Pougatch’s comment split opinion on X, with one football fan posting in response “That’s a bit much, Mark. In the context of the game they’re reporting on it is/could be a disaster, we can’t ban the use of a word because the situation at hand isn’t as bad as a completely unrelated event.”
Pougatch responded: “Sorry – it’s the first rule of broadcast journalism.”
The use of “disaster” is memorably part of commentary great Richie Benaud’s golden rules on how to broadcast. He once said: “Never say ‘That’s a tragedy or a disaster …’ – the Titanic was a tragedy, the Ethiopian drought a disaster, and neither bears any relation to a dropped catch.”
A minute’s silence was held across Liverpool to mark the 37th anniversary of Hillsborough this week. A bell at Liverpool Town Hall tolled 97 times and an instrumental version of You’ll Never Walk Alone was played in tribute to each of the men, women and children who died as a result of the terrace crush.
In an online statement, external Liverpool FC paid tribute to the 97 supporters on what it said was a “significant and poignant day”.
“Our thoughts on this significant and poignant day, as always, are with all those affected by the tragedy at Hillsborough and we pause in memory of the 97 fans who will never be forgotten,” the club said.
