|
Written by Mark Healey
|
|
Wednesday, 17 December 2008 |
 Over the next two days, Gotham's clubs will unveil their latest acquisitions. Players who will earn hundreds of millions of dollars over the next few years will put on their new caps, jerseys and answer a lot of questions. Much will be written about their answers, as these young men each represent the hopes and dreams of countless fans that want their team to be the last one standing in October.
Not much, if anything, will be written about the folks that will cover these press conferences, and if you asked them, they'd say, "nor should there be". But, as is my wont from time to time, let me break ranks for a moment to try to interject some perspective for those who may have a contrary viewpoint.
The Never-Ending Battle
Print media, broadcast media and most recently, online media have raged a battle with each other for decades. The bounty of this war? Well, to start with; press box seating, clubhouse access, one-on-one face time with the ballplayers, coaches and managers, etc. Get the point?
From the New York Daily News' Dick Young sticking his head -- on purpose-- in front of the TV cameras in the otherwise jubilant 1969 Mets' clubhouse, to the growing wave of New Media writers clamoring for equal treatment from one of the most exclusive unions in the country, this battle in ongoing.
It's stupid. Understandable from ALL sides, but still stupid.
The Real Enemy
Suits, man. I think some people like to comfort themselves by thinking that the suits are all 60-year old Republicans with a itchy-trigger finger for young, righteous liberals with authority issues.
Like all stereotypes, there is some measure of truth in this. But intelligence, decency, courtesy and skill are never the exclusive domain of any group, political party or social enclave. Really.
You can wear a suit (or dress) to work and NOT be a suit. Conversely, you can wear jeans and a Polo shirt (or halter top) and be a hardcore suit. Like in other walks of life and a myriad of professions, it is the clowns that sign the checks that usually are the villains. In this evolving media crisis, it's especially true.
It's not the guy using his iPhone to record an interview for his Internet radio show, nor is it the guy that hands out the Xerox copy of his weekly column in the press room (though that guy is pretty annoying). The print media stereotype of the unchanging cranky man that is permeated on the 'Net is inaccurate as well, as is the blogger in the basement visual.
Remember, I am a fellow who has embraced each of these mediums; there's one foot firmly planted in the traditional roots of AP Sports and AM radio, and the other joyously frolicking in the pushed envelope world of the Internet.
I think we all can co-exist peacefully. But, unfortunately, there are those of us in the media that think it is impossible. So, we get sidetracked and instead of finding ways to implement new tools and skills into our journalistic tool box, we pick on the new kid with ideals and passion.
Instead of trying to learn from the guy who's been covering a sport for a generation, we decide to snicker on the other side of the room because he / she doesn't know what Twitter is.
Everyone, and I mean, everyone, is guilty of this kind of shortsighted behavior. Now, we're all paying for it.
Yes, Buzz Bissinger's execution of his point on the now famous COSTAS NOW segment on New Media was in err, but his intent – standing up for his colleagues – was not. His intent – in my opinion anyway -- was to stick up for the people that have worked for years to get where they are, and are now being cast aside like cannon fodder. Very, very few of these men and women have made enough money to retire and write books for a living. Bissinger was speaking for folks in a worse situation than he, and while I think his passion and anger got the best of him, he's a damn better person than those who have yet to try to comprehend his point.
“His anger and rhetoric made his point invalid” was a popular refrain. I reject that. Someone else's lack of polish in their delivery, or anger for that matter, shouldn't prevent a reasonable person to extract useful information from an otherwise flawed delivery method. Nor should one incident erase decades of great work.
No, neither Buzz Bissinger, Will Leitch or even Mark Healey is the problem.
It is the people that wouldn't know a multiple element lead from a voicer, a Marantz from an mp3 player, or a Q&A from a profile. It is the faceless vermin that are laying off people right before the holidays. They are the ones that have decided that the way to fix their respective messes is to randomly fire good people.
The suits.
Wary Winter Meetings
There were many reasons to dislike the idea of having the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas; too spread out, the decision to put the other events like the Trade Show miles away, etc.
However, this year's Meetings, though successful for Mets and Yankees' fans, were sobering and downright painful for those who work in our industry.
Some of this country's best baseball writers were nowhere to be found in Las Vegas this year. Others knew they were on borrowed time, and that sense of dread infected the mood of what is usually a very exciting couple of days.
Now I know there are writers out there that have complained about the lack of sleep at the annual Meetings, literally having to run to get a story tracked down, not to mention the time spent wasted debunking spurious rumors.
This year, those complaints are trivial compared to the feeling one gets when a pink slip is delivered -- via email -- thousands of miles away from his/her family.
"There's blood in the water, man," one veteran sportswriter said. "Good guys are getting kicked out on the street (right before the holidays), and these (bleeping) idiots we all work for could give a (bleep).
"It is a (bleeping) disgrace."
Pettiness and Payback
Some in the digital media are enjoying the implosion of print media a little too much for my tastes. There are real people losing their jobs here, and while some of them may have been disparaging at times to both broadcast and online journalists, laughter at or dismissal of their plight is beyond unseemly.
I believe strongly in karma, universal reciprocity and often try to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. It's a quick antidote to get past any feelings of mistreatment, and is usually replaced by empathy. Try it sometime.
Especially since it seems that on media is immune to these shaky economic times. Print media weren't the only ones losing their jobs, as places like Sirius XM and MLB.com was cutting dozens of jobs as well.
Producers, talk show hosts and various other personnel got dumped last week, and even as MLB unveiled its glittering new MLB Network, there were plenty of good people from MLB.com's various programs that didn't make the cut. Little did they realize that finishing second meant getting left at the airport.
Fighting The Good Fight
But I must say, even with all of this reality slapping them all repeatedly in the face, every single person was incredibly professional, and regardless of his / her personal situation, did their work without any self-pity or melancholy.
Many, despite their own troubles and concerns, went out of their way to offer kind words and support for our newest project and recent success.
For the most part, I have always been treated by my colleagues respectfully. Perhaps, and just perhaps, because I was taught to try to treat people the way I wanted to be treated -- with respect, friendship and warmth -- I have nothing but good things to say about the guys who cover the New York beat, and a good number of their brethren in other cities who I have met over the years are included in that appreciation.
Here's hoping that all of you can allow yourselves to enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones, and start the New Year with the right kind of energy with which to get your lives back in order. Things will get better, because you will make them better. Believe in yourselves, even if you think this business doesn't believe in you.
Don't give the suits the satisfaction. |
|
Last Updated ( Thursday, 18 December 2008 )
|
|
|
GOTHAM SPORTS MEDIA NETWORK
Gotham Sponsor
Who's Online
Gotham Sponsor
|
