Dec

16

ESPN Looks at Its Journalistic Integrity

December 16, 2008 | by Keith | Categories Internet, Television | Comments Off

The monthly contribution by ESPN Ombudsman Le Anne Schreiber is another must read.  The following snipet was of particular interest to me…

Last July, when I first asked several ESPN executives why they did not have an official guidebook of journalistic standards and practices for their employees, I was told that such a document had been proposed several times, but there had never been much of an appetite for it. Apparently, the appetite has grown.

John Walsh, ESPN’s senior vice president and executive editor, has formed a committee, headed by Patrick Stiegman, vice president and executive editor/executive producer of ESPN.com, to create a standards and practices guidebook. Though still in development, it is likely to address such topics as sourcing, attribution of credit in reporting, editorial/advertising relationships and conflicts of interest.

A second committee, headed by Gary Hoenig, general manager and editorial director of ESPN Publishing, is working on guidelines for commentary. The guidebook will not only be put into the hands of all employees, it will be made available publicly (perhaps as a file on ESPN.com) so that fans can judge for themselves whether or not ESPN is meeting its own standards.

When I first read this it reminded me of our national educational system…where there are thousands of people who serve as “Assistant Superintendant of the 3rd Grade Math Curriculuum” at the local elementary school because we need are so hung up on meeting standards set by our federal and state educational leaders.  What happened to teachers teaching and students learning?  

At ESPN, why don’t the reporters report and the analysts analyze?  It really is that easy.

The journalistic standards at ESPN or any other newsroom for the trained reporters should already have been learned in high school and college.  For the ex-athletes who are hired as on-air talent, tell them this; If you are a game analyst, act as if you have no stake in the outcome of the game.  If you are a studio analyst, give us your honest opinion…whether you are a homer or not.  Those who do not follow these rules of thumb need not apply or are let go.

No need to over-think this.  Problem solved.


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