Seasoned Sunday Independent sports writer Dion Fanning uninteionally began a trend on Twitter this week when the news broke that he is leaving his post in the Sunday Paper to take up a new position with Sports Joe.
Many considered it to be an unusual move based on the traditional school of thought which dictates that working for a Sunday paper is the pinnacle for an aspiring sports journalist.
Off The Ball presenter preluded the paper review by inquiring about Fanning's Sports Joe venture and Fanning said that he is looking forward to the change.
''I'm really excited. It's a great opportunity. I think what they're doing at Sports Joe is really good and it's good to have a change. I didn't have any doubts.''
Sunday Paper Review time - @dionfanning and @ponyyelof are either side of @MolloyJoe pic.twitter.com/jrlBAJx7uL
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) March 27, 2016
''I worked for what I thought to be a great newspaper for years, when people were telling me it's a rag. Now that I'm leaving they think I'm working for The New Yorker so I'm not really interested in the media perception. I don't have any problem working for someone who believes in popular journalism.''
He went on to address one of the more divisive elements of online journalism - click bait.
''What does click bait mean? Everyone wants people to read their stories. You'll always have people saying 'oh this is just chasing numbers and hits.' And the only time people don't have a problem with chasing hits is when their article at the top of the most read category. Then suddenly people are very wise and they actually know what they're talking about.''
Joe Molloy added that while click bait journalism has its merits, there are dishonest forms of it where readers are misled and the article they end up reading does not correspond with the hints in the headline. Cliona Foley also soke positively about online journalism, revealing that it provides space for media outlets to post long form pieces when the newspapers don't have room for them.
Listen to the full interview and subsequent review of the Sports Pages.
