Irresponsible reporting in the Pitt coaching job?

[moonlight]

I hope this hasn't been covered already ...

A reporter from a TV station in Pittsburgh went on the air last week saying Penn State assistant Tom Bradley would replace Mike Haywood at Pitt. He didn't name sources.

http://www.wtae.com/sports/26381620/detail.html

The day after, nearly every other TV station and the two newspapers reported that Bradley had only interviewed, but had not been offered the job.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_716876.html

Last night, Pitt announced Todd Graham is the new coach.


My question: Should the TV reporter be punished for this?

 

[Moderator1]

I don't know about that. I do know this -- within 30 minutes of that Bradley story appearing, one of writers had a source call and say very emphatically DO NOT RUN THAT STORY. Never seemed to be very solid.

 

[Stitch]

I hope this hasn't been covered already ...

A reporter from a TV station in Pittsburgh went on the air last week saying Penn State assistant Tom Bradley would replace Mike Haywood at Pitt. He didn't name sources.

http://www.wtae.com/sports/26381620/detail.html

The day after, nearly every other TV station and the two newspapers reported that Bradley had only interviewed, but had not been offered the job.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_716876.html

Last night, Pitt announced Todd Graham is the new coach.


My question: Should the TV reporter be punished for this?

If news outlets can report that Rep. Giffords dies, someone getting punished over an inaccurate report over a head coaching job is the least of the media's worries.

 

[black dude with pompano]

Joe Schad would be fired three times a week if accuracy were the standard.

Sometimes you swing and miss. The more you swing, the more you miss.

 

[MonsterLobster]

His punishment is that he now appears less relevant to his viewers.

 

[hondo]

Don't you know TV and radio guys are allowed to be wrong, and never held accountable?

 

[Gator]

That's the world of sportswriting these days ... say whatever you want. Who cares? As long as "a source" told you.

 

[Ace]

Should he be punished for that? Did he clear it with a boss? Then, no.

 

[flexmaster33]

I'd have no problem with the school revoking that station's credentials for a short period...say a two-week or one-month suspension.

It's not like the guy pronounced a player's name wrong...this was a major guffaw.

 

[Gator]

I'd have no problem with the school revoking that station's credentials for a short period...say a two-week or one-month suspension.

It's not like the guy pronounced a player's name wrong...this was a major guffaw.

Now this is a hypothetical, but is ESPN made the same mistake? Would Pitt revoke its credential? What if GameDay was going to that school? If you're going to impose sanctions on one outlet, you'd better make sure it's the same way across the board.

I think it'll blow over with no issues, because, like I said before, sportsjournalism is at an all-time low.

 

[imjustagirl]

I'd have no problem with the school revoking that station's credentials for a short period...say a two-week or one-month suspension.

It's not like the guy pronounced a player's name wrong...this was a major guffaw.

I'm sorry. This made me ... well, guffaw.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Joe Schad would be fired three times a week if accuracy were the standard.

Sometimes you swing and miss. The more you swing, the more you miss.

That's complete bull****. If that was the case, he wouldn't have a job. Schad does very good work.

 

[LongTimeListener]

I'd have no problem with the school revoking that station's credentials for a short period...say a two-week or one-month suspension.

It's not like the guy pronounced a player's name wrong...this was a major guffaw.

Now this is a hypothetical, but is ESPN made the same mistake? Would Pitt revoke its credential? What if GameDay was going to that school? If you're going to impose sanctions on one outlet, you'd better make sure it's the same way across the board.

I think it'll blow over with no issues, because, like I said before, sportsjournalism is at an all-time low.

A hypothetical? You mean like the time Herbstreit hypothetically reported that Miles was taking the Michigan job on the morning of LSU's championship game?

 

[black dude with pompano]

Joe Schad would be fired three times a week if accuracy were the standard.

Sometimes you swing and miss. The more you swing, the more you miss.

That's complete bull****. If that was the case, he wouldn't have a job. Schad does very good work.

I didn't say he doesn't.

He gets a lot right. But because of the nature of his job, he also gets a lot wrong.

 

[Mark2010]

Yep, the recent trend has been to lunge at rumors, especially on things like coaching searches and recruiting. I almost got caught up in it a few weeks back, but was very careful with the words I used since no one would talk on the record.

To me, that's the problem. I have no issue with reporting what someone says. But when no one returns your calls or declines comment, what do you have to go on? Basically rumors and speculation.

Frankly, I prefer not to put too much weight on those and wait to let things play out unless I have something solid to go on.

But, no, no need to "punish" a reporter because he guessed and got it wrong, unless he libeled someone in the process. Otherwise, just being wrong is punishment enough.

 

[Rufino]

Never trust any local tv station's reporting on coaching searches. They're never both first and accurate - if it's a "scoop", it's generally wrong. Too many NDs willing to gamble in hopes of looking good by having an "exclusive", I guess.

 

[outofplace]

His punishment is that he now appears less relevant to his viewers.

Exactly. People still make Russ Grimm jokes regarding the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

 

[hondo]

Joe Schad would be fired three times a week if accuracy were the standard.

Sometimes you swing and miss. The more you swing, the more you miss.

That's complete bull****. If that was the case, he wouldn't have a job. Schad does very good work.

And he's wrong a lot.
And they never issue corrections.

 

[hondo]

That's the world of sportswriting these days ... say whatever you want. Who cares? As long as "a source" told you.

This guy wasn't a sportswriter. He was an electronic puke. Don't lump his type with us.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Oh please, like the print types are sooooooo much more honorable than electric.