Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Monday's Newsround included an attempt to explain the rivalry between Celtic and Rangers football supporters.

Ricky: We sent Leah to the Final at Hampden Park yesterday to find out what young fans really feel about the tensions.

Leah: This is the first time that both sides have faced each other since the trouble a couple of weeks ago. And in just a few hours time this place will packed full of supporters from both sides. And like most big cities there are often footballing rivalries. But here the tensions go back hundreds of years, and it's all to do with religion. To start with Celtic fans were mainly Catholic, and Rangers, Protestant. And for that reason there's been friction between the two sides and they don't always get on. For some supporters the tension of years ago still matters today.

Leah spoke to two young supporters; one a Rangers fan and the other a Celtic fan. Neither approved of the violence. Leah ended her report hoping that the plans put in place to stamp out the violence really make a difference.

But apart from Leah's entreaty, CBBC doesn't exactly encourage tolerance or good behaviour. Not even between friends.

Take yesterday's Newsround. On of the news reports was about a revolutionary new way of teaching football in Scotland. The idea is to use smaller pitches, goalposts and fewer players in teams. Experts think it will get kids more involved in the game.

But after the report came the sofa chat between Ore and Sonali -

Ore: Iain Stirling would have loved to have had that programme when he was back at school. He's rubbish. He really is.

Sonali: Say it to his face.

Ore: Yeah I will do, when he's back in the morning.

Sonali: We're gonna talk about rubbish playgrounds now, not rubbish players. ..


That was just the latest in a series of put-downs CBBC presenters have made against each other, perhaps in jest, but without considering their behaviour could encourage playground taunts and bullying.

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