Scott
Guest
Report the news, don’t create it
Scott via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
As a professional (snicker) journalist, I have always prided myself on two things: I never sensationalize and I never try and create the news.
I don’t write speculative stories. Never have. Never will. When there have been job openings, whether at city hall or in an athletic department, I won’t get into the game of naming who may get the job and who may be contacted and who is and isn’t a candidate. If I’m given a list of candidates, I print them. Otherwise, I don’t name names.
And I certainly won’t speculate on jobs that aren’t even open yet but are rumored or believed to be opening at some point in the near future.
Obviously we know where I’m going. With LSU firing Les Miles Sunday, one of the top jobs in the SEC and perhaps a top-10 job in the country is open.
The name game has already started. Prominent and currently employed coaches have been mentioned up as possible replacements.
LSU hasn’t — and may not — release any names of all coaches it will contact. Although the school will apparently contact OSU coach Urban Meyer according to online reports.
Experts on the radio and online think they already know who the candidates are.
Every blogger is presenting what he and/or she thinks is “the list.”
What all these so-called journalists are doing is trying to create the news in an attempt to be first to report it or speculate about it.
Makes no sense.
Wait until we know for sure. I would rather be correct than first. Although both is nice.
There is a domino effect this type of stuff creates that is unfair. Suppose Coach A at School A sees his name appear as a potential replacement for Coach B at School B.
He now has to answer questions about it every day. He has to try to ensure recruits and current players that he hasn’t been contacted and isn’t interested. And he has to get in front of the camera and say he is staying.
Then all of a sudden when the season is over he is contacted and he decides to interview and perhaps take the job. He is painted as a liar.
Then other coaches become candidates at School A if Coach A leaves.
And those coaches have to answer the same questions. And it goes around and around.
I’m not trying to be melodramatic here. And it’s OK for these conversations to happen at the water cooler (do offices still have these?) or via text messages with buddies.
But until the coaches are actually contacted or a school says, “Here are the coaches on our list,” it is not news.
And if it’s not news, it should not be reported.
The post Report the news, don’t create it appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
Scott via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
As a professional (snicker) journalist, I have always prided myself on two things: I never sensationalize and I never try and create the news.
I don’t write speculative stories. Never have. Never will. When there have been job openings, whether at city hall or in an athletic department, I won’t get into the game of naming who may get the job and who may be contacted and who is and isn’t a candidate. If I’m given a list of candidates, I print them. Otherwise, I don’t name names.
And I certainly won’t speculate on jobs that aren’t even open yet but are rumored or believed to be opening at some point in the near future.
Obviously we know where I’m going. With LSU firing Les Miles Sunday, one of the top jobs in the SEC and perhaps a top-10 job in the country is open.
The name game has already started. Prominent and currently employed coaches have been mentioned up as possible replacements.
LSU hasn’t — and may not — release any names of all coaches it will contact. Although the school will apparently contact OSU coach Urban Meyer according to online reports.
Experts on the radio and online think they already know who the candidates are.
Every blogger is presenting what he and/or she thinks is “the list.”
What all these so-called journalists are doing is trying to create the news in an attempt to be first to report it or speculate about it.
Makes no sense.
Wait until we know for sure. I would rather be correct than first. Although both is nice.
There is a domino effect this type of stuff creates that is unfair. Suppose Coach A at School A sees his name appear as a potential replacement for Coach B at School B.
He now has to answer questions about it every day. He has to try to ensure recruits and current players that he hasn’t been contacted and isn’t interested. And he has to get in front of the camera and say he is staying.
Then all of a sudden when the season is over he is contacted and he decides to interview and perhaps take the job. He is painted as a liar.
Then other coaches become candidates at School A if Coach A leaves.
And those coaches have to answer the same questions. And it goes around and around.
I’m not trying to be melodramatic here. And it’s OK for these conversations to happen at the water cooler (do offices still have these?) or via text messages with buddies.
But until the coaches are actually contacted or a school says, “Here are the coaches on our list,” it is not news.
And if it’s not news, it should not be reported.
The post Report the news, don’t create it appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...