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Who covers the Olympics?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Mark2010, Feb 7, 2014.

  1. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Back in the day, it was pretty standard practice for many metro newspapers to send a reporter(s) and photographer to major sporting events such as the Olympics. Sometimes several people. One place where I worked PT back in the 1990s actually did an 8-page special section every day during the Games.

    Given the changing nature of the media and budget cuts that have been widely discussed on this board, I am curious as to how many papers are sending their own people and how many are relying on alternate sources (AP, NYT, LA Times, Reuters, etc.) for their material. From a management perspective, I can see the logic of getting your stuff from alternate sources: it's probably less expensive and the amount of stuff is more than sufficient to fill a shrinking news hole. Unless you have a hometown person competing, it's probably more than enough.

    I wonder if a few winter sports areas (Toronto, Minneapolis, Chicago, etc.) sent their staffers and how many others did not.
     
  2. spikechiquet

    spikechiquet Well-Known Member

    Our sister paper sent a reporter for sure...not sure on a photog. We are just using their non-hyper local stuff. Today our front had two non-AP stories off the wire and the inside page just used AP.
     
  3. awriter

    awriter Active Member

    Tribune Co. sent a bunch of people. USA Today and AP have a bunch of people. I haven't really looked at many papers to see what they're doing.
     
  4. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    I figured AP, USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times and Chicago Tribune would. I know Seattle sent a guy to Athens and Torino, not sure what since then (Vancouver was probably a no-brainer). I think Salt Lake has a full-time or semi-regular Olympic Sports person, as does Colorado Springs (where the US Olympic Training Center is located).

    I wonder about other cities, like if maybe Gannett or Lee or some other chains sent 1-2 people to do stuff for the entire chain.

    As a reader, I still maintain I don't pay much attention to bylines. If a story is good, I really don't care who wrote it. I figure a lot of places have cut back.
     
  5. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Denver Post has at least three writers there.

    Colorado Springs sent at least one (and probably just one).

    I've seen Miami with at least two there.

    Saw a San Jose byline quickly on the wire tonight.

    Tribune has its usual strong teams. I've seen at least four who are LAT-based.

    USAT has a big crew there.

    The thing about the Olympics is if you give up credentials, you don't get them back, so you want to try to keep them as much as possible. That said, this is not a cheap three weeks.
     
  6. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    Don't think Lee is sending anyone. San Jose sent a shooter and a writer (Mark Purdy), per teh Twitters.
     
  7. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    Minneapolis Star-Trib sent at least one writer, because I used her opening ceremonies story from MCT this morning.
     
  8. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    Boston Globe has three people there, including a news side reporter who's a foreign correspondent who has covered Russia. And that's just the bylines I saw today. I'm sure one of their hockey people is there, too.
    My alma mater the Herald is not. This makes me sad, but I understand.
     
  9. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Most bigger papers have 2-3 people there.

    I heard USA Today had eight writers there. I'm guessing the LA Times and the NY Times probably have between 5-6. Not sure how many the WP has over there. I just know Rick Maese is there.
     
  10. PaperDoll

    PaperDoll Well-Known Member

    USAT asked for contact information for any local Olympians more than a month ago, long before most of the teams had been selected.

    I doubt that means we'll get a story when our hometown girl finishes 12th... unless I write it.

    When I started in this business, I thought being part of a big chain would help me achieve my dream of covering the Olympics. But then I found out, even though the chain could allocate a credential to you, your local paper had to foot the bill. The dream hasn't died... yet.
     
  11. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Besides writers, this of course does not include photogs and I know for sure there are editors over there as well.
     
  12. joe_schmoe

    joe_schmoe Active Member

    We sent a reporter to Atlanta. That was the last time.
    Nowadays they could hold an Olympic games in Dallas and we wouldn't even send someone.
     
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