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Principles

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by bmm, May 28, 2009.

  1. Exactly. The event I'm covering rarely, if ever, comes into mind when I'm getting dressed.

    Although, just a few days ago, I'm covering a high school baseball playoff series and happened to notice that my shirt was a primary color of one team, while the pants I was wearing was a primary color of the other team. I guess that made me truly neutral, eh?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  2. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    High school sports is the only one I would consider who I was covering and what I was wearing because I was always sitting with them or in their view.
     
  3. bmm

    bmm Member

    I draw the line at colors. I am a person that owns a bunch of red and blue stuff because I like those colors. So if I wear a blue shirt and red Podunkville High is playing the blue Podunk City High, I don't really care. Frankly, the fans who bring this up are a bit paranoid.

    I try to turn down the team gear at first, but if they continue to offer then I'll take it and give it away later.
     
  4. Oggiedoggie

    Oggiedoggie Well-Known Member

    If I'm covering a team or event for my newspaper, I will accept "gifts" that are necessary for me to do my job. Free Internet connection? About the same as free soft drinks. Free parking? About the same as accepting a reasonable amount of free food. I'll use their press box space and restroom without feeling guilty. I'll be polite and appreciative and not make a pig of myself.

    But, if I'm blogging, I'll suck up all the freebies I can and tweet all my friends to see if anyone wants to buy anything.
     
  5. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    I knew a guy at my college paper who used to horde media guides and then sell them on eBay.
     
  6. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    He make any money?

    The only piece of clothing I own that came from a coach or whatever is a t-shirt a college coach gave me. It was one of those instances where he just kept nagging and nagging. I gave in and took it. No big deal.

    Use it mainly as a gym shirt. Still, not a big deal. At least not to me.

    I'm sure others have a major problem with that, and I can sort of see why. But I didn't really think much of it.

    Other stuff I've been given have either gone to the wife or left on an empty desk in the office.
     
  7. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    Well, yeah. He got a stack of media guides for free, since they were set out at every game. Then he could sell them all for $20 a pop ... the school sold them on its own web site for $30, so he undercut them.

    He does this five times, he gets $100. All it cost him was his soul.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  8. fossywriter8

    fossywriter8 Well-Known Member

    The Ohio High School Athletic Association is "helping" do away with the ethical question of whether or not to accept free food at this year's state track meet -- while pop, water and light snacks will still be provided free, the OHSAA will charge writers and photogs $10 per meal per day for a boxed lunch.

    I, and at least a few other fellow writers, will opt to buy our own meals this year from the concessions workers.
     
  9. bmm

    bmm Member

    ^ I imagine it'll be about the same price. OHSAA usually provided a lunch meat tray, chips and cookies in the past for free. Probably is the new $10 box meal - a sandwich, chips and a cookie.
     
  10. SixToe

    SixToe Well-Known Member

    "whether" is fine without the "or not"

    Jus' saying.

    And $10 for a box meal is fine as well.
     
  11. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    I will always try to put out the best product possible, regardless of how above and beyond it is compared to our competitors. If I have to set our papers standards high, I want to meet them.
    Rare is the time I see free food at a high school event and I'll pay for the occasional bottle of water or can of coke, but we do have one team whose concession stand people refuse our money. In three years I've gone to the stand maybe three times and haven't had to pay.
    The only article of clothing I've accepted is a golf shirt from a press conference at a local tournament; and covering a local team at a state little league tournament, the guys who ran the thing handed me the official t-shirt of the tourney. Still have it and it makes a nice undershirt.
     
  12. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    Not to crossthread ... but aren't you the same guy who said on the "My Boys" thread that our business would be better off if we rooted for our teams the way the lead character of that show roots for the Cubs?

    Having trouble making these two posts jibe.
     
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