David Beckham

[gina32]

Just watched on the sports bit of sky news that David Beckham played for his team yesterday, isn't that what he gets paid for???

[VHG]

I think the reason this is considered newsworthy is that David has been playing football in the USA for the last couple of years.

He recently signed for PSG in Paris, France and I think this was his first game for them, and first game in europe for a while.

So I agree it is hardly the biggest bit of news ever, but in this era of celebrity these things do make the news.

I also think the TV news media do like to cover "heavy" items like wars and disasters, but mix in some "lighter" items for balance.

This is where the "drop the dead donkey" phrase comes in. If a piece of important news comes in late you drop the "dead donkey" trivial item from the end of the news.

[Anngel]

Also, the fact that he is playing without injury is newsworthy. I seem to recall he had a somewhat checkered injury career at the USA team?

[DangerUXD]

Yes and Barrack Obama did some presidenting yesterday and Adele did some singing, Nick Clegg did some whinning and Cameron did some Prime ministering, the rugby teams of the 6 nations played some rufby ocer the weekend and eve Swanse joined the party with some "Socccerball". The media tends to have a fair amount of coverage based on people doing their jobs. I'm surprised you haven't noticed up to now.

[Arksided]

isn't that what he gets paid for
He's donated his wages to local charity in Paris, and maybe that's why its newsworthy... and lets be honest most of us don't have three million to donate.

[FredPuli43]

Is he really being paid to play? Surely raising the profile of PSG in the world and selling merchandise are much more important than playing for a few minutes per game.

It is good of him to give to charity. Mind, if he didn't, the only winners would be the 'fisc', the French Inland Revenue. He has to be paid some salary, since the fisc would query his working for nothing. But he may run foul of the French claim on a percentage of all income worldwide unless he doesn't get benefit, but he has it paid to charities. Otherwise he'd only be able to claim relief against income received in France. He's also living in a hotel, to avoid evidence of residence by buying or leasing a house, and he's contracted for less than six months, to avoid establishing evidence of residence by length of stay. And notice that his family is not with him, to further distance himself from being resident.

[Arksided]

blimey, they have a taxman in France as well.

[craft1948]

I would pay just to watch him being utterly gorgeous.........

[237SJ]

I met Becks at work a couple of weeks ago. He seemed a thoroughly nice bloke. Quiet and unassuming with a lovely, genuine smile. Too many tattoos though!

[cazzz1975]

its how the news is nowadays, they will donate a front page to cheryl cole getting a tattoo.

[Mrsspagnoli57]

The media circus that is brand Beckham rolls on and on.