"Lazy Media"
By Ken Berger
In response to Burf's post, I just wanted to lay out for everyone how it came to be that all the beat writers interviewed Schottenheimer at the same time and wrote the story on the same day.
Before I do that, I want to say that Burf's premise is not at all out of line. It frustrates me, especially during the season, when many of the beat writers have the same angles day after day. More on that later.
In this particular instance, a little background: Several writers, myself included, have been requesting to speak with Schottenheimer for months but have been told that he wasn't available. Many of us covered all or most of the three-day minicamp last week and didn't have access to any assistant coaches.
The Jets decided that with minicamp over and Schotty's schedule opening up a bit, yesterday would be a good time to trot him out, have him meet the writers, take questions, etc. Given the access restrictions, the only fair way to do this was to invite everyone to sit down with him at the same time.
Now if you're a Jet fan who reads Newsday and the other papers, too, I would imagine you would be quite puzzled if I decided not to write Schottenheimer yesterday and instead came up with an offbeat feature instead just to be different. We're still in the news business, and the news of the day was Schottenheimer discussing his offense, his quarterbacks, his personal history, etc., so Jet fans could get to know him a little bit. There was never any question in my mind, from a news judgment and fan standpoint, that Schottenheimer was the story.
In a perfect world, media access to your team wouldn't be so tightly controlled -- especially during the season. But as a student of journalism, you should know that reporters get 45 minutes of locker room access four days a week to the players. Unfortunately, more often than not one of two things occurs: There is a no-brainer news angle that day that everyone feels compelled to write, or the writers have access to only a handful of players and wind up writing the same story.
I can say with full honesty that everyone on this beat works extremely hard to find nuances or get interviews that no one else has. The balance between reporting the news, dealing with access restrictions, and trying to be different is a difficult one to strike. But we try.
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Comments (13)
Thanks for being so candid, Ken.
I obviously wasn't trying to be controversial... just curious, as days & sometimes weeks can pass in the off-season, and then all the similar story-lines hit at the same time.
For me, I prefer the approach of Mangini, as opposed to Herm's tell all
the *game-plan* (however little the game-plan changed from week-to-week with him) MO.
By the way, has Mangini ever explained his take on limiting access?
I understand it to a large degree, but things like Trey Teague's injury during
*playtime,* even before mini-camp, takes it a bit farther than may be necessary.
Thanks again for the candor... it's what makes this blog a good read, and appreciated...
WAHHHHHHHHH!!!
Ken,
Fair explanation. I think a lot of people in the area have wanted the same questions answered. I also think most people don't realize that your job, like their own, has its share of roadblocks and obstructions to success.
Roadblocks, obstructions...
ie: challenges ;)
Excellent insight Ken. Do you all ever scrap it out over news stories or access? Ever tell a friend an story angle to have them steal it out from under you?
Ken,
Although your explanation makes some sense but I still get baffled when training camp comes and the stories remain the same across the board.
Here you have at least 75 plus players in camp and yet all the Major papers cover the same player with the same quotes/theme on same day.
There are tons of storylines yet thru 5 major papers we get almost identical info daily.In this case I find it hard to believe that the writers are not in cahoots.
Berger,
If you know the rest of the Borg media are gonna spew the same information then give us something different or at least a unique take on the same story line.
I read you first and then if I find myself in a prison cell, visiting family, or preparing for a prostate exam then I MIGHT read what the others are babbling on about.
So you better be good.
Nasty
Ken, will the media be covering the rookies starting on 7/20? I read on the Star-Ledger that Mangini decided to have the them start camp one week early in oder for them to have a bond between them.
Your thoughts, please.
I can understand how the circle-the-wagons approach would be useful in regards to not revealing strategy before an upcoming game. But limiting access is just bad marketing for the Jets. All Mangini has to do is tell his coaches and players not to give away strategy. Other than that, the features stories not only would promote the team but create a buzz that seems to be lacking at this time of year.
I fully agree with Stephen.
In fact, I was wondering if the media's access to training camp itself will be limited. That is, on any given day will the reporters be allowed at camp only during a predetermined time-slot?
If so, then we won't know much about strategy or philosohy from the news stories. Maybe that's best from a competitive standpoint, but I sure would prefer reading about that stuff then speculation or griping from our favorite Jets reporters.
I don't know about everyone else, but what I want is walking out of that stadium in Sept,Oct, Nov with WINS..I really don't care what Vilma's favorite ice cream is..I want that guy's head into football 24/7, I agree the media has a job to do, but so does Mangini and if he feels media access should be limited with players so be it, it seems to me he is giving interviews to the beat guys pretty steadily..I see no issues here...glenn212
Time to start some trouble:
Predict the final records of Herm's Chiefs and Mangini's Jets for the 2006 season.
My predictions:
The Chiefs start only 4-3 but rally to 12-4
The Jets also start slow at 1-4, but (through my rose-colored glasses) end up 10-6 (taking my glasses off, 6-10)
Is this blog still active? Training camp is tomorrow and no stories? Anyway- Chiefs were going to be good with or without Herm so I am sure they will have a better record. Jets- I am hoping for 8-8.