Welcome to our weekly podcast. This week Hannah is back in the hosting chair and talks about the differences between plans and goals and recounts the time she went to the desert and it snowed on her.
Following that Hannah has a chat with our Publisher, Mark about our recent coverage of the BLM and the issues around systemic racism within the mountain biking world and why, as a mountain bike media company we are also tackling the bigger issues that some would rather we left alone.
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Not going to read the comments on that article, but I did join and leave the FB group for Downtime Podcast within a day after they reposted with a cheer with something from the RAF, that also mentioned Elbit sponsorship – an arms company with a less than stellar record, whose drones are suspected to have been used in Gaza and by the Myanmar’s military against Rohingyas.
For the same reason I hate road cycling with their teams sponsored by authoritarian regimes and their boosters, I will never want to attend an MTB event where I have to accept and cheer on the companies enabling the killing and oppression of PoC. The whole industry, including the media smacks of diversity-washing than really trying to deal with anything structural.
Total respect to you all for discussing this, and the way you’ve handled it.
I’ve been genuinely staggered at the angry mouth breathing puddle drinkers on the various facebook posts. I thought as a group we were better than this, but it appears not.
BoardinBob +1
Carry on the good work all at STW.
It’s Chris from Downtime Podcast here. Just to be clear with Naadir I do not support or endorse anything that he has mentioned in his comment above. The Facebook group is a group which I put together for people to share their own tips and tricks and hopefully help each other out. This is a community, not my own views. One of the members has posted a video from the RAF Cycling Association because they think the trails look good, with which I have agreed. The Facebook group is a mountain bike community and has no affiliation to anything suggested in the above comment. I have just tried to do good things for the bike community all along, so I find the suggestions that Naadir has made very hurtful, however I apologise if what has been posted there has upset anyone.
I’m the one being hurtful? Imagine what it was like for me that was the first thing I see in your FB group?
We’re allowed to speak out, but not too much. The fine circumscribing of acceptable brown and black speech.
Therein ends my engagement with this community. Enjoy.
Chris, I think you and STW are doing a good job. You’re opening up conversations in a thoughtful manor. Media is a tough business if you want to broach any challenging subjects!
Singletrack mag is doing the right thing. Keep it going.
Yeah, I think whatever you do, someone won’t be happy with it. I will continue to do what I think is the best thing I can for the sport, and as long as the vast majority of my listeners are not taking issue with my content then I feel like I’m on the right path.
Naadir, if you’re still here, you’re very welcome to express your views, and I have listened and tried to take action by contacting you directly to find out what I had done to offend you and to ensure that I do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Unfortunately, you blocked me. In saying that I am hurt to hear your comments, I am expressing my feelings, in the same way you have. This is not a complaint towards you, it is a reflection of the fact that I do not want to upset anyone and to think that I may have done is something which hurts me and I take seriously.
Keep going with all the discussions biking or otherwise.
People will complain no matter what, particularly where it might challenge their preconceived ideas.
I was saddened to hear of the person who felt unwelcome by the comments in the two articles you mention, particularly as it has had an impact on their riding. I find these articles challenging and enlightening and I look forward to more of them. Keep up the good work, STW gang and if that person is ever in the Beds area, give me a shout and we can head out for a ride. You can talk about whatever you like, although it will probably eventually descend into alien abductions and other such nonsense.
Keep up the good work folks. Mountain biking exists as part of a broader ecosystem and to ignore anything without two wheels bolted to it is blinkered at best. Brand marketing depts exist to show us glittery tech and fresh edits. Journalism exists to inform and challenge. Hannah et al, stick to the latter, please.
Well done STW! This is important stuff and you’re doing a great job of it.