Who's a "journalist"?

Credentialing in sports journalism is an area of great interest to me.

When a team or league issues credentials, they are mostly acting in their own best interests. Let's take the Boston Red Sox for example. They have to fully credential the Boston Globe. They'd have a backlash from fans and look like fools if they didn't. So teams and leagues credentialing established, heavy-hitter-type media is still-- but barely priority #1.

Priority #1-A is credentialing people who will make them look good. So the media from RedSox.com, mlb.com, sosh.com, LetsGoSoxTV, etc. would be the next priority.

Everybody else? Kiss our asses a bit, and we'll see. During playoff time, you may or may not get a clubhouse badge.

In the case of the USGA and the column you posted, Dave, I think the credentialing folks were probably overwhelmed and too busy to contemplate whether or not this young woman should be credentialed, so they simply did it.

I do think an independent accrediting agency would be nice. If you're an accredited journalist, it would help the PR folks expedite things. If you're not, or haven't yet been accredited, that wouldn't mean you'd be SOL... you'd perhaps simply be a lower priority.

 

I thought I was, though folks doing hiring seem to think otherwise.

rb

 

Luggy, you are right. This would help the PR people and the SIDs a lot more than it would help acting journalists.

Until the PR people and the SIDs ask for this help, though, I cannot see this doing anything more than just spinning wheels.