Monthly Archives: February 2010
Sports Media Weekly Podcast #24- Dave Sims, Westwood One
Thanks for checking into the latest edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.
During our news segment Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites and I once again talk about how NBC is handing its coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. On the table is how the ratings and the programming choices by NBC may impact the next round of Olympics bidding for the 2014 and 2016 Games.
Ken and I also touch upon the two week suspension by ESPN of Tony Kornheiser from his PTI gig following the remarks he made last week about Hannah Storm’s wardrobe. Both Ken and I feel ESPN may have overreacted a bit.
Our guest this week is sportscaster Dave Sims. Dave is famous for his radio and television play-by-play of college basketball as well as his work as the voice of Sunday Night Football on Westwood One. Dave is also handles television ply-by-play for the Seattle Mariners.
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Boone to Join ESPN
12 year Major League veteran Aaron Boone is retiring from baseball and will become an analyst at ESPN. The WWL says Boone will serve as an analyst on Baseball Tonight and also see spot duty as a commentator on game telecasts.
From ESPN PR:
“It is with a sense of pride, sadness, and enthusiasm that I formally announce my retirement after 16 years of professional baseball,” Boone said. “It has been a privilege and honor to have played in the Major Leagues for 12 seasons for six different clubs.
“While it’s tough to leave the game as a player, I am eager to start my next career with my new team at ESPN. I am very grateful that I’ll be able to stay in the game as an ESPN analyst and work with people who share the same passion for baseball that I do. I really appreciate ESPN giving me the opportunity to evolve in the sport that I love.
Jay Levy, ESPN senior coordinating producer, said, “As a player, Aaron was a tremendous competitor known for one of baseball’s most dramatic postseason walk-off home runs. He offers an important perspective, being recently removed from the game and having deep baseball roots, which will make him a great addition to our team.”
Sports Media Once Again Play the Entitlement Card
The latest in the Tiger Woods saga will play out this morning at the TPC at Sawgrass where Woods will make his first public statement since his private life became the focus of all things media following his minor traffic accident the day after Thanksgiving.
News will be made today as Woods is expected to offer an appology to his fans for his past indiscretions and possibly give us an idea as to when he will return to the PGA Tour.
But even before Woods makes his statement the media is making news over the ground rules for today’s event. The Woods camp has invited a select group of reporters and personal confidants to attend the event, saying that the world’s #1 golfer will make his statement and not take questions. A televised feed of the statement will be made available to all media housed at a hotel about a mile away from the TPC.
But for some members of the media that arrangement is not acceptable. Three media spots at today’s event were reserved for members of the Golf Writers Association of America. In a show of unity the GWAA announced they will not fill those seats. The Associated Press, Reuters, and Bloomberg News have also been invited to cover the statement and have accepted those slots.
The GWAA, and others who have been critical of how the Woods event is being organized, feel that more reporters should be allowed to cover the statement on site and those reporters should be allowed to ask questions. They are once again playing the entitlement card.
I agree that limiting the number of press allowed to cover the event on site is not a good idea. I have no problem with the Woods camp telling the media that the golfer will not be answering questions.
As I mentioned in a post after the events of last fall came into focus, in this case Woods owes the media nothing. If he chooses not to take questions at this time, he has the right to do so. When he returns to the PGA Tour reporters will have every opportunity to ask him questions. And Woods has every right not to answer them, and should especially if they deal with his personal life.
The media should stop wasting time riding their high horse and cover this event as what it is. Stop complaining. You look pathetic.
Dan Levy at the Sporting Blog has a great piece somewhat echoing my position.
Journalism’s Fading Future: A Lost Generation?
It’s not uncommon these days to hear public discussion of the future of journalism.
Whether its a way to monetize online content already available or stream daily headlines to the millions of prospective tablet owners, journalism, as it so often does, has money on the brain.
But behind the scenes, off the front pages, there’s another, private battle journalism is waging against itself.
Journalism is literally starving itself to death.
Sports Media Weekly Podcast #23
We have an abbreviated edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast for this week.
It’s just Ken Fang from Fangs Bites and I as we discuss the early coverage by NBC of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Both Ken and I are disappointed that NBC is not showing more marquis events live. Instead they are tape delaying the coverage for the prime time audience.
Ken and I also discuss how a pothole ruined the ratings for Fox at the Daytona 500. We also speculate what will come from Tiger Woods as he is set to make a public statement this Friday.
For those of you who missed it, catch Ken and I as we talk with Kenny Mayne of ESPN in a podcast produced earlier this week.
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