Canzano: At ESPN, money talks, journalism walks
John Canzano, The Oregonian By John Canzano, The Oregonian
...The events' broadcast rights were previously shared by Fox and ABC. Never felt heavy-handed when they were in charge. And as part of ESPN's exclusive deal, the personalities associated with the cable network get to hang out at practice, tweeting about the Ducks' practice music selection as Erin Andrews did this week. They're buying exclusive access to players and coaches before the bowls and exclusive rights during the games. Also, Herbstreit's cute children will apparently get access that a long line of trained journalists who cover the teams for readers and viewers on a daily basis do not.
Money talks. And journalism walks, see?
Sick stuff.
Not just because ESPN gets access to footage that it will package and feed to viewers like it did with that flimsy, but wildly profitable, LeBron James one-hour ESPN-televised infomercial special two summers ago. But because the agreement between cable network and bowl series has to make you wonder where the relationship between ESPN and the football it pretends to cover begins and ends. Are they partners? Is this a legitimate subject-reporter situation? Once ESPN buys access to an event don't they then turn from journalist to promoter?
Don't answer.
Everyone already knows...
