Surf Journalism: "An endless summer of sycophancy" ???

[Kunji]

An interesting read from The Australian...

THE objective of surfing magazines is simple: get readers "stoked" on the dreamy pursuit of perfect waves and a cool culture. They achieve this, albeit with shockingly low grammatical standards, making them the ideal promotional vehicle for the multi-billion-dollar surf industry.

But, like all things, surfing is not that simple.

So what happens when the dream is shattered, as it was recently by the alleged racism of a popular world champion, or, to take two other examples from recent years, a former world champion dropping off the tour allegedly to go into drug rehab, or an influential photo-journalist being kicked off the tour for life for repeated sexual misconduct?

Silence. Surf journalists are conditioned not to rock the boat. Most of them are enticed into the customarily low-paid profession by the promise of occasional surf trips, cheap equipment and hanging around with pro surfers. Accurately and fearlessly reporting the sport often comes a distant second.

"The surf media are gutless," says 1977 world champion Shaun Tomson. "They are controlled by their advertisers. It's quite simple."

Tomson, South African born now living in California, was astonished when he read online in The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald last month that world champ Mick Fanning had, in an uncharacteristic outburst, called Charlie Smith, a journalist for surf magazine Stab, a "f . . king Jew" during a confrontation in Hawaii in December.

Smith, who is not a career surf journalist (an American, he is a graduate of international relations and formerly taught literature at UCLA), published his account of the encounter in Stab, a magazine that has traditionally demonstrated recklessness towards the concerns of advertisers (disclosure: I am friends with Stab's owner, Sam McIntosh, and editor Derek Rielly, and have worked with both).

Fanning responded by hiring a lawyer to request that Stab pull the issue off the shelves. It did, but only because a new edition was due anyway.

It was then that the story came to the attention of The Australian and the Herald, and subsequently Tomson. The latter, who is Jewish himself, has since badgered every surf magazine editor he knows to follow up the story, to no avail.

On his own website, Fanning said he was trying to be ironic, and apologised unreservedly for any offence he caused. At the time of the outburst, Fanning was responding to Smith writing unkind things about him, including that he was a "boring" person, his surfing was "uninspiring" and his dress sense was questionable. Fanning has made no other comments about the issue since.

Only one of the world's major publications -- Surfer magazine in California -- has since broached the topic in a blog by writer Zach Weisberg.

He used Fanning's outburst as a hook for a debate about racism in surfing in general. He found his readers generally sympathetic towards Fanning. "I was really impressed by the level of intellect among the readers. Considering the delicate nature, it could have gone a lot worse. A lot of our readers understood that Mick made a mistake. There was an understanding that inappropriate language had become common, and they forgave him."

Nevertheless, the blog was removed from the site by publisher Tony Perez after only two days.

"There was pressure from advertisers," Weisberg says. So who tried to stifle the debate? I contacted three of Fanning's major sponsors. Two of them -- Dragon sunglasses and Red Bull -- said they had not contacted Surfer or tried to influence the magazine's editorial department. The other main sponsor, Rip Curl, and Perez, did not return my calls. Rip Curl has not, however, tried to stand over Stab. In what may be a sign of an advertiser nobly maintaining an arm's length editorially -- at least in Australia -- Rip Curl has not complained to McIntosh about the Fanning story. Its relationship with the magazine remains cool but cordial.

So why did the other Australian titles ignore the topic?

Luke Kennedy, editor of Tracks, one of Australia's biggest selling titles, says the debate would only have promoted the opposition. "If I thought Mick Fanning was an anti-Semite, then I would have made it more of an issue. But I don't think his intention was (to be racist)," Kennedy says. "It was an unfortunate choice of words."

Besides, Kennedy says, Tracks doesn't shirk controversy, citing debates about a surf contest at Gnaraloo, Western Australia, and French surfer Jeremy Florez's complaints about the supposed regional favouritism of contest judges, as stories that could have offended advertisers.

Kennedy adds, however, that controversy is not a big part of his brief. "The main objective of surf titles is to inspire someone to go surfing," he says. However, two issues have emerged that should have sparked the surf media into action. On both occasions, the journalists did not cover themselves in glory. This includes one former world champ who mysteriously failed to turn up at contests and appeared to be having some kind of breakdown. Rumours were rampant that his problem was drugs.

Surf forums and blogs have published speculation about the surfer's drug problem. US surf journalist Lewis Samuels is one who interviewed the champion, but found the surfer's manager would vet his interview.

Samuels is sanguine about having to "play the game" and even respected the need for privacy for the former world champion during a difficult time. But what he can't tolerate is editors who cave in to the commercial interests of advertisers, which he says is common in the US.

He was commissioned by Surfer magazine to write critiques of the surfing ability of all 45 surfers on the pro tour. The piece was critical of some. It was pulled from the magazine and Samuels reckons he knows why. "When the surf media pulls a story, it's not because the publishers are worried about hurting a surfer's feelings -- they're worried about hurting a surfer's ability to sell boardshorts.

"The publishers are terrified of offending sponsors and thereby losing advertising dollars." There was no response to requests for comment from Surfer.

Similarly, when veteran Australian photo-journalist Paul Sargeant was banned from the pro tour for life in 2005 over allegations of sexual misconduct, not one magazine mentioned it, despite Sargeant having at one stage been the most prolific and influential surf journalist in the world.

I eventually wrote a 7000-word investigation of Sargeant's transgressions in 2007, which was published in Stab. In it I pointed out that Sargeant's behaviour had been an open cause for concern for a decade before 2005, and in a subsequent online debate accused other surf journalists of deliberately ignoring an important story. None denied doing so.

The occasionally conflicting interests of readers and advertisers place a huge burden on surf magazine editors, most of whom are only in it for the fun. But Weisberg says their compromises come at a cost to the culture itself.

"In a lot of ways the surf industry insulates itself from the consequences of transgressions. In some ways that fosters a more fraternal environment - people are friendlier with each other. But it comes to the detriment of the culture of the sport, where the participants aren't held to the highest of standards."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/busines ... 5849637570

[onawave]

awesome write up.

i however agree with this part:

Luke Kennedy, editor of Tracks, one of Australia's biggest selling titles, says the debate would only have promoted the opposition. "If I thought Mick Fanning was an anti-Semite, then I would have made it more of an issue. But I don't think his intention was (to be racist)," Kennedy says. "It was an unfortunate choice of words."

reading the original australian article, it sounded pretty much mick was just using this quote as a stereo type. however, the douche should be more careful with his words. you cant afford to do something like that with the type of visibility he has... its just plain stupid.... just not racist...

[jimmy]

Fred is a mate of mine and one of the nicest blokes you will ever meet..

Its a shame that someone with as much insight as him is a virtual outlaw in the surfing industry.. Not that he gives a rats arse though.. He just calls it as he sees it..

[daisy]

cheers for posting this, interesting read.

However, two issues have emerged that should have sparked the surf media into action. On both occasions, the journalists did not cover themselves in glory. This includes one former world champ who mysteriously failed to turn up at contests and appeared to be having some kind of breakdown. Rumours were rampant that his problem was drugs.

interesting also that even Fred Pawle's own article in the Australian doesn't name names in this case. it is presumably an open secret who is referred to.

[LONGINUS]

I don't have any other sporting interests outside of surfing so can someone who reads other sporting magazines help me out on this. Is this problem peculiar to surf mags? Holy shit are there actually magazines dedicated to golf and crap like that?

I wonder if Richard Branson would be interested in funding a magazine called "Independent Surfer" - might shoot him an email

[Beanpole]

Anyone read the Roy Masters article in the herald a few months ago where he pointed out that surfing is now the only sport where the sponsors directly control the competition?

He also looked at the discrepancy between male and female prize money and the lack of input from the competitors manifest in the attempts to set up rogue tours.

[murrum]

I don't have any other sporting interests outside of surfing so can someone who reads other sporting magazines help me out on this. Is this problem peculiar to surf mags? Holy shit are there actually magazines dedicated to golf and crap like that?

I wonder if Richard Branson would be interested in funding a magazine called "Independent Surfer" - might shoot him an email

I ride mtnbikes a fair bit (perfect onshore and flat day fun) and read plenty of mags that I get from my bike shop working uncle. the quality of magazine - writing, layout and general critique of the sport and equipment varies a lot. Aussie mags are generally average and generally follow the standard surf mag genre of not rocking the boat. But their are a couple that really don't pull punches, particularly when reviewing equipment that are obvious advertisers, or when reviewing races and racers and are happy to call a spade a spade - best of this bunch is Dirt, form the UK. There are others that provide great storytelling along the same lines as Surfers Path, and older versions of Surfing World - these being Singletrack and Dirt-Rag.
The big difference is that surf mags are selling clothing from an industry so heavily dominated by three big players and that it disappeared up its own arse a long time ago. Mountain biking is still 'lifestyle marketed' but the sport is much more fragmented so the mags aren't so prescriptive and image focused.
That being said, DH racing recently changed their rules to ban tight fitting clothing to make the sport more 'extreme' image friendly - but there was plenty of open debate about that in mags.
Although I surf most days, way more than I ride, I would definitely buy a good mtb mag before I would even consider a surf mag, primarily because of the quality of the writing and articles.

[LONGINUS]

Nice one Mur,

What is the quality of the Aussie bike titles like that are owned by Morrison (ASL) and Next Media (TRACKS) like?

[carvin marvin]

And he irons his undies.

[zumabeach]

Fred Pawle's rave about the surfing media in The Australian is a joke because if he dared look closer to home - the media at the big end of town, for example - he would admit that sycophancy greases its money-making wheels. Do you think motoring writers pay for their trips to European and U.S. motor shows? No, the car companies launching new models do. Do you think travel writers pay for their trips to the four corners of the globe. No, travel companies and tourism authorities wanting to push exotic destinations do. Do you think computer writers pay for their trips to new model launches in New York or Paris? No, the computer companies do. The media in all its forms is a mutual back scratching exercise - and those associated with Stab who have worked both of the media-corporate fence have no doubt taken and given as it suited them.
Also, Fred attacks the supposed lack of surf media interest in the Mick Fanning-Charlie Smith "F...ing Jew" incident. The oldest trick in a reporter's play book - this coming from someone who worked as one in the mainstream media for longer than he cares to remember - is to wind up the subject enough so that he/she says something stupid to give you a headline - which Fanning admittedly did. Big deal. For a bottom feeder like Stab, the New Idea of surf publications, to suddenly take the moral high ground on this is simply laughable. So if Fanning had called Smith - whoever he is anyway - a "F...ing Septic Tank" would that have been OK? Spin us another one, Fred.
The story's one saving moment is the stuff about Sarge. But if his goings-on were an open secret for more than a decade, as Fred says, why didn't someone, Fred maybe, go to the cops long before? In the end, a whole lot of names got thrown around in print ... and everyone, the guilty and innocent, were left to pick up the pieces. Of course, it's always been the media's way - publish and to hell with the consequences because tomorrow they'll have a brand new sensation to beat the living shit out of anyway. It's the today it's Iraq tomorrow it's Afghanistan principle.
Quite simply, surf journalism is crap - for people who can't read about people who can't talk by people who can't write.

[chrisb]

cheers for posting this, interesting read.

However, two issues have emerged that should have sparked the surf media into action. On both occasions, the journalists did not cover themselves in glory. This includes one former world champ who mysteriously failed to turn up at contests and appeared to be having some kind of breakdown. Rumours were rampant that his problem was drugs.

interesting also that even Fred Pawle's own article in the Australian doesn't name names in this case. it is presumably an open secret who is referred to.

And he irons out the issues

Very 'andy that you mentioned that.

[murrum]

^Yeah travel and motoring, maybe their integrity is light on - I would say its a shedload better than surf mag equipment coverage. You cant and don't put surf mags in the same basket as newspapers - unless its the Daily Terror, or the wankfests that are lifestyle liftouts - The (Sydney) Magazine - FCUK OFF.

Nice one Mur,

What is the quality of the Aussie bike titles like that are owned by Morrison (ASL) and Next Media (TRACKS) like?

I don't think they are involved in Mountain bike mags. Australian Mountain Bike is aimed at the extreme youth end - I think owned by ACP - similar in style to tracks/waves/asl. Mountain Bike Australia (great name ) is more your 30+ male geek with a fitness fetish, maybe similar in style to a SUP magazine if one existed...

[revolutionsurfer]

I don't have any other sporting interests outside of surfing so can someone who reads other sporting magazines help me out on this. Is this problem peculiar to surf mags? Holy shit are there actually magazines dedicated to golf and crap like that?

I wonder if Richard Branson would be interested in funding a magazine called "Independent Surfer" - might shoot him an email

ha ha..I already beat him to with theindependentsurfer.com recently and one thing is for sure....I don't give two craps about insulting the entire magazine, name brand surfing company lot. I have been around it too long and know them for what they are. I need more Aussie articles though and I am just getting started. Mine is mostly written content or interviews. Shawn Tomson is right when he says they are all gutless, but I still don't know why he would be interested enough to follow whether or not the incident was properly published or reported. Joel Tudor once said all surfers smoke dope. Some likely found that offensive.

The write up was good, though I still find it funny everyone is so concerned about insulting Jews or other races with off hand remarks made in the heat of a moment, when it's done towards whites all the time with little said about it. If the guy was a member of the Jewish faith and called someone an F 'n Goy I seriously doubt anything would have been said and some who would normally be shocked and angered at the F' n Jew comment would likely have even thought it funny.

There are huge double standards with political correctness and the entire issue of race or bigotry. Some is considered unacceptable regardless of what anyone says... while other equally racist remarks are considered acceptable.

I think he was just pissed and said what he thought would sound the worst. Seriously.." Who cares? " It's not the worst thing that could happen and it's certainly not worth an article in any major publication. Folks are dying around the world for lack food, being killed in wars and right in both of our countries there is more than enough heart ache to go around and some folks are balling because someone said something insulting?

I think the article is correct about priorities and wrong that anything like this should be one.

The entire created industry plays to this type of behavior and when someone acts in the rebellious and thoughtless manner promoted by most all the rag companies and magazines...Then everyone acts..shocked.

[onawave]

There are huge double standards with political correctness and the entire issue of race or bigotry. Some is considered unacceptable regardless of what anyone says... while other equally racist remarks are considered acceptable.

this is true....

however, imho, no-one in any media facing situation should be talking about any kind of racism. even if its not meant, or exploiting a stereo type... mick and co get paid stupid amounts of money to be faces of massive brands pushing products which influences a whole lot of kids... he shouldnt be saying crap like this at all.

imagine if this happened in say soccer or to australianise it afl? actually it has already happened in afl when players made comments about our aboriginal players... it should just not happen in any professional sport... yes, mick didnt mean it, but he should know better.... i bet he has learnt his lesson now...

now to the matter of the crap that magazines print. yes a lot of it is bullshit. hence needing to search out good mags. sufers journal is a good one i can think of. but this topic has already been discussed.

[Davros]

I get my fill flicking through the pages of the surf mags. If I want to know about the dirt on people I'll flick through Who magazines in the denist waiting room or watch C9.However interesting to note the The Australian journos master Rupert Murdoch owns Fox news a news "service" dedicated to pushing the right winged Republican agenda in turn for powerful corporate and government allies. Write about that in the Australian and see how long you last.

[pinhead]

Its very interesting seeing what the interwebs are doing to the world order the mags and the surf brands had established. A bit of a trawl through most surf forums will reveal that 1/2 the posters seem to think pro surfing is pretty much a marketing exercise to sell over-priced tee shirts to no-surfers. In the old days mags would get passed around and left on coffee tables and the general public would get exposed to surf culture by osmosis. But how's that going to work with the web? No such thing as digital colateral. Worse still Google is the elephant in the room. Google seem to be creating a Youtube sports channel, streaming live events and highlights. This would be the sort of exposure the big surf brands dream of. Your average punter is clicking through the list of what's streaming now and see's the Ripcurl pro or whatever. The big brands would be able to reach the general public without risking losing their 'authenticity'. Google vs ESPN hmm wonder who win? with the democratisation of media via the web, the mags have lost the ability to influence surf culture and they've got some serious rivalry for the ad dollar.

[Shane Peel]

Pawle is a funny little joke to most surfers. Anyone with a texta and a postage stamp could write down what he knows about surfing. ALL media exists through the good grace of advertisers. As surfing is able to access various channels to broadcast to it's fans don't you think it makes sense to get the coverage from people who understand it best and that would be … Exactly the Surf Magazines. These guys produce the best content in partnership with the big surf companies and it's still YEARS or DECADES away before you will see regular companies spending anything even close to what the surf companies do on surfing. Pawle is just a puppet for the boys at Stab and good on em.Micks no anti-semite, a surfer may have done drugs (whooo ground breaking stuff) Dance, Fred Dance! Pity the Oz does not have a credible column on surfing.

[nosedrip]

I had no idea Andy Irons was Jewish..... Mick must hate that