facebook - Should you 'friend' a person you cover?

But doing so allows you to read their status updates and responses from their friends.

Heard about some player dismissals, off-the-field suspension reasons, injuries, etc., that way.

 

I don't see anything particularly wrong with adding a player/coach/et cetera as a friend. As long as you keep it responsible and professional, it could potentially be a big asset.

 

I've set up some interviews through Facebook, but never friended anyone I cover. I don't have a particular problem with it; just never done it.

 

I just think it's along the lines of going out and hanging out with the people you cover. In a way, you're entrenching yourself into their off the field lives. You're accessing information that is personal, not professional.

I get why some people would do it, I just think it's kind of creepy.

 

I've added a couple of people I've done stories on, but it hasn't given me any sort of advantage. Honestly, I'm much more likely to pick up the phone and call them. Guess I'm old school.

 

To try to funnel the conversation more toward what I was specifically thinking of ...

I'm not suggesting 'friending' someone to cozy up to them or set up an interview. I'd text before I'd send a facebook post.
I just think it could be valuable, given they way, as I said in my initial post, people post everything about themselves on their social networking sites these days. It could lead to a real scoop if you were a facebook 'friend' of the athlete who announces something significant on his/her facebook page.
And it's just a starting point. I'm not condoning writing a report based on a facebook status update. But all good scoops start with a tip, and this could be one way to get tips.

I agree that perhaps the biggest stumbling block is coming to terms with the term 'friend.' Are you admitting you are this person's friend? Or is that just a silly word made up by the facebook people, and you're just trying to stay connected to your coverage area?

 

I neglected to mention that I've only done this with student-athletes from the State U.

I'd definitely feel strange having a 15-year-old volleyball player from Central High on facebook.

 

Hey Quagmire, bet it wouldn't feel strange if it was a 15-year-old female volleyball player - giggity! ;D

Just kidding.

 

I'm with Glen on the issue. I've had stories "fall into my lap" because I saw something on their status update or maybe a wall post to another friend. I've remained very professional about it at all times though. I've even followed protocol and contacted the head coach/SID before pursuing the issue in a story.

I'm currently in a pickle because I recently found out through Facebook that SuperStar Athlete X underwent surgery a couple of days ago and could potentially miss all of the 2009-10 season. SuperStar Athlete X has not responded to a facebook message asking if he/she would be OK with doing a story about it. And Coach State U told me today that it was a "private family matter" for SuperStar Athlete X and said the medical privacy act prevented the coach or the school from talking about or even confirming surgery took place.

If I didn't have Facebook, or SuperStar Athlete X as a friend, I'd have never seen his/her status update. But it doesn't do me any good if SuperStar Athlete X won't talk about it and the school is playing the privacy card. I guess I'll have to wait until the first official fall practice to "report" what I already know.

 

Hmm. I see what you did there.

 

When I was in college I tracked down our number one recruit for football via myspace. I sent him my phone number and wrote a story on the kid for the college paper. Even the beat writer at the major metro was shocked when he heard I got that story before him.

 

Why can't you report it anyway?

You don't have to specify the source, you just have to make the effort to confirm or deny. You've done that, so you write what you know and state that it's a unconfirmed report, but point out that they're aware you know and they haven't denied it either.

Hey, who knows, maybe it "inspires" athlete and coach to come clean once it's out there in the open.