Liverpool have invited both the BBC and Sky Sports to meet club representatives in an attempt to ensure clear and accurate commentary around the Hillsborough disaster going forward.
The invitation comes after Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler was forced to apologise for remarks made over the tragedy, that took the lives of 97 Liverpool fans, that appeared to compare the incident to football hooliganism.
Tyler was speaking on the Today show on Radio 4 to mark the return of the Premier League season on Friday night, 30 years after the English top flight was rebranded.
Asked for his thoughts looking back to 1992, he made comments which could be seen as linking Hillsborough to wider 'hooligan-related issues'.
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The 76-year-old commentator said: "It was very pioneering. We didn't know quite how the [new] structure of the league would work, we certainly didn't know how satellite television as it was called in those days would work. But it was a great adventure. 3,000 live matches later...it does seem that it worked.
"You've got to remember that football was in a bit of a crisis at that time. We weren't that long after Hillsborough, and other hooligan-related issues as well. It was very much a difficult time for the game generally.
"It was seen as a bit of privatisation - taking it away from the public. In fact it's brought it back to the public I think. I would say that wouldn't I from my position? But I think it has worked extremely well.
"We've got better grounds. We've certainly got better training facilities. I think we've probably got better players although the old-timers would disagree a little bit. But the truth is, I think it's been very good for the industry and it's been a great export for the country as well."
The comments were roundly criticised on Friday morning, while the ECHO understands that some close to the Liverpool first team were appalled by the remarks. Mr Tyler later offered an apology in a statement on social media.
"This morning while discussing various crises facing football 30 years ago, I referred to some examples including the Hillsborough disaster and also controversy over hooliganism at matches. These are two separate issues. There is no connection at all between the Hillsborough disaster and hooliganism - I know that, and I was not implying that there was.
"I apologise sincerely and wholeheartedly for any misunderstanding.."
Liverpool hope their invitation will lead to extra caution around the discussion of what happened on April 15, 1989 and believe further guidance over what happened at the Leppings Lane end can help avoid such problems in the future.
It is understood that Sky themselves have responded to complaint emails about the issue, saying they “completely and understand” the “anger and frustration” from those hurt by Tyler’s radio interview.
In a reply email seen by the ECHO, Sky have said Tyler accepts he should have worded his answer differently and stated he knows there is no link between the tragedy and hooliganism within football in the 1980s.
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