Okie State "streamlines" access for media

[JRoyal]

Interesting move in wake of the SI series. OSU apparently is cutting out 1-on-1 interviews or the small huddles that have always gone on at the weekly media luncheon. I imagine postgames will be the same this week. Thoughts? Anyone know if any other FBS schools do this these days?

http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/After_SI_report_OSU_officials_keep_closer_tabs_on_players/20130924_93_B1_CUTLIN591660

 

[micropolitan guy]

In other words, they are eliminating real interviews and turning media availability into fluff-filled gang bangs because they're deathly afraid of what Billy Bob might say if left on his own.

"We take boys, build their character and turn them into responsible young men at Oklahoma State. Of course, we can't trust them as far as we can throw them, we don't want them having an original or controversial thought and we don't want them saying anything without the coaches jerking their puppet strings."

 

[LongTimeListener]

They probably realized they were violating decency standards with the local media nut-licking the players.

 

[black dude with pompano]

Increasingly common at a lot of places, unfortunately.

 

[As The Crow Flies]

Access at BCS schools (at least generally speaking) is terrible and it's getting worse at a rapid pace. The past two or three years, I've really noticed it go downhill.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Access at BCS schools (at least generally speaking) is terrible and it's getting worse at a rapid pace. The past two or three years, I've really noticed it go downhill.

And the fans don't care, unless there is a cutback on the reporting of "good news".

 

[hondo]

Sounds like a typical media session in Gainesville, Fla.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Sounds like a typical media session in Gainesville, Fla.

Yeah, no ****... Florida is legendary for only making a backup kicker and some other reserve available during Florida State week in the late 1990s.

 

[Mark2010]

Yeah, as a former SID, I understand that angle too. How much trust do you have in a 19 or 20-year-old when the lights are on that he/she won't say something that will be spun as controversial and then YOU and the head coach have to spend the rest of the season cleaning up the mess?

The day is coming, and will soon be here, when all media access is regulated. Wanna cover the game? Buy a ticket. Wanna talk to someone? Put in a request in advance and we'll monitor the interview.

To some extent, the media has itself to blame for this. How many times have one of our colleagues talked to someone 1-on-1 and gotten what the subject thought was small talk, only to have it plastered across the front page the next morning "Backup quarterback rips coach"? Well, that happens a few times and causes enough waves and you start taking measures to prevent it from happening again.

 

[boundforboston]

Yeah, as a former SID, I understand that angle too. How much trust do you have in a 19 or 20-year-old when the lights are on that he/she won't say something that will be spun as controversial and then YOU and the head coach have to spend the rest of the season cleaning up the mess?

The day is coming, and will soon be here, when all media access is regulated. Wanna cover the game? Buy a ticket. Wanna talk to someone? Put in a request in advance and we'll monitor the interview.

To some extent, the media has itself to blame for this. How many times have one of our colleagues talked to someone 1-on-1 and gotten what the subject thought was small talk, only to have it plastered across the front page the next morning "Backup quarterback rips coach"? Well, that happens a few times and causes enough waves and you start taking measures to prevent it from happening again.

Maybe the coach should recruit mature athletes who wouldn't do such a thing or do a better job of teaching athletes how to be personally responsible in interviews. I find it strange a college athlete needs more "protection" during an interview than a high school athlete.

 

[Mark2010]

A lot of schools do have media training programs in place. Heck, I've sat through a few of those seminars and even advised our athletes on certain matters. Still, we gotta remember we're dealing with 19-20-year-old kids. It seems like it takes moving heaven and earth to get them to attend class, say no to drugs and stay away from nightclubs at 1 in the morning.

In a perfect world, you're right, we could trust anyone to talk to anyone and print anything they wish. But both sides have abused that trust and that's where we are now.

 

[JRoyal]

Every athlete should go through a media training session, and the first thing they should learn is EVERYTHING they say to the media is on the record, small talk or not. A reporter using something isn't abusing trust. It's simply doing his job.

 

[Mark2010]

Well, yes and no. We're dealing with teenagers quite often, not corporate executives. They say stuff lots of times without ever stopping to think about the fallout. I've honestly never gone into an interview or sat down to write a story with the INTENTION of embarrassing someone. A few times it comes out that way.

Now, I'm certainly not saying you should never report anything critical or controversial. Not at all. But I think it's a bit unethical to take something someone says and twist it into an alternate meaning just to manufacture drama.

If backup QB Smith says he wants to start next week, is that simply a normal competitive instinct? Or is he back-stabbing the coach and current starter? It's all in the context.

 

[JRoyal]

Well, yes and no. We're dealing with teenagers quite often, not corporate executives. They say stuff lots of times without ever stopping to think about the fallout. I've honestly never gone into an interview or sat down to write a story with the INTENTION of embarrassing someone. A few times it comes out that way.

Now, I'm certainly not saying you should never report anything critical or controversial. Not at all. But I think it's a bit unethical to take something someone says and twist it into an alternate meaning just to manufacture drama.

If backup QB Smith says he wants to start next week, is that simply a normal competitive instinct? Or is he back-stabbing the coach and current starter? It's all in the context.

Twisting quotes isn't what you said earlier. You talked about a reporter using "what the subject thought was small talk." Those are two very different things.

 

[Mark2010]

It was like the Johnny Manziel "I can't wait to get out of College Station" story that came up last summer. Kid wasn't talking serious, on-the-record stuff in any way. Never would have run that, much less made it into some "Manziel hates Aggieland" type of stories.

I once had a kid conclude an interview with the line "I gotta go get wasted". Was I going to use that? Not a chance.

 

[boundforboston]

To be fair, Manziel posted that on Twitter, not telling that on or off the record to a reporter. Can't fault a reporter for running with what Manziel put in public.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

It's impossible to read tone into tweets, so something that might have been sent in a moment of frustration is now out there for everyone to see...

That's just the reality of it.

 

[Mark2010]

Once again, boys and girls, stay away from Twitter. Nothing good will come of it.

I mean how many of us have stupid **** at one time or another in our lives? Aren't we glad it didn't get posted for the entire world to read?

 

[Alma]

To some extent, the media has itself to blame for this. How many times have one of our colleagues talked to someone 1-on-1 and gotten what the subject thought was small talk, only to have it plastered across the front page the next morning "Backup quarterback rips coach"? Well, that happens a few times and causes enough waves and you start taking measures to prevent it from happening again.

How many times? Who are we kidding? Not that many.

The idea of the coach having to spend "all season" cleaning up a media mess is another fallacy. Maybe in the SID's mind it seems that way.

The best SIDs are the ones who get you the access you need, have a good sense of humor and get over things lightning quick. Because that helps the coach get over it. Too many SIDs today are high-strung and prone to making much ado over very little.

 

[Alma]

If backup QB Smith says he wants to start next week, is that simply a normal competitive instinct? Or is he back-stabbing the coach and current starter? It's all in the context.

Yes, it is. And college beat reporters rarely abuse this in the way you're suggesting. I mean, *rarely.*