What has happened to objectivity in the media?

[Lick My Cleats]

Did anyone listen to the post game show on 630 CHED Saturday Night? The link will let you listen to Coach Reed, where he says, “No one else believes in us ... “. Dave Campbell says that coach Reed is right the majority of the media does not believe in the Edmonton Eskimos. http://www.630ched.com/Podcasts/Episodes.aspx?PID=1724

I know he used this same concept in his speeches before, but is it just talk or is coach Reed right? IMO he is right, and this is the third year that I really have noticed how anti-Eskimo the media have become to the point of lacking objectivity. Last year the Esks were and 11-7, 2nd in the West and beat the Stamps in the Western Semi-Final. All through that process media kept hinting that the Esks would falter and fail.

Now I am not saying they have to love the changes to the Eskimos, but they do have to “report” with objectivity.
I listen to the TSN (Toronto Sports Network) panel on Sports Centre after the game and there it was again, missing parts of the game story. Saying that the Argo D played well and not saying that the Eskimo D was better is not being objective.


Sewell has 2 sacks and the D line had plenty of pressure all night long not part of the game story?

Sherritt has 11 freak’n tackles and is not part of the game story?

Bowman has 110 yards receiving not part of the game story?

Grant Shaw is 4 for 4 where as Pre is 4 for 2 and it is not part of the game story?

Instead TSN actually praised the Argo in a loss and gave the Esks a backhanded compliment in the win.

For the most part I hope the negativity continues to surround the Eskimos and coach Reed will be able to use it to rally the team and bring the Eskimos together under one cause.

[Esks4ever]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

-I actually am happy to see the media doesn't believe in them. I cannot stand media that fluffs their local sports teams. We fans see the problems and issues and are skeptical that the Esks will be good, why can't the media. I'd rather have honesty then some media person trying to blow smoke up my ass, then when you talk about issues you know and see they write you off as someone who doesn't know anything, or hangs up on you on a sports talk radio call in show.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

We're not exactly talking CNN or the CBC here. Sports media isn't there for the most part to just report, but rather to sell, be it papers, tv ratings, radio listenership, etc. TSN, in particular, has a vested interest in making storylines that speak to various regions, engage viewers to tune in or get out in the stands. As the game grows, the value of their tv contract grows.

I don't think it's realistic that we hold sports journalism to the standards we would hold mainstream journalism to.

[pizmo]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

We're not exactly talking CNN or the CBC here. Sports media isn't there for the most part to just report, but rather to sell, be it papers, tv ratings, radio listenership, etc. TSN, in particular, has a vested interest in making storylines that speak to various regions, engage viewers to tune in or get out in the stands. As the game grows, the value of their tv contract grows.

I don't think it's realistic that we hold sports journalism to the standards we would hold mainstream journalism to.

You mean we can go lower than that?

[moontoscott]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

You mean we can go lower than that?

Amen.

When I look at today's mainstream media it ranges from indifference to contempt in terms of real news coverage.

For example, I love BBC World News compared to CNN because at the BBC they at least try (to some extent) to ask tough questions of those they interview.

CNN (let's not even bother with Fox News--T.V. tabloid) tries to appease their guests. I'll never forget one interview with Dick Cheney when Wolf Blitzer was asking questions. In typical style the despicable Cheney became angry at one of the questions and poor Wolf apologized for about 5 minutes before the interview mercifully ended. The days of real reporters like Mike Wallace have ended. Not one person in the mainstream media asked Chicken-Sh*t Cheney why he sent thousands of people to their deaths while he himself had 5 draft defferments during the Vietnam war. Not one of them had the guts to challenge Cheney because they were worried that he would influence advertisers.

Now we have bubbleheads who talk all day about Hollywood stars. I can't wait for the next opinion as to whether Charlie Sheen is bi-polar or not.

[Inquiring Mind]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

Speaking of quality reporting...


http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl...man_ricky_ray/

Tillman also used some of the cap money he saved by dealing Ray, who was being paid about $450,000, to invest in Canadian content, in particular offensive lineman Brendon LaBatte, and some other players he deemed important.

Genius!

[esksswagthebest]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

Another thought about how TSN is fluffing the Argos... Do you think it is because they actually want people from TO to watch Argo games? I mean you really don't need to cater to Esks fans.. they are loyal and will watch regardless. On that note, I went to Rogers Centre a couple of years ago for a game, and the attendance was dismal. I sat in an entire section with 4 people (and I paid $5 for my ticket!) in the lower bowl!

[Inquiring Mind]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

Another thought about how TSN is fluffing the Argos... Do you think it is because they actually want people from TO to watch Argo games? I mean you really don't need to cater to Esks fans.. they are loyal and will watch regardless. On that note, I went to Rogers Centre a couple of years ago for a game, and the attendance was dismal. I sat in an entire section with 4 people (and I paid $5 for my ticket!) in the lower bowl!

Absolutely, building up the Argos is good for business for TSN. Close to half the english population of Canada is in Ontario, and the majority of that is in the GTA... tons of eyeballs in a condensed area is an advertisers wet dream... the Argos are the "in" for that market, and with the Grey Cup there this year they really have a chance to cash in.

[Lick My Cleats]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

Argos apologist looking to diminish their loss by saying the Esks got lucky. The truth is the Argos are not as good as the media guys want people to believe. They want to sell that the Argos will be in the 100th Grey Cup, it is BS ... a fairytale ... and disingenuous to the fans of the CFL. It treats us like mental midgets who will buy the spin and it ticks me off!

Reports … report … stop trying to be the story … if a Reporter is the story he/she is worthless to me, because it means he/she are on the outside looking in and really have no insight greater than you or I as fans.

What I want … what I need as a fan is the inside stuff … pandering to the masses to sell tampons or beer in the middle of Friday Night football is weak. What I want to hear is what impacts the product on the field. No spin, no opinion piece … just the facts.

When you listen to true insider like Bob Mackenzie or Jim Matheson on the NHL they often point to sources say. They get the inside scoop often because they cast no stones and because they are fair and balanced in reporting. I just wish we had the same quality of media working on the CFL.

[Rids]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

One of the problems with the sports reporting is that it is so competitive and usually the first story out is the one that gets the most hits. Trouble in the CFL is that the speed that the stats info comes out doesn't keep up.

Some of those CFL aspects are talked about here - http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/cfl...224841308.html

[Muley69]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

The media in this town don't cover the Esks enough.

The media that DO cover this team don't ask nearly enough of the tough questions.

EVERY COACH tries to build an "us vs. them" mentality in the dressing room to help improve player focus on the field.

[Deathsdoorstep]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

Forget the media....I don't believe in them either.

[Diesel]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

We see what the reaction is when TJ took repeated swipes

[Macavity]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

Media outside of the BBC have no obligation of any kind to objectivity. It's a business, and they write articles to sell. Not sure how this offends, though It's certainly annoying at many times.

[Lick My Cleats]

Re: What has happened to objectivity in the media?

Media outside of the BBC have no obligation of any kind to objectivity. It's a business, and they write articles to sell. Not sure how this offends, though It's certainly annoying at many times.

Not sure why journalistic integrity goes out the window when the source is sports related? I guess this is what happens when former players masquerade as columnists.

The poor quality due to the lack of objectivity offends, because it treats the fans like mental midgets. I guess this is what we get for our apathy ... a bunch of Don Cherry wannabees and creators of spin ... to heck with it pass me another beer so I can numb my mind enough to just accept it.

Meanwhile, I will turn off the sound off on the TV and watch our daily newspapers slowly die ... while I become more disconnected with CFL.