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Taking advantage with press credentials

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by JR119, Jan 4, 2012.

  1. MTM

    MTM Well-Known Member

    Things used to be a lot worse when press box meals were free.

    A lot of folks, especially TV reporters, would come just to eat.
     
  2. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    My father, still blissfully clueless about this profession after my trying to explain it for the past 20 years, will call me and say "XX game should be a good one, you should get a press pass and go!" Not only do I tell him that's not how it works, but that I wouldn't even WANT to be in a press box for a game I wasn't working. I'll take my couch and fridge every single time, I don't care what game it is.
     
  3. Point of Order

    Point of Order Active Member

    Because he ate all the food? Crowded you out of your seat?
     
  4. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    It might stink to be in a crowded press box with hangers-on, but what are you going to do? Anyone with a credential is a guest, no matter their affiliation.
     
  5. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    Gotcha. I thought he meant for the SID or whoever is in charge to kick them out.
    I agree with you on this, then. Media members should police each other on some behavior (excessive talking, cheering), and I've seen that done. It's not their job to take the vigilante justice to the next level, though. There ought to be someone in the press box in control of that.
     
  6. txsportsscribe

    txsportsscribe Active Member

    the president of the small newspaper group i used to be with would get press credentials to the masters for he and his son. neither did any writing any other time of year but when it came masters time, i would actually have to hold the press run (pretty sure every other paper in the chain had to do the same thing) for his "stories" even though we were very local, had little extra space and never, never, never covered pro golf any other time.
     
  7. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    It's amazing how many people are clueless about "press passes." Went to a pharmacy in town once and the clerk was going on about how I could go to (nearest pro team goes here). So I explained that, after volleyball on Tuesday, water polo on Wedneday, boxing on Thursday and the Friday nightmare, I'd rather watch the pros at home.

    Then there's those that want me to get them a press pass for Springfield-Shelbyville. I usually reply by asking what kind of story they will file and remind then we'll need it by 11 ... and they seem shocked that they need to turn in a story if they are going to represent the media!
     
  8. flexmaster33

    flexmaster33 Well-Known Member

    Yes, the local preps association has been cracking down on this recently and it has gotten better, but 4-5 years ago you had all these small-town papers requesting credentials for parents who would submit photos and such. The worst would always be the wrestling tournament where all the classes in the state converge on the big stadium and there are 12 mats going at once. To walk around the ground media/coach area was getting to be a nightmare, as you'd see parent A from Podunk High climb into the bleachers and hand off the pass to parent B when their kid took the mat...not to mention trying to cover the tournament with yahoo mom screaming at the top of her lungs in your ear. After the crackdown on credentials for employed-media only, these parents seemed to be going to coaches for their special passes. That got cracked down on hard last year, at least it seemed to be that way.
     
  9. Versatile

    Versatile Active Member

    I have no problem with the loafers as long as they leave the working media alone and can present some valid reason to be at the game. A talk radio guy who goes to the games is, in my opinion, better than one who doesn't (most who don't, really). I think sometimes those on the daily grind forget that there are other forms of media who have every right to those media passes. There is, after all, a reason many places call them "media passes" now.
     
  10. TigerVols

    TigerVols Well-Known Member

    He's now doing traffic on KNX.
     
  11. If I have a free night (admittedly, not many of those), I might go to a game I'm not assigned to cover to keep tabs on a team for future reference: pick up notes, talk to a player or two for a later story away from deadline pressures. I'll even offer to grab a few quotes in the other locker room for our overworked beat writer, who will probably be working solo and can't make it to both locker rooms.

    I don't believe I have to file a story that day to justify my presence.
     
  12. Illino

    Illino Member

    My uncle has been on me the past couple of years about getting him Indy 500 credentials, even though I work hundreds of miles away.
     
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