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Lane Kiffin Pre-Press Conference Drama

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Ric Flair guy, Jan 16, 2010.

Page 4 of 17
  1. Shoeless Joe

    Shoeless Joe Active Member

    Without access, you have no readers. It's a fine line to walk.
     
    Shoeless Joe, Jan 16, 2010
    #37
  2. Den1983

    Den1983 Active Member

    Exactly. I couldn't have said it better.
     
    Den1983, Jan 16, 2010
    #38
  3. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    So if the ground rule was that the newspaper guys could only use the 30 second statement but he was willing to speak at length to all the TV guys -- on the record for them, totally unquotable for you -- you're cool with that, right? Or are going to be one of those "hero" d-bags that sticks up for himself?
     
    PCLoadLetter, Jan 16, 2010
    #39
  4. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    I don't work in TV. Never have. So I really am trying to look at this objectively (whether I have it right or wrong).

    Question for the print people. If Kiffin's terms were, "I'll talk, but I get to pick the quotes you use," would you have gone along with it for the "access"?

    Of course not. But that is essentially what he tried to do to the TV people. TV is a visual medium. And he was trying to dictate their coverage by saying the cameras had to stay off until he was ready to give something scripted that HE wanted on the broadcast news.

    He couldn't (and shouldn't) have had it both ways. He was either willing to speak on the record to the media, or he wasn't. His choice. As long as they were there with their cameras and he was willing to go on the record, though, the TV people absolutely should have had their cameras rolling, same as you had your notebooks open or recorders recording.

    I agree with Shoeless Joe that there is a fine line to walk. But there IS a line. Anyone who leans as heavily as it seems some of you do toward "anything for access," may as well hand over their content to the coach or the SID or whoever it is they are trying to cover. Those TV guys (apparently there was more than one station that refused to not roll their cameras if he spoke) made the decision not to hand over their content for access.
     
    The Big Ragu, Jan 16, 2010
    #40
  5. JJHHI

    JJHHI Member

    It wasn't off the record or unquotable for the TV guys. They just couldn't shoot video. As jps so eloquently pointed out, there are other ways to use the material. I still say it would benefit the TV guy and his viewers more to at least hear and report what Kiffin said, regardless of whether he could shoot video of it.
     
    JJHHI, Jan 16, 2010
    #41
  6. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    If it wasn't off the record then great.

    They should be rolling their cameras and you should be taking notes or have your recorder turned on.
     
    The Big Ragu, Jan 16, 2010
    #42
  7. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    This is why TV people didn't break Watergate :)
     
    RickStain, Jan 16, 2010
    #43
  8. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    No, it is virtually unusable in TV. A comment made off-camera is worthless, and the scenario laid out earlier would be a miserable way to try to do the story for television.
     
    PCLoadLetter, Jan 16, 2010
    #44
  9. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    Watergate wasn't broken by sitting in a room waiting for an SID to give you permission to do your job.
     
    PCLoadLetter, Jan 16, 2010
    #45
  10. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    It was broken by reporters accepting strict limits from sources.
     
    RickStain, Jan 16, 2010
    #46
  11. JJHHI

    JJHHI Member

    I see comments made off-camera reported on SportsCenter almost every day. You throw up the text and read it. Maybe not as effective as having the video, but you get the information to your viewers. And you have to do a lead-in, so why not mention the ground rules and paraphrase what he talked about during the time when the cameras couldn't roll?
     
    JJHHI, Jan 16, 2010
    #47
  12. JJHHI

    JJHHI Member

    I understand the TV guys' frustration about the ground rules, but the guy isn't the coach there anymore. It's a losing battle. Take what you can get and move on.
     
    JJHHI, Jan 16, 2010
    #48
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