Cablevision today announced the completion of a 97-percent purchase of Newsday. This is significant enough for me to link the story for you Firefox users.
The merger with Cablevision shouldn't have much of an impact on most of the sports department (actually this is great for sports because of how Cablevision plans to grow the paper and it has a strong interest in sports), but obviously it means something a little more for myself and my good friend Steve Zipay (he covers the Rangers for us and writes a very good and popular Rangers blog). Zip and I now officially cover teams that are owned by the same parent company that owns the newspaper.
Precarious, you say? Agreed.
But to be honest, and I can't speak for Zip, but I'm not that concerned about the potential for internal pressure from on-high about "favorable" coverage. I think Cablevision bought this newspaper to run it like a newspaper and, subsequently, employ me to cover the team with the proper amount of effort, analysis and criticism to maintain the credibility of the coverage. (Keep in mind we're not owned by the Knicks or Madison Square Garden. We are a subsidiary of Cablevision, just like they are.)
Therefore I don't expect to have to change much of what I've done over my first two seasons as the Knicks beat writer. I also don't expect to be given extra privileges, such as access or information sharing, that isn't available to my fellow beat writers. (OK, maybe not Starberman....just kidding...maybe not).
I have to be honest with you here and say I'm pretty excited to find myself -- a very proud Long Islander -- to be working for two of the Island's largest and most successful companies. I feel very confident about the future of Newsday at a time in our business where confidence is fading like the newsprint.
I figured to write this once the news broke about the acquisition to head off the concerns of some of you in Fixer Nation and elsewhere, regarding how Newsday's coverage of the Knicks may or may not change now that Cablevision owns the newspaper.
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
Comments (11)
"I'm not that concerned about the potential for internal pressure from on-high about "favorable" coverage"
Just wait til that first bonus check amounts to 25% of what it was last year. Imagine a company allowing one of its subsidiaries to beat up on another subsidiary in public. Not happening, it's just bad business. The business of business is to promote itself. Now you are part of that business. You are in a precarious situation indeed. It's like me walking into a meeting at work and bad mouthing my boss in front of people from other groups in the company. Remember what happened with Marv Albert because he was 'honest' and tried to remain 'credible' and refused to provide 'favorable coverage'.
Good luck with that. Let us know how it turns out.
Alan - You're the most fair and balanced Knick beat reporter out there, and I'm not expecting that to change at all. Keep doing your thing, and don't let the haters get to you too much.
"Alan - You're the most fair and balanced Knick beat reporter out there"
That's not saying much considering who you are comparing him to. I've read this blog for a long time and agree that it's the best one out there. This is only my second time posting and both times it's because I think Alan has been WAAAAAAAY off on his comments.
Also, what's up with all these Alan Hahn fanboys coming out in his defense every time someone has a differing opinion than him? I've noticed it in the past. Very creepy stuff.
Sucks that a guy who you would most likely be ripping on for being an awful owner is now your boss
Here's hoping all goes according to plan, Alan. It wouldn't surprise me at all if by mid-season, if you levied any criticism at all toward Dolan, that you were asked to tone it down.
Then you have the choice to make - risk your livelihood for honorable reporting, or wave the company flag and do as you're told.
I personally hope you don't have to make that choice.
My perception of Dolan (which is based entirely on what I have read from you, since I don't really seek out stories or info on him) is that he is a meddling, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, pain in the ass. I have little regard for people like that, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if his people approach you to tone it down if you criticize.
Again, hoping that never happens, but I hear Donaghy is taking bets...
Alan, your the best beat writer that covers the Knicks. If you change the way you cover them because of this I will hunt you down and force you to watch the 104-59 blowout to the Celtics last year repeatedly.
A fate worse than death you might say, but the ghost of Bison Dele probably disagrees.
Alan
i am not worried.
you give a fair and balanced view of the knicks.
even when we sucked last year you tried to be positive
while other papers spent all their time bashing the knicks
you were looking to the future
Cablevision has nothing to fear
so hopefully they let you do your thing
Dolan in charge of Newsday is like putting Richard Nixon in charge -- with two exceptions.
Although Nixon and "Baby" James Dolan are both paranoid about the press, Tricky Dick had a brain and was not handed his empire by his daddy.
Alan I love your blog. But, now your hands will be tied. Just write something that rubs Baby James Dolan the wrong way and you will be exiled like Marv Albert when he told the truth about the Knicks and MSG. Forget about telling the truth about anything having to do with MSG. Welcome to news KBG style and lets hope that you are able to avoid Siberia.
R.I.P. Newsday's unbiased reporting. And yet another NY newspaper bites the dust as did the FOX-and-Murdock-owned rags.
Alan's just glad Chuck Dolan's punk hasn't fired him.
Yet.
The Vegas Over/Under on Hahn's Axing at Newsday is Dec. 15, 2008.
Two offshore books, and a setup in London, will give you 7:9 odds that Hahn is fired in the visiting locker room at the Garden.
Alan,
Take my advice and sell out. Say great things about Walsh, D'Antoni and Dolan. You can beat up on the players for selfish reasons, not hustling, lack of focus, selfishness etc.(with the exception of Gallo and Duhon.
You live in LI. Where else you gonna find a gig like this? Not in LI.
If you sell your home and move you're gonn atake a huge haircut in this market.
At the end of the day you will have to swallow your pride and do what's best for your family.
Trully yours,
Director
Alan,
Take my advice and sell out. Say great things about Walsh, D'Antoni and Dolan.
DIRECTOR,
Al passed the toll booth on the LIE Road to self-enrichment and personal backside coverage awhile back. Get with the program.