Comments on: The Goods on ESPN- Part 2: Making It Better http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:57:00 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Cheap Shots #71: Marketing The First-Year Coach? « Signal to Noise http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/comment-page-1/#comment-94 Cheap Shots #71: Marketing The First-Year Coach? « Signal to Noise Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:31:51 +0000 http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/#comment-94 [...] A suggestion for fixing the Four-Letter. [Sports Media Journal] [...] [...] A suggestion for fixing the Four-Letter. [Sports Media Journal] [...]

]]> By: Brad James http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/comment-page-1/#comment-92 Brad James Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:21:13 +0000 http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/#comment-92 I just want ESPN Classic to eschew its poker coverage. On this, perhaps my favorite of the ESPN family of networks, I think that rebroadcasts of classic games should be even more prevalent. Stump the Schwab's okay, but otherwise its programming should consist of Celtics-Lakers of the '80's, previous World series games, etc. We need to get that Arliss garbage off the air. If Disney wants to cram reality programming down our throats, please create another channel, similar to ESPNU, and make it a premiere channel so it's not available to those who only purchase basic Dish Network or Direct TV packages. If it's specialized programming, those who want to endure such drivel should have to pay an additional fee. I just want ESPN Classic to eschew its poker coverage. On this, perhaps my favorite of the ESPN family of networks, I think that rebroadcasts of classic games should be even more prevalent. Stump the Schwab’s okay, but otherwise its programming should consist of Celtics-Lakers of the ’80’s, previous World series games, etc. We need to get that Arliss garbage off the air. If Disney wants to cram reality programming down our throats, please create another channel, similar to ESPNU, and make it a premiere channel so it’s not available to those who only purchase basic Dish Network or Direct TV packages. If it’s specialized programming, those who want to endure such drivel should have to pay an additional fee.

]]> By: WayOutWest http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/comment-page-1/#comment-88 WayOutWest Thu, 04 Oct 2007 01:15:34 +0000 http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/#comment-88 You obviously aren't a business person - look up 'synergy'. No way they break it up. Hire an ombudsman with cojones - review all segments for conflict of interest - crack the heads of the offenders. Have a West Coast office - e.g. Vegas - to do the late night programming with a West Coast Bias - for us. Reign in the silly 'reporter as the star' idiots - someone gets too big for their britches - e.g. Stu - and they gone and end up doing infomercials in Little Rock. Leave the spelling bee and other silliness for ABC - stick to pure sports. Tone down the PC (Political Correctness) - women's sports aren't at the same level as their male counterparts - don't try to convince us otherwise. You obviously aren’t a business person – look up ’synergy’. No way they break it up. Hire an ombudsman with cojones – review all segments for conflict of interest – crack the heads of the offenders. Have a West Coast office – e.g. Vegas – to do the late night programming with a West Coast Bias – for us. Reign in the silly ‘reporter as the star’ idiots – someone gets too big for their britches – e.g. Stu – and they gone and end up doing infomercials in Little Rock. Leave the spelling bee and other silliness for ABC – stick to pure sports. Tone down the PC (Political Correctness) – women’s sports aren’t at the same level as their male counterparts – don’t try to convince us otherwise.

]]> By: Pete http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/comment-page-1/#comment-84 Pete Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:39:11 +0000 http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/#comment-84 When you first suggesting paring the system from 4 arms to 3, it didn't appear like it'd have that much of a dramatic change, but I think you nailed it with the important distinctions ESPN needs to make if they want to be taken seriously. It seems like most of the angst over the network lies in that gray area they inhabit between journalism and analysis. And it makes sense, considering a news report on a game is instantly kicked over to a talking head for his editorial input on Sportscenter. And then when you throw in anchors, the "serious" journalists of the bunch, who are dedicated to injecting their personality into their reporting, that goes pretty heavily against the journalistic code. If the Wall Street Journal published a news report on Burma, then at the end of the story began an editorial about the situation, it would similarly rub readers the wrong way. Of course, there's nothing wrong with bringing in former players and experts for their analysis, but I think you're right in that those boundaries need to be better defined. Right now, I think ESPN is trying to be all things to all people, and satisfying none. In an empire as big as theirs, there certainly is room to be had for all their projects, but the current practice of smashing them all together piecemeal creates a frustrating and confusing viewing experience. ESPN can be news. It can be entertainment. It can be game broadcasts. Just stop trying to make it be all at once. Nice work. When you first suggesting paring the system from 4 arms to 3, it didn’t appear like it’d have that much of a dramatic change, but I think you nailed it with the important distinctions ESPN needs to make if they want to be taken seriously.

It seems like most of the angst over the network lies in that gray area they inhabit between journalism and analysis. And it makes sense, considering a news report on a game is instantly kicked over to a talking head for his editorial input on Sportscenter. And then when you throw in anchors, the “serious” journalists of the bunch, who are dedicated to injecting their personality into their reporting, that goes pretty heavily against the journalistic code.

If the Wall Street Journal published a news report on Burma, then at the end of the story began an editorial about the situation, it would similarly rub readers the wrong way.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with bringing in former players and experts for their analysis, but I think you’re right in that those boundaries need to be better defined.

Right now, I think ESPN is trying to be all things to all people, and satisfying none. In an empire as big as theirs, there certainly is room to be had for all their projects, but the current practice of smashing them all together piecemeal creates a frustrating and confusing viewing experience.

ESPN can be news. It can be entertainment. It can be game broadcasts. Just stop trying to make it be all at once.

Nice work.

]]> By: Sports Media Journal is Even-Handed about ESPN « The Extrapolater http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Sports Media Journal is Even-Handed about ESPN « The Extrapolater Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:59:16 +0000 http://sportsmediajournal.com/2007/10/03/the-goods-on-espn-part-2-making-it-better/#comment-83 [...] Suggestions for Fixing the Problem [...] [...] Suggestions for Fixing the Problem [...]

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