WaPo story on web "journalists" recruiting

Oh, here's a couple examples I forgot...

1. One newspaper guy brings a friend with him to the games.
2. Same guy brags to other media members that he plays poker and golf with the coaches of the team's he covers.

 

I find myself surrounded on a daily basis by several people who work for these kinds of organizations. But here's the growing trend: More of them are legitimate journalists hired away from traditional sources (newspapers).

I'd say on a daily basis covering the team I cover there will be 2-3 website owners/fans out there who I don't think have journalism backgrounds beyond their fansite ventures. They are fans first, businessmen second (you might flip-flop those) and journalists somewhere way down the list. But most of the heavy lifting in reporting is now down by the ex-newspaper writers, of which I'll see at least one, usually 2-3 on a daily basis. Throw in there a couple fresh-out-of-school kids that don't quite fit in either category. They are journalism major-types who see the Websites as the future and, as an unforunate result, are getting a heavy dose of "fan journalism" as their bread-and-butter going forward.

The legit journalists are being hired to give the Websites legitimacy for an expanded audience. And those sites need that to get past the start-up venture /novelty stage and into something more concrete...but there's no guarantee that will happen, even if they have a Rivals or Scout to boost them up.

Here's the big question though...Which would you rather be employed by right now for your job security...a Rivals fan page for a BCS-level school, or the newspaper that covers that school...hmmmmm.

 

I don't think any of those examples mentioned by share24 are acceptable for journalists.

Personally, I don't like the school's radio guys wearing the school shirts, hats, etc. But that's just my opinion. Feel free to disagree. Won't hurt my feelings.

The examples I gave are based on my current situation. I'm not painting it with a broader brush.

 

Share24, your comparisons are like comparing an expired inspection sticker violation with a violation for driving 150 while drunk in a school zone.

There are ethical problems like being buddy-buddy with a coach to the point where it affects your professional judgment (nothing wrong with playing poker with a coach though, IMO), using your "pull" with the school in an unethical manner (to get buddies into a game)...heck some would say accepting the pre-game media meal from the school is an ethical no-no, at least without providing some compensation to the school.

But it's a COMPLETELY different animal to act as an agent of the school, like many of these fansites do. Whether the site actively recruits players or offers its proceeds to the school, either one completely eliminates any journalistic pretense.

 

Exactly right.

Sadly, some of the dead-tree journalists are just as bad as the fanboy BLOGGERS! are when it comes to it.

 

probably a bad idea. undeniable fact, however, is that nothing separates anybody from anybody else doing journalism. except ability, but that's subjective. the devaluation of newspapers is due to this fact - anybody can do it. distribution used to be the limitation but no longer is, obviously. read "Free" by Chris Anderson.

 

I also love the local school's radio guy, who openly roots for the team and wears the school shirts and hats to the games. That's really not a big deal. But then he is an ass to anyone who calls in during his daily RADIO show and says he is a homer. Tough to argue otherwise. He always has an opinion until the subject turns to being critical of the school and its coaches, then suddenly he "has no opinion." Just an absolute joke. Almost as frustrating as those bad recruiting site guys.