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L.A. Kings hire Rich Hammond

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Mr. X, Sep 23, 2009.

  1. Mr. X

    Mr. X Active Member

    KINGS NAME LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS
    HOCKEY WRITER RICH HAMMOND
    AS NEW “BEAT WRITER/COLUMNIST”
    FOR LAKINGS.COM
    HAMMOND TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT COVERAGE OF THE KINGS

    AND THE NHL WHILE RE-CREATING HIS POPULAR “INSIDE THE KINGS”

    BLOG ON THE KINGS’ OFFICIAL WEBSITE

    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings today announced the appointment of long-time Los Angeles Daily News hockey writer Rich Hammond as beat writer/columnist for LAKings.com, the club’s official website. Hammond, who will travel with the Kings full-time during the 2009-10 season, will begin providing exclusive content to LAKings.com on October 1.

    “In this changing world as it relates to the landscape and consumption of sports news content, we are making an organizational commitment to give our fans one place to go – LAKings.com – to satisfy their appetite for Kings news and information ” said Kings President, Business Operations Luc Robitaille. “We feel this is a landmark step for us as Rich will have full editorial control in his new position. Kings fans deserve the best Kings coverage, and we’re excited that LAKings.com will be the new home for Rich’s insightful, objective and thorough reporting and analysis.”

    Hammond will cover all Kings games and practices. He will also provide feature stories, commentaries, video stories and more on the Kings and on the NHL.

    Hammond leaves the Daily News after having spent the last 10 years with the paper. He initially began covering the Kings in 2000 before taking over full-time coverage in 2005. In October of 2006, Hammond – who also held the title of Deputy Sports Editor at the newspaper – began developing and spearheading the Daily News’ on-line coverage of the Kings. His “Inside the Kings” blog consistently ranked as the paper’s top pro sports team blog.

    Said Hammond, who also covered the Kings on the road for the Daily News briefly during the 2005-06 season: “I’m grateful to the Daily News for allowing me to develop my passion for covering hockey, and I’m excited about the opportunity to bring even better, more comprehensive coverage to Kings fans while maintaining the same journalistic standards.”

    Hammond is a Carson native and USC graduate who also has worked for the Orange County Register and the South Bay Daily Breeze.
     
  2. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    1) Luc Robitaille is my favorite all-time King.

    2) “We feel this is a landmark step for us as Rich will have full editorial control in his new position." So does that mean Rich can be critical in anything he writes, or is it just gamers and fluff for a team Web site?
     
  3. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    Good for him.
    The Nuggets recently did this for a former Rocky Mountain News sportswriter.
     
  4. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    If the latter is true, what a day. So much to criticize with the Kings ...
     
  5. Liut

    Liut Well-Known Member

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    Never known Luc to speak with such articulation and eloquence. Not to imply he is inarticulate but not exactly the wordsmith of that quote, either.
     
  6. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    When he was at his peak with L.A., the Kings used him often for between-period pieces, and some of them were really really funny, because he has that kind of personality. For one of them, he played a professor trying to "break down" the chemistry of a power play or some kind of hockey system. Almost 20 years later just thinking about it makes me laugh.

    As for the eloquence, I'm thinking a P.R. guy helped Luc with the quotes.
     
  7. Screwball

    Screwball Active Member

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    This is what Rich wrote on his Daily News blog:

    To put it as plainly and simply as possible, I will draw a salary from the Kings, but none of the stories and/or blogs I write will be reviewed for approval by any member of the Kings' staff. Topics will not need approval and interviews will not have any additional supervision. I have been hired to blog, write stories -- including coverage of home and road games -- and produce other content for the website. This is not public relations. I have been told, pointedly, by the highest levels of Kings management, that I should continue to report and write as normal.

    Be certain of two things: I will not ``go easy'' on the Kings out of any fear of retribution, just as I will not take gratuitous shots at the team and the organization simply because I have retained the right to be critical. Things will continue on course. Praise and criticism, to the extent I feel either is warranted, will continue to be distributed fairly.

    http://www.insidesocal.com/kings/2009/09/an-end-a-beginning-a-new-home.html
     
  8. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    Hammond does real, real good work. It's very clear that Dean Lombardi trusts him a great deal. Hopefully, he will be allowed to continue his kind of coverage.
     
  9. gutenberg

    gutenberg Guest

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    Based on what the LADN did when the UCLA beat was open, don't waste your time sending in your clips and resume.

    They probably will hire another psycho nowhere near ready for the big leagues.

    Gene, grow a sack and don't advertise jobs if you're not going to go through a real hiring process. It's unfair to people who spend the time writing cover letters and mailing their packets to you.

    Congrats to Rich (a class guy) for getting out of that hellhole.
     
  10. dragonfly

    dragonfly Member

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    Wow, bitter much gutenberg?
     
  11. Tahoe_Joe

    Tahoe_Joe Member

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    Having known of Rich for awhile, sure he would not has taken this job if he did not have editorial control.

    Is Daily News hiring a hockey writer to replace him?

    If that papper such a "hellhole" Gutenburg, then why so bitter you didn't get UCLA job?
     
  12. zebracoy

    zebracoy Guest

    Re: Another newspaper person goes over or another team hires a newspaper person

    Probably finds it too difficult that someone younger than him can be more qualified for a job.

    Or, at the very least, that the individual who is younger marketed himself well enough to earn it.
     
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