Sports Journalists Choose Sides Too
It's amazing to watch the extent to which certain sports journalists struggle to criticize their beloved sports heroes and sports teams. They tip toe around issues and circumstances that may reflect negatively on their favorites in the business or they simply ignore certain stories altogether. The net result when this happens is that these reporters, journalists, and analysts lose credibility and legitimacy in the eyes and ears of independent-minded sports viewers, listeners, and readers. When they fail to divorce themselves from their preferred teams and athletes, their analysis and reporting appear weak and baseless because of their personal biases and agendas. Because television and radio executives mostly choose their sports analysts and reporters from the ranks of retired professional athletes, it's easy to see how difficult it is for these individuals to provide meaningful criticism about former teams and teammates. While this is no excuse for how much personal bias contaminates sports journalism, it is a call for greater professionalism and integrity regarding the ways in which sports are analyzed and reported.
The select group of sports journalists, commentators, anchors, and analysts who work hard to present fair and balanced analysis and reporting convey a higher level of competence and objectivity. While they stand head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd, they do so at a great cost because they are often guaranteed to be blackballed or banned by some teams and athletes who punish them if they're too critical or for airing dirty laundry. The other group of journalists chooses to play by the unspoken rules of the games that they are supposed to be reporting on -- the sports version of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. The kind of quid pro quo that is so prevalent in the sports world leads journalists to withhold the real back stories, promote their favorite teams, and trash those whom they dislike or have a vendetta against. In the end, sports reporters are not unlike their cohorts who cover other industries, they all strive to be the first to break a story and work hard to build brands for themselves. No one can fault them for trying to build strong professional and personal reputations and franchises for their own success. However, all we're asking and expecting is a higher sense of independence and integrity about sports coverage and analysis in general. Instead of trying to be accepted into the "club", more sports journalists ought to take their reporting more seriously and provide their viewers, readers, and listeners with news and information that's worth something.
The select group of sports journalists, commentators, anchors, and analysts who work hard to present fair and balanced analysis and reporting convey a higher level of competence and objectivity. While they stand head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd, they do so at a great cost because they are often guaranteed to be blackballed or banned by some teams and athletes who punish them if they're too critical or for airing dirty laundry. The other group of journalists chooses to play by the unspoken rules of the games that they are supposed to be reporting on -- the sports version of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. The kind of quid pro quo that is so prevalent in the sports world leads journalists to withhold the real back stories, promote their favorite teams, and trash those whom they dislike or have a vendetta against. In the end, sports reporters are not unlike their cohorts who cover other industries, they all strive to be the first to break a story and work hard to build brands for themselves. No one can fault them for trying to build strong professional and personal reputations and franchises for their own success. However, all we're asking and expecting is a higher sense of independence and integrity about sports coverage and analysis in general. Instead of trying to be accepted into the "club", more sports journalists ought to take their reporting more seriously and provide their viewers, readers, and listeners with news and information that's worth something.
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