Old media is facing extinction. But if so, what will take its place?

No, it's very far off base. People do want the option of an objective media, even if they occasionally bitch about what it might report. People will not accept a team Web site's explanation of "we're seeking a change of direction" or "for personal reasons" when a coach leaves. Sure, maybe fans want non-objective sites for shooting the shit about your favorite team. But they don't want to live in an Orwellian world; they want someplace to go where they can get the straight shit, and they won't tolerate that outlet being taken out of existence.

So you think the Yankees will tell the NYT and the Daily News: "Sorry, don't need ya." ???

 

I hope like hell you're right, Dools. I really do. But between the NCAA-Louisville thing and the "We don't need press boxes when we can make more money instead" thing, I'm starting to have my doubts.

 

Well, the Louisville thing is merely a question of if the C-J is providing a "play-by-play" when another source has an exclusive contract to do so (why the live box scores on Web sites haven't faced this issue, I dunno). And the pressbox thing is an inconvenience done for pettiness and profit, but it's not the same as not allowing coverage.

 

I doubt any club or league or school would ever completely disallow coverage. I do see a day where they stop making it as easy as it is (making media buy tickets, no preferred seating, no work areas, etc.)

 

I'm thinking a group like Host Communications, which sells radio/tv rights to a few big-time colleges, will market an enhanced access package to a school or maybe even start their own website hiring beat writers from local papers and provide daily access to practices while giving the old media a weekly coaches press conference and maybe 1 or 2 practices a day. If there is a big story, they might hold off access to a player for a day until after an in-house story runs on their site. A Knoxville writer got busted last year for contacting a player "outside official channels," and press row keeps getting farther and farther away from a basketball court. I'm just saying that is the way things are trending as opposed to Old Media always having a seat at the table unless they pay for it. If papers are going to embrace the digital age, they have to understand its a new playing field.