Jon Birchall on his career-saving spreadsheet and how editors are supporting football freelancers during this crisis
‘When I was working at Domino's Pizza 10 years ago, I was trying to get freelance bits and bobs for some more experience in football. COVID-19 is going to be tough for a lot of freelancers, but if you add your details to this doc I'll share it with as many editors as possible,’ posted Jon Birchall, Head of Sport at Reach plc, on LinkedIn about two weeks ago. The ‘doc’ in question, this vital spreadsheet, came to our attention and we subsequently reshared it on our channel so it would reach more people. In these anxious and uncertain times, even more so now that Euro 2020 and the Olympics have been pushed back, this is one example of how the football (and wider sport) industry is pulling together to support each other professionally off the pitch. There are over 250 names on this list now and we had questions that Birchall was more than happy to answer below.
Why did you decide to start the spreadsheet and spread the word digitally?
Jon Birchall: The spreadsheet idea came from seeing many people in vulnerable industries talking about their concerns on social media as more COVID-19 news broke. It made me think about the people in our industry who were most at risk of disruption at a challenging time for the economy, with little to few safety nets to support them. I have freelanced in the past and know it can be a hand-to-mouth existence for many and without collaborative and supportive colleagues, I can imagine it is an uncertain and quite isolating period. This was just a small gesture to hopefully give people the opportunity to showcase their skills and to let them know that the industry wasn't turning away from them. I have shared the sheet with the editors from a number of titles and with my colleagues at the News Media Coalition, whose members include some of the largest publishers and broadcasters across the world.
How is COVID-19 specifically making this an unprecedented and exceptional situation for football freelancers?
Jon Birchall: The impact is two-fold really: the lack of matches and face-to-face contact with clubs and players naturally reduces the opportunity for certain types of coverage but there is also the danger that some publishers and employers pull back from covering sports at a time when I feel it is a great way of bringing online communities together. Not only will this impact more traditional match-going reporters and feature writers but also a new generation of digital freelancers who work across video, audio, social media and digital production, among many other things.
What has the response and feedback been?
Jon Birchall: Incredible. From freelancers responding in their hundreds to other journalists and editors reaching out to offer their time and advice, it has, for me, spoken to our industry's instinct to work closely together and to look out for one another. Journalism - and sports journalism in particular - can be an intense and competitive place but, as with wider society, it's important that we ensure those who need more support than most are getting it. I should point to the fantastic work being done by the likes of Julien Laurens and Carrie Brown whose efforts with the Football Writers Association and Sports Journalists Association to actively protect freelance journalists at this time have been extraordinary. There are many, many others out there who are doing whatever they can to help.
It has been rather serendipitous timing for us at Reach. We have launched a project in the last few days focused on producing more great content around football that isn't related to the outbreak of COVID-19. We have surveyed fans and monitored audience behaviours and it is increasingly clear that football supporters still care about their clubs and their players, even without the fixtures. We have been able to offer shift work to at least 10 of the people on the list in the last couple of days as a result of the project.
What's the end goal with this?
Jon Birchall: There are two clear end goals. Firstly, this crisis has brought to light just how exposed many people in our industry can be left in changing circumstances. It’s incumbent on all people like me to consider how we further protect the many freelance workers who do incredible work for us every day. The other goal, and more specific to this sheet, is to hopefully see more talented people finding work and bringing new, creative ideas to our industry.
How else can football freelancers (and not just journalists) be proactive and creative in this situation?
Jon Birchall: There are still many more questions than answers for sports media in the current climate. The health and wellbeing of our journalists are paramount and we will wait and see what comes from the leagues and governing bodies in terms of a clearer timeline for when and how sport could resume. For freelancers, I would suggest being proactive in contacting editors with original ideas and journalism. A great story remains a great story and readers, listeners and viewers will still respond to that. As I've said to my colleagues, this will temporarily change how we work, but not why we work.
Words: Felicia Pennant