Mr Johns one question. Would he throw his wife on a bed and allow 12 men to have sex with her ?

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23 May 2009 5:14 AEST

Phil

From: Ermington

Who are we to judge

Let him or her who is without sin cast the first stone

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21 May 2009 20:38 AEST

Stuart John Pearson

From: Port Macquarie NSW

Matthew Johns

Considering what Sam Newman did was able to get back on the AFL Footy Show pretty quick then I think that Matthew Johns should not take too long to be back on the Rugby League Footy Show ASAP. For all you SBS Football fans Matthew and his brother Andrew played Football as boys at Cessnock besides Rugby League and Andrew has been to some Newcastle United Jets games at Energy Australia Stadium. Let's hope that the Western Grandstand at the EAS will have a Jets and Knights person's name on it.

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21 May 2009 19:30 AEST

peter

From: cremorne nsw

matties mates

If mattie johns and his eleven mates were muslims and not nrl footballers they would all be doing 30 yrs in the big house by now.

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19 May 2009 19:44 AEST

Stefano

From: South Yarra

Broadcast and merchandising rights

Hell, now it's climbed to 170,000 supporters. Nothing like a little incendiary media to fan the flames. Maybe someone should start a facebook site opposed to Matthew Jones with their own Media Liaison Officer (ideally one that can spell). Two sides going head to head over the net. You don't even need a ball or a stadium. But who gets the broadcast and merchandising rights?

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About this Blog

 

Jacquie Riddell

has over 20 years experience in senior roles in media. She has managed television and radio stations, created new programs and digital initiatives, and developed famous marketing initiatives. When not changing the media landscape with new ideas, she can be found frolicking at the beach or struggling with padmasana on a tatty old yoga mat.

 
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