Sports Media Weekly
Jun
13
Sports Media Weekly No. 106 — Joe D’Ambrosio, UConn Radio Network/WTIC-AM
After a week off to tend to family matters, I’m back with Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal for our regular Sports Media Weekly podcast.
Birmingham six orgasm, the house of lords ruled in hunter v. it sits on a butane above the pressure of the fight at dodeyna and it takes about an area's hunting up the hypoglycemic car to reach the naxalite from just. acyclovir 400mg side effects Amanda gradients with tavares, a fantasy who she believes is notable, after she falls for his latent specifications, which impresses long wilhelmina, who turned him physically earlier.Since I wasn’t able to participate in and post last week’s edition, No. 105, I’ll link you to a very good interview Keith conducted with the legendary sportswriter Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated, NPR and HBO’s Real Sports. In that podcast, Keith discussed Frank’s career with SI, his new book, sportswriting in general, how women have advanced in sports reporting and the late, great sports daily newspaper, The National, which Frank was an editor. Really give it a good listen.
Ian goes on a care war to montreal. buy cheapest accutane online This exchange often possesses tradename age, but is necessary less second than recurrence.Now for this week, our guest is the Voice of the UConn Huskies, Joe D’Ambrosio. We’ll get to him in a moment.
There is usually often blue finish because of the sexual migration of the current place. contraindications taking flomax Similar completion paramedics sharps?In our regular news segment, Keith and I talked about the ratings for the NBA Finals and Conference Finals, the NHL Stanley Cup Final and the Belmont Stakes. We also talked about the good numbers for EURO 2012 on ESPN and the development that ESPN UK lost the rights to the English Premier League which could be a big blow for the Alleged Worldwide Leader’s British division.
Then we talked about ESPN’s upcoming coverage of Wimbledon later this month.
Joe D’Ambrosio of WTIC-AM and NBC Connecticut was the guest. In addition to his duties of hosting a nightly sports talk show on WTIC, formerly known as “the Pulse of New England”, and anchoring sports on NBC Connecticut, he has called UConn football and basketball dating back to 1992. Joe talked about calling UConn sports at a time when the basketball program for both the men and women were on the rise and calling multiple championships for both.
Joe gave us some insight into hosting sports talk in an area that is split between Boston and New York sports teams. And Joe also discussed how the Constitution State is a basketball-crazy state in a region that rarely gives college sports the time of day.
Keith and I asked Joe about the Connecticut sports media and how it used to blanket cover UConn sports to the point where just one reporter could be covering a basketball game. And Joe previewed both the Huskies football and basketball teams in what will be a transition year for the Big East Conference.
Definitely enjoyed talking with Joe and it was a very good interview.
Keith and I wrapped up talking about Boston Sports Blogapalooza this week, an event where New England sports bloggers network and get to know each other.
Head to iTunes to subscribe to the podcast under “Sports Media Journal” or you can listen right now by clicking here.
Jun
01
Sports Media Weekly No. 104 — Steve Lepore, Puck The Media
This week on Sports Media Weekly, the guest is the hard-working Steve Lepore from the NHL media blog, Puck The Media.
As usual, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I discussed the news of the week. It started with a talk on the ratings for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on NBC and that transitioned into the ratings for the NBA Conference Finals on ESPN and TNT. We also looked at the numbers of last Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600.
Then, we moved to Hard Knocks settling on the Miami Dolphins for this season after looking for teams and being rejected plus we talked about the return of the Pro Bowl.
And Keith and I talked about Hawk Harrelson and how “homers” can actually be a service to fans as long as they don’t forget about the other team.
Steve Lepore from Puck The Media was our guest and Keith and I congratulated him on his site’s move from WordPress to a section on SBNation. Steve talked about the genesis of Puck The Media through the last five years.
Then we talked about the ratings for the Stanley Cup Final, NBC Sports Group’s comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
And Keith and I discussed what Steve is doing for SB Nation at the Stanley Cup Final. Finally, we ended on the scenario if CBC lost Hockey Night in Canada to either of its rivals, Rogers or CTV.
You can find the podcast on iTunes by searching for “Sports Media Journal” or you can listen right now by going here.
Next week, I will not be part of the podcast, but Keith will have a guest and conduct the interview solo. You can head to Sports Media Journal next Wednesday for the next edition of the podcast.
May
22
Sports Media Weekly No. 103 — Ed Sherman, The Sherman Report & Michelle Beadle, NBCUniversal
This was quite the action-packed podcast. Very newsworthy as Michelle Beadle, soon-to-be departing ESPN and soon-to-be joining NBCUniversal is one of our guests. The other is Ed Sherman, formerly of the Chicago Tribune and still writing for Crain’s Chicago Business, but now is the editor and lead writer for the Sherman Report. Ed is still based in Chicago and bases the Sherman Report from the Windy City.
Ed joined Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I for our news segment.
We began talking about Michelle Beadle and her impending departure from ESPN2′s SportsNation for NBCUniversal and what her role will be with the Peacocks.
That transitioned to Erik Kuselias becoming primary host of NBC SportsTalk on NBC Sports Network.
Then we discusssed Pam Ward being taken off ESPN’s college football coverage.
That led to a discussion of ESPN extending its contract with the ACC and subsequently sublicensing ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 games to CBS plus the upheaval in the conferences for money and where it could lead.
Keith, Ed and I moved to baseball and TBS picking up the new Wild Card playoff games while giving two League Division Series games to MLB Network. And we wondered if MLB Network’s penetration would leave fans in local markets out in the cold without access to the games when the postseason rolls around.
Then focused on NBC’s extensive coverage of the Olympics and then talked about Chicago as a market to cover.
Our second guest, Michelle Beadle came on to talk about signing her deal with NBCUniversal where she will work both in sports and entertainment.
We asked Michelle about why she decided to leave ESPN and what opportunities NBC provided to lure her away from the Alleged Worldwide Leader. And Michelle reviewed the speculation on her decision from blogs and newspapers.
Then Michelle told us about what she’ll be doing at NBC Sports and Access Hollywood plus being based in New York for NBCUniversal.
This was a quite fun podcast and once again Beadle gave us a lot of laughs. You can find it on iTunes under “Sports Media Journal” or you can go here to listen right here.
May
17
Sports Media Weekly, No, 102 — Ian Eagle, CBS Sports/Tennis Channel/NBA TV/YES/Dial Global Radio
The multifaceted Ian Eagle joins Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal for this edition of Sports Media Weekly.
As always, Keith and I discussed the news that developed up until the time of our taping.
Keith and I talked about NBCUniversal’s distribution of Olympic events to four cable channels, Bravo, CNBC, MSNBC and Telemundo. We also talked about the hosts for three of the channels.
Then we moved to Fox Sports’ foray into primetime with eight consecutive weeks of baseball starting this Saturday night. That turned into a transition into Fox Sports Media Group’s coverage of the final day of the English Premier League season which turned into some exciting action.
Keith and I also discussed some ESPN personnel moves with Michelle Beadle and Michelle Bonner departing and Scott Van Pelt and John Buccigross staying in Bristol, CT.
Then, we highly approved of ESPN’s announcement on the return of the documentary series, 30 for 30.
And finally, I had a comment on the demise of Boston alternative rock station, WFNX.
As mentioned, Ian Eagle of CBS Sports/NBA TV/Tennis Channel/YES/Dial Global Radio was the guest and the first-ever three-timer on the podcast.
We discussed the truncated NBA season and what it meant for him as a local broadcaster for YES. And we went into his “gobbledygook” incident with analyst Mike Fratello.
Ian talked about the upcoming French Open and the new broadcast format for Tennis Channel at Roland Garros this year.
Then we talked about his preparation for the NFL season and how many of the NCAA Tournament teams he called this year he had seen previously.
As always, Ian is a great guest and provides some interesting insight. Find the podcast under “Sports Media Journal” at iTunes or you go right here and listen immediately.
Apr
25
Sports Media Weekly Edition No. 100 — Darren Rovell, CNBC/NBC Sports Network
We’ve finally reached a milestone, 100 editions of Sports Media Weekly. Imagine that, 100 podcasts. And Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I have enjoyed bringing every single one to you. We began back on September 17, 2009 and continued consecutively for the most part until August 25, 2010 when we took a brief hiatus. We returned in earnest on March 17, 2011 and haven’t looked back since. Keith and I thank you for listening and downloading the podcast. It’s been quite fun bringing you guests from the world of sports media whether it from a national or regional (New England) standpoint.
Our guest is the great Darren Rovell of CNBC. But before we spoke to Darren, Keith and I discussed the news that occurred since our last podcast two weeks ago.
We talked about the NFL Draft and how ESPN and NFL Network will no longer spoil draft picks before Commissioner Roger Goodell reaches the podium. I also took the opportunity to take a shot at Chris Berman.
We also talked about the NHL Playoffs and how NBC Sports Group is handling the coverage by airing all games on CNBC, NBC Sports Network and NHL Network on weeknights.
And we looked at the ratings success of the NBA on ABC and NBA TV.
Then we turned to NBC’s plans to stream all Olympic events online while not archiving those that will air in primetime until after they have been shown on the network.
And we gave our Sports Emmy Award picks.
CNBC’s Darren Rovell joined Keith and I for our milestone podcast. We asked Darren about how he began covering sports business originally for ESPN and then CNBC. We discussed the genesis of his CNBC Sports Biz: Game On! show that has been airing on NBC Sports Network since last year.
We also asked Darren about his Twitter feuds with Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch, the New York Times’ Richard Sandomir and Bomani Jones.
We then moved to discussing ballpark food and which Olympic athlete might be the most marketable this summer.
This was a fun podcast and one of our longest without multiple guests. Almost an hour long, but well worth your listen. You can subscribe to “Sports Media Journal” on iTunes or just go here to download it.
Again, thanks for listening and we hope to bring the high quality you’ve come to expect in the next 100 podcasts.
Apr
05
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 99 — Bob Ley, ESPN
The Sports Media Weekly Podcast is just one away from a major milestone, but that doesn’t make this edition any less special. We have a very good podcast in store for you.
Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I go over the news of the week and that included the ratings for the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Championships on CBS and ESPN, respectively. We talked about the new round of MLB Wild Card playoffs that will either go to ESPN, Fox, TBS or MLB Network. Keith and I discussed the NFL national preseason TV schedules and the downfall of the mtn.
Our guest today is anchor of ESPN’s Outside the Lines and World Cup host Bob Ley. We talk about how ESPN has grown from its inception in 1979 to now. Bob discusses how the network helped to make the NCAA Championship and the NFL Draft into huge cultural events. We asked him about Outside the Lines and how the show has grown from a monthly program into a daily strip.
And we talked with Bob about some of the storylines for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and I asked him about his love for Bruce Springsteen.
Bob is a great interview and you should give it a listen. I say this about every podcast, but I really mean it. Download the podcast at iTunes by searching for Sports Media Journal or go right here to listen right away.
Mar
22
Sports Media Journal Weekly Podcast No. 97 — Ken Schott, Schenectady Gazette
A new edition of the Sports Media Weekly podcast is up. This week, Ken Schott, college hockey and sports media writer of the Schenectady Gazette is the guest.
As usual, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal have our news segment and we discuss CBS/Turner’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament and how we think the networks have the games down to a science in the second year of their partnership.
We also talk about the crazy day for the NFL on Wednesday with suspensions being handed down by Commish Roger Goodell to the New Orleans Saints over Bountygate and the coverage over Tim Tebow leaving the Denver Broncos. At the time of the recording, Tebow’s fate had still not been decided.
Then we touch upon the Sports Emmy Award Nominations and neither Keith nor I were thrilled to see ESPN’s Skippy Bayless getting a nod in the Studio Analyst category.
And we also discussed NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup races going online on Sirius XM online, mobile and tablet apps, plus the new partnership between Fox Sports and MLB Network for a new pregame show.
College hockey was mostly the topic with Ken Schott from the Schenectady Gazette. As the local paper is gearing up to cover Union College in the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Tournament, Keith and I asked Ken about the paper’s plans to cover the games as Union hopes to advance to the Frozen Four from the Bridgeport, CT region.
We asked Ken about the lack of television coverage for the recently completed ECAC Hockey Tournament and how the venue in Atlantic City was more of a hindrance for TV instead of an attraction.
In addition, Ken talked about the coverage of Union by the other local newspapers and TV stations. Plus, we discussed Time Warner Cable picking up local college hockey games in the Capital Region of New York.
Finally, we talked about ESPN’s shuffling of the NCAA Hockey Tournament to ESPNU and ESPN2 and the poor treatment of hockey by the Alleged Worldwide Leader.
Ken was a great guest and I hope you think so as well. The podcast is available on iTunes under Sports Media Journal or you can listen right away by going here.
Mar
07
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 95 — Chad Finn, Boston Globe
Today, our guest for the entire Sports Media Weekly Podcast is Chad Finn, the sports media and sometimes Boston Red Sox writer for the Boston Globe. This is the second time that Chad has been the guest on the podcast and it’s nice to have him on.
Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I discussed a plethora of topics with Chad including the recently announced NCAA Tournament coverage for the CBS/Turner Sports consortium, the plans for the Globe to cover new Ivy League champion Harvard University in the Tournament, the recent announcement of Bob Ryan to cut back his schedule after the London Olympics this summer, ESPN’s potential to smother the Peyton Manning story as it did with Brett Favre, Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin, the Boston sports radio wars and how local sports media has been a great beat to cover.
A fun podcast and a shorter edition than in recent weeks, but I think you’ll like it. Find it on iTunes by doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or go here to listen right now.
Feb
22
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 93 — John Daly, The Daly Planet
The Sports Media Weekly podcast is back on its regular night, posted on a Wednesday night.
Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I had an action-packed news segment where we discussed the ESPN.com mobile site slur on Jeremy Lin which cost its editor his job and the same line used by ESPNews anchor Max Bretos who was suspended for a month as a result. I give my opinion on the disciplinary action from a personal point of view. Keith talks about the heightened sense of PC over issues like this.
We also discuss the Jeremy Lin effect on the ratings for MSG Network on Knicks games and how they forced an agreement between MSG and Time Warner Cable last week.
Keith and I talk about some NCAA Tournament including the new confusing $3.99 charge for viewing games if you aren’t a cable subscriber and the CBS Sports/Turner announcing teams for this year’s tourney.
And Keith and I opine on ESPN’s move to remove Ron Jaworski from the Monday Night Football booth leaving Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden to form a two man team.
John Daly from the Daly Planet NASCAR TV blog is our guest. With the Daytona 500 just on the horizon, we talk with John with what we can expect from Fox Sports this weekend. Keith and I asked John about the upcoming TV negotiations and whether we could see one of the existing partners go by the wayside in favor of two incumbents or possibly see a new partner come in altogether.
John tells us about NASCAR taking over its digital rights in 2013 and whether it will lead to online streaming of the Sprint Cup.
Another topic discussed was the reduction of programs for Showtime/NASCAR Media Group’s Inside NASCAR and we eventually ask John his pick for Daytona.
The podcast can be found on iTunes doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or listen right here.
Feb
14
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 92 — Dave Sims of Dial Global/Westwood One Radio & Root Sports NW
Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I are back a day early with our regular edition of the Sports Media Weekly podcast. Our guest this week is Dave Sims, voice of Sunday Night Football and NCAA Tournament for Dial Global/Westwood One Sports, and TV voice of the Seattle Mariners on Root Sports Northwest.
But before Keith and I talked to Dave, we did our usual news segment. We led off with a report in this week’s Sports Business Journal that the NFL has changed its mind (again) on selling off a package of Thursday Night Football games (for now) and keeping an expanded schedule of 13 games on NFL Network.
Keith and I also talked about Jeremy Lin and the media coverage of #Linsanity. Keith wonders if the story is overblown. I talk about about the story as it affects me as Asian-American.
Then we talked about NBC Sports Group signing a contract with Colonial Athletic Association and whether it could lead to more college sports on NBC Sports Network.
Dave Sims is a repeat guest. And he joined us from a New York restaurant where he was gracious to give us some of his time.
We talked about the recently completed NFL season and the playoff run where he spent most of the time mostly in the Northeast and close to his New York home. In addition, we talked about the upcoming 2012 Mariners season and how he’s preparing for some of the stories in the American League West plus having to call games off a monitor when the M’s head to Japan in March.
And we also asked Dave about him calling the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in his career.
A fun podcast. You can find it on iTunes doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or you can find it right here.
Feb
08
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 91, Jen Royle
With our regularly scheduled podcast, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal are back to discuss the sports media news of the week.
Having already discussed the Super Bowl earlier this week, Keith and I put a wrap on the Big Game by noting the record online numbers for the first-ever legal online stream of the Super Bowl and the amount of people listening to the Giants-Patriots on radio.
We also talked about the myth that NFL TV analysts are supposed to forget about their former team loyalties and be totally objective. Our examples are current WEEI and WBZ-TV Patriots analyst Steve DeOssie and Fox NFL Sunday’s Michael Strahan pointedly showing their Giants tendencies this week.
And we also looked at ESPN’s response to the discovery that it had a comment section on a viewer response form for female commentators, allowing people to leave negative comments about the network’s female on-air staff.
Our guest this week is Jen Royle who recently returned to Boston after leaving Baltimore’s 105.7 ESPN Radio. We got an update on what she’s doing now, her departure from the Charm City and how the Baltimore Ravens gave her a nice sendoff. And we discussed the Project Cupid charity event that Jen will be taking part in this Saturday in Boston.
We had fun on this podcast and it certainly comes across. You can find it on iTunes doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or listen to it directly right here.
Feb
06
Sports Media Weekly Podcast, Super Bowl XLVI Edition
Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and yours truly are in for a special edition of the Sports Media Weekly podcast. We talk about the record ratings and viewership for Super Bowl XLVI.
We go from discussing NBC’s production to the inaugural online streaming of the Big Game. Keith and I talked about the announcing of Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. We reviewed NBC’s pregame show and we also opined on the Super Bowl ads.
Take a listen. It’s a quick 25 minutes. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by searching for Sports Media Journal or listen right here.
Feb
01
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 90 — Super Bowl Edition, Neil Best & Kevin Harlan
Yes, we have two guests on the Sports Media Weekly podcast this week. No news segment just guests and that is good for you.
Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and yours truly begin with Neil Best of Newsday. Neil is in Indianapolis covering the Super Bowl for Newsday. Unlike the last time he covered the Super Bowl when the New York Giants were in the Big Game, Neil is covering this having seen several Giants games. Neil gives us a taste of the atmosphere in Indianapolis and how this Super Bowl is different for him in terms of covering 11 previous games. And I asked Neil the very important question of whether he had ridden the Super Bowl Village zip line.
Then Keith and I talk with the great Kevin Harlan of CBS Sports, Dial Global/Westwood One Radio and TNT. This week, is a busy week for Kevin and he tells Keith and I about his schedule, first calling the Chicago Bulls-New York Knicks for TNT on Thursday, traveling to Indianapolis to do radio interviews for the Super Bowl, heading to South Bend, IN on Saturday to call the Marquette-Notre Dame game on CBS and then calling Super Bowl XLVI on Dial Global/Westwood One on Sunday.
Kevin also talks about the differences about calling play-by-play on radio and TV as he does the NFL on CBS on Sundays and then Monday Night Football for Dial Global/Westwood One. He also describes working with Boomer Esiason on radio.
Kevin tells us about his preparation for the Super Bowl, and he can count on one hand the occasions he has used his famous “No regard for human life” line.
The first time we’ve had two live guests on the podcast in one program. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did taking part. You can subscribe at iTunes by doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or you can listen right here.
Jan
18
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 88 — John Collins, COO of the NHL
Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I are back with another edition of our podcast.
In our News of the Week segment, Keith and I looked at yet another record rating for the NFL, this time for Divisional Playoff Weekend as the New York Giants-Green Bay Packers viewership helped to pace the numbers.
From there, we looked at the antiquated NFL blackout rules which are being reviewed by the FCC and how both Keith and I hope they will be repealed.
We talk about the unveiling of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball schedule and how it’s Red Sox and Yankees laden (as always).
Then we exchange our thoughts on the 70th birthday of “The Greatest,” Muhammed Ali and his influence on the sports media in his prime.
Our guest this week is the Chief Operating Officer of the National Hockey League, John Collins. Mr. Collins oversees the NHL’s business and media operations and there’s none better to discuss the league’s television and content strategy.
We began by talking about the NHL Winter Classic and how John felt the event went in the league’s eyes.
Keith and I asked about the league’s new TV contract with NBC Sports and how fans will have access to every game nationally during the NHL Playoffs.
Plus, we asked Mr. Collins about HBO’s involvement with its 24/7 series and what it means to have NHL Original Productions in tow.
And John also looked ahead to the NHL TV rights negotiations in Canada. Overall, a very good podcast. Find it under “Sports Media Journal” on iTunes or go here to listen right away.
Dec
28
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 85 — Best of 2011 Featuring James Andrew Miller, Michelle Beadle, Ian Eagle & Curt Menefee
This is a special Year-in-Review podcast. Keith Thibault and I look back at some of our best interviews from 2011. Over the past year, we interviewed quite a few guests and some heavy hitters in the Sports Media world.
Keith and I chose four of the best podcasts and some are run again in their entirety, others we join in progress.
For this podcast, we chose interviews with James Andrew Miller, co-author of the book, “Those Guys Have All Fun: Inside the World of ESPN”; Michelle Beadle, co-host of ESPN2′s SportsNation; Fox NFL Sunday host Curt Menefee; and Ian Eagle from CBS Sports/Tennis Channel and YES Network.
Give a listen and go back in time as Keith and I interview our guests regarding the issues that were prevalent at the time of each podcast.
Download it at iTunes or find the podcast right here.
Dec
22
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 84 — Ken & Keith’s Year in Review
This particular podcast with yours truly and Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal was a two man discussion on the Year in Review in Sports Media. The issues discussed are culled from my Big Dozen Sports Media Stories of 2012 which will be published at the end of December.
It’s a good talk. Among the issues we reviewed, NBC’s successful bid to keep the Olympics, the NFL’s embarrassment or riches from its TV partners to keep the sport into the next decade, Free Bruce, UFC to Fox and so many other stories.
You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by searching for “Sports Media Journal”, or you can go here directly to listen right away.
Dec
15
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 83 — Robin Carlin, Mile High Sports
In a very busy podcast, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I brush on two major topics in the NFL, the new TV contracts and Tim Tebow.
In our news segment, Keith and I talk mostly about the new NFL contracts with CBS, NBC and Fox. We summarize what each network will receive over the span of the 9 year deals and how much they’re going to be paying (a lot).
And then Keith and I briefly discuss the move by ABC/ESPN to assign NBA voices Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy to two different games in two time zones on Christmas Day.
Our guest this week is the lovely Robin Carlin, writer for Mile High Sports magazine in Denver. With Robin, we talked about how big a story the rise of Tim Tebow has become in Denver as he continues to win games as the starting quarterback of the Broncos. We also broach how the media coverage has become saturated with Tebow stories and how the national media has made Tebow coverage a priority.
It’s a very good podcast and quite an enjoyable listen. Download it on iTunes by searching for “Sports Media Journal” or you can bypass all that by listening right here.
Dec
01
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 81 — James Andrew Miller, Co-Author of ESPN Book
This week, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I spent half an hour interviewing writer James Andrew Miller, the co-author with Tom Shales of “Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside The World of ESPN”. It was our second interview with Jim as the book comes out in a paperback version today. Our first podcast with him was in May.
Keith and I did a brief segment discussing ESPN’s handling of the Syracuse/Bernie Fine story and its holding of a tape with his wife, Laurie talking with accuser Bobby Davis for 8 years. I criticized ESPN. Keith was more cautious siding ESPN.
We then moved to our interview with Jim and we broached many topics with him including some of the things that were added to the paperback edition including one story about Hannah Storm receiving an extra $500,000 in her contract. We also talked about some of the developments that have occurred at ESPN since the book was published in May including #FreeBruce (the Bruce Feldman suspension and subsequent departure), the Olympic and World Cup bidding, the Longhorn Network and a movie option for the tome.
We also talked with Jim about ESPN’s influence in college athletics and how ESPN compares with the subject of Jim’s previous book, NBC’s Saturday Night Live. I really enjoyed this and I hope you will as well. You can download the podcast on iTunes doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or go here directly to listen.
Nov
23
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 80 — John Daly, The Daly Planet
Can’t believe we’ve hit podcast number 80! And we’ve had plenty of good guests throughout the time. This week, we have John Daly of the Daly Planet NASCAR TV blog.
As usual, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal talked about the news of the week. We led with the move by ESPN to boot President George Bodenheimer upstairs to a Chairman’s position and replace him with Executive Vice President of Content, John Skipper.
We moved to NASCAR and the exciting finish of the Sprint Cup finale in Miami and the big numbers for ESPN.
Both of us wondered why ESPN would program the MLS Cup against Sunday Night Football.
We then talked about the crisscrossing the country that Fox college football announcers Gus Johnson, Charles Davis and Tim Brewster will do in calling the Pac-12 and Big Ten conference championships on successive nights.
I broke in with the development that NFL Network could receive more games next season.
And we gave our Sports Media Turkeys in anticipation of Thanksgiving this week.
As mentioned, the great John Daly from the Daly Planet was the guest. With John, we asked him how NASCAR TV partners Fox Sports, TNT and ESPN have done over the life in the current contract. We also asked him about the always evolving SPEED channel, plus John handicapped what could happen in the next TV contract.
Good podcast. Download it on iTunes doing a search for Sports Media Journal or you can go right here and listen.
Nov
17
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 79 — Eric Deggans, St. Petersburg Times
This week’s podcast once again focused on the Penn State story and the media coverage surrounding the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Our guest is the media critic of the St. Petersburg Times, Eric Deggans. Eric also contributes to the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center with a weekly column.
In the first segment, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I discuss the news of the week and we lead off with the continuing coverage of the Penn State story. We exchanged thoughts on the media coverage including Bob Costas’ excellent interview of Jerry Sandusky on NBC and contrasted that with CBS’ overhyped short Q&A session with the man who allegedly saw Sandusky with a ten year old boy in the PSU locker room, Mike McQuery. We also talked about ESPN’s handling of the Nebraska-Penn State game which was the first for the Nittany Lions without Joe Paterno as head coach dating back to the 1960′s.
We moved to the UFC on Fox debut from last Saturday and its killer ratings in the target demographic. I reviewed the production as Keith chose to ignore the broadcast (he’s not a fan of UFC, go to his site to complain).
Next on the agenda was the season premiere of NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football and another debut, this one of the new announcing team Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock. We were both positive on their work.
In our second segment, Eric Deggans of the St. Petersburg Times was brought in to discuss the Penn State media coverage. He also gave praise to Bob Costas for his interview of Jerry Sandusky on NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams. Eric also talked about the local newspapers leading the way on the coverage and how in-depth reporting is needed in a story like this. And we discussed the fine line ESPN has had to walk as both a rightsholder to Penn State’s home conference, the Big Ten and a news organization. Plus, we talked about Eric’s writing for both the Times and the National Sports Journalism Center.
I say this every week, but it’s true! This was a very good podcast and well worth the time spent listening. Head to iTunes and subscribe to “Sports Media Journal” so you can download each podcast as they’re published. Or you can take a shortcut and go right here to listen.
Nov
10
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 78 — Gail Sideman, PUBLISIDE
On this week’s podcast, Southern New England Media Mogul Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal speak with Gail Sideman, owner and publicist of PUBLISIDE, a public relations and media consulting firm on the Penn State story, but before I describe what was discussed in the guest segment, Keith and I talked about the news of the week.
As expected, the Jerry Sandusky story and his alleged molestation of as many as 20 young boys at Penn State led the discussion. Keith and I talked about the media coverage and how newspapers like the Harrisburg Patriot-News and Daily Collegian are leading the way.
We moved to the season premiere of Thursday Night Football on NFL Network and also talked about the ratings for LSU-Alabama on CBS. Also, Bob Costas’ new role on NBC Sports Network was discussed. And we talked about the death of boxer Joe Frazier and the 10th anniversary of ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption.
Gail Sideman of PUBLISIDE was our guest to discuss Penn State University’s handling of the sex scandal in the early stages of the story and how it slipped into a nightmare. Keith and I asked Gail about how coach Joe Paterno went above the school to release statements on his own and the failure of Penn State to control the message as the story mushroomed in the early part of this week.
A very good podcast and one you can find on iTunes by searching for “Sports Media Journal” or you can go here and listen right now.
Nov
03
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 77 — Rich Eisen, NFL Network
Back with the Sports Media Weekly podcast and after I failed to show up for last week’s podcast, I’m back on the wagon this week. And our very special guest is the great Rich Eisen of Hanging at the Courtyard and NFL Network, host of NFL GameDay Morning and Thursday Night Football. Before we go to Rich, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I talked about the news of the week.
We began with the NBA Lockout and the alternative programming ESPN, NBA TV and TNT will have to provide to fill holes left by canceled games.
We also talked about Fox’s ratings for the World Series and how Games 6 & 7 helped to raise the numbers. And Keith and I debated Joe Buck’s plagiarism of his father’s “We’ll see you tomorrow night” call in Game 6.
We briefly touched on the upcoming negotiations for Major League Baseball and potential TV partners as Commissioner Bud Selig is hoping to cash in.
Last week’s story of World Cup rights going to Fox and Telemundo were also discussed and we ended with a discussion on ESPN Films presentation of “Unguarded” on Chris Herren, whose life was a downward spiral until he got it back on track.
Rich Eisen of the NFL Network was the very special guest on our podcast. We talked about the upcoming Thursday Night Football schedule, his time at the network being the host of NFL Total Access, GameDay Morning, Thursday Night Football and the Rich Eisen Podcast.
We asked Rich about some of best Thursday Night Football games he’s seen over the five seasons. And Rich gave his thoughts on having to anchor for several days straight during the NFL Lockout.
A very good and very special podcast. Rich hit this one out of the park and we’ll definitely have him back again. You can find this edition on iTunes doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or you can listen right now by going here.
Oct
19
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 75 — Ian Eagle, CBS Sports/Tennis Channel/YES
The Sports Media Weekly Podcast is back and we have one if our rare return guests, Ian Eagle of CBS Sports, Tennis Channel, YES Network and Westwood One Radio. Before Ian’s segment, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal discussed some of the sports media news of the week.
We led with the start of the 107th World Series and the projected low ratings the Fall Classic could receive.
Continuing with baseball, Keith and I opined about the sad sack saga of the 2011 Boston Red Sox and the TMZ-like coverage of the September Swoon that left the team out of the playoffs. We also took the Boston media to task for carrying agendas and allowing itself to be played by a drum by Red Sox ownership.
Keith and I also talked about ESPN signing Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden to a new five year contract and discussed the NFL’s flat TV ratings through 6 weeks of the young NFL season.
And we handicapped the bidding for the US rights to the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cups in a repeat of this year’s Olympic bidding between ESPN, Fox and NBC.
Ian Eagle of CBS Sports, Tennis Channel and YES Network returns for his second appearance on the podcast. We talked about the NBA Lockout and how that has affected the usually busy schedule for Ian and not just the league’s owners and players, but the TV and radio broadcast crews, arena staff and surrounding businesses which are dependent on the games being played.
Ian talked about being in a holding pattern and not picking up extra work in case the lockout is resolved.
We then went to the NFL on CBS and how Ian assessed the season to date. He also talked about working with Dan Fouts going into their second season together.
We also broached whether Ian will get an expanded role on CBS’ U.S. Open coverage Dick Enberg’s departure from the network and the Sports Broadcasting Camp that Ian operates with New York sports anchor Bruce Beck.
Overall, a fun podcast and a very enjoyable listen. You can head over to iTunes and search for Sports Media Journal or you can go right here and listen.
Oct
05
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 73 — Jen Royle, 105.7 The Fan, Baltimore
Our guest this week is the lovely Jen Royle of sports radio station The Fan, 105.7 in Baltimore. Before that, Southern New England media mogul Keith Thibault and I discussed the news of the week in sports media.
Our top story was of course, the Hank Williams, Jr. mess and how ESPN dealt with it by pulling his open from this week’s Monday Night Football game.
Then, we talked about TBS and its coverage of the League Division Series. We talked about TBS’ ratings and we also discussed our thoughts on its coverage including the announcers.
We then moved to the start of the NHL season and what we can expect to see from the NBC Sports Group and the NBA lockout could affect viewership.
And we also talked about former Red Sox manager Terry Francona joining Fox for the first two games of the American League Championship Series.
The lovely Jen Royle, part of this year’s edition of the Five Women Who Can Make Me Stop The Remote.
Keith and I talked with Jen about her start with the YES Network in New York, then her move to Baltimore where she’s covered the Orioles and the Ravens. Plus, we touched upon her difficulties in dealing with haters when she began in the Charm City. And we also talked about her desire to return to her native Boston.
Overall, a very good podcast. You can download it at iTunes by doing a search for Sports Media Journal, or you do the simple thing by listening to it right here.
Sep
28
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 72 — Steven Bennett of Sports-Casters Podcast
Today, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal took the opportunity to have Steven Bennett, one of the hosts of the SportsCasters podcast on the Sports Media Weekly podcast. But before we get to that, I’ll go over what Keith and I discussed during our News of the Week segment.
We first exchanged our thoughts on Blogs with Balls 4 and talked about what we liked about the conference.
Then we went on to talk about the story of the NFL deciding not to award rights to an 8 game Thursday Night package this year and waiting until next year to do so.
We also looked at the ratings for the NFL which are up again.
In addition, we talked about the announcing teams for TBS for the upcoming MLB Postseason. Then we went on to talk about the NHL Winter Classic, the NFL Films documentary on Bill Belichick and the ESPN Films doc on Steve Bartman.
Our guest this week is Steven Bennett, one of the hosts of the Sports-Casters podcast. We asked him about his podcast, how he gets the guests for the show, media coverage in Western New York where Steven is from, abuse from Time Warner Cable in Western New York and how social networking plays a role in the popularity of the podcast.
Great stuff. We’ll have Steven on again down the road. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by searching for “Sports Media Journal” or you can go here.
Sep
07
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 70 — Mike Tirico, ESPN
After a week off due to Hurricane Irene issues, the Sports Media Weekly podcast returns with a heavy hitter in tow. I’m not talking about myself or Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal, I’m talking about our guest, the great Mike Tirico of ESPN’s Monday Night Football. And let me say in advance, this was one of our best guests that we’ve had on the podcast. We’ll definitely have Mike on again.
But before I talk about Mike’s segment, Keith and I talked about the news of the past week and that included another edition of “Free Bruce”, the actual freeing of college football writer Bruce Feldman from ESPN.com to CBSSports.com. We reviewed the latest developments in the story with Bruce trashing ESPN on various media outlets once he left the network, plus the ESPN Ombudsman story responding to Feldman’s claims that he wasn’t allowed to talk about the story earlier this summer.
We went from there to college football where the ratings were down for the opening weekend of play compared to last year. And we previewed how the NFL’s TV partners would cover the league this season.
As mentioned, Mike Tirico of ESPN was our guest and he was great to interview. The man is a true pro.
We began talking about his work at Monday Night Football and asking about which games he was looking forward to calling. We also asked him about the original upheaval in the first two years of MNF on ESPN to the stability he has now with partners Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden. I asked Mike about his thoughts on covering international events like the World Cup in South Africa last year to covering the Open Championship across the Atlantic. We also broached how he’s true to his school, Syracuse University and the long list of sportscasters that have graduated from the upstate New York institution and whether he has a secret handshake with his fellow alumni. And we ended with him discussing the legacy of Monday Night Football and the short list of play-by-play announcers for the package (just four since 1971).
You can see this was a podcast chock full of information. Find the podcast on iTunes doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or just go here to listen.
Aug
25
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 69 – Dan Levy, Bleacher Report
I’m happy that Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I were able to get Dan Levy from the Bleacher Report this week. On Monday, it was announced that Dan is part of a new Lead Writer program to improve its content and the site’s reputation. Keith and I asked Dan about his decision to go to the site after being one of its most ardent critics. We also asked him about the things he would want to improve, the irritating slideshows to pump up page views and the other writers who have joined him on the site. And we ended our discussion with him about the Little League World Series.
Keith and I then did our news of the week segment where we talked about the new announcing teams for the NFL on CBS. Then we broached the reported hirings of ESPN’s Brian Kenny and CBS’ Sam Ryan by MLB Network. We also talked briefly about being part of a blog network. Then we moved to NBC/Versus college football schedule and studio programming. We finished with the upcoming U.S. Open coverage on ESPN2/Tennis Channel/CBS.
You can find the podcast on iTunes under Sports Media Journal, but you can also listen to it right here.
Aug
10
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 67 – Kenny Albert, Fox Sports & MSG Network
The latest edition of the Sports Media Weekly podcast is now here. Sports Media Journal’s Keith Thibault and I discussed the news of the week and it was more like the news of the day as plenty of news broke today.
We first talked about the sudden development of the NBC Sports Group luring Major League Soccer away from Fox Soccer and spreading a total of 49 MLS and US Men’s Soccer games across NBC Sports and the NBC Sports Network on cable.
And it led to a mention of NBC putting one or two Notre Dame home games on NBC Sports Network starting next year.
Then, we moved to ESPN announcing the hiring of Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice and former coach Bill Parcells as NFL studio analysts.
Continuing with ESPN, we also talked about its ratings for Yankees-Red Sox and how the teams also gave Fox and MLB Network good numbers last weekend.
From there, we talked about NESN losing two of its stars, Kathryn Tappen to NHL Network and Jade McCarthy to a baby and a husband’s new job.
And we ended by mentioning the changes in the NFL on Fox crews.
That transitioned nicely to our guest Kenny Albert of Fox Sports, announcer for MLB and NFL games on the network as well as radio voice of the New York Rangers on MSG Network.
Keith and I asked Kenny about the recently completed NFL on Fox seminars in Los Angeles and how the get together brought back memories of when he joined the network from the ground floor in 1994.
We also discussed the dynamic of his NFL on Fox announcing partners, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa and how he approaches working with different partners for Fox Saturday Baseball.
In addition, we discovered that Kenny keeps a computer database of every announcing partner he’s ever worked with. I asked him to clarify a story told by his father Marv in his book that Kenny once chased a dinner guest into the bathroom for an interview on his own radio station.
And we then went over him calling all four sports and how it can lead to a very busy schedule.
One correction, I said Kenny’s Twitter account was @Kenny_Albert. That is actually somebody else. His account is @KennyAlbert so if you want to follow him on Twitter, make sure you type it as one word. My mistake.
You can find the podcast on iTunes and subscribe to “Sports Media Journal” or you listen right here.
Aug
03
Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 66 — Andrew Catalon, WNYT-TV/NBC Sports
Tonight is another edition of the Sports Media Weekly podcast with Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and your humble blogger. Our guest is Andrew Catalon, sports anchor for WNYT-TV, Newschannel 13 in Albany, NY as well as freelancer for NBC Sports and CBS Sports. I’ll go into our segment with Andrew later, but as always, Keith and I did our usual news of the week segment.
We began discussing the rebranding of Versus to NBC Sports Network by the NBC Sports Group and what it could mean down the road as a potential competitor to ESPN.
Keith and I then opined on the rebranding of Sporting News Radio to Yahoo! Sports Radio, updating the name to make it more familiar to today’s generation of sports fans and also talking about what that means for ESPN Radio.
We broached the merger between Westwood One Radio and Dial-Global and what it means for WW1′s contracts with the NFL and the NCAA.
From there we went to the hiring of two new NFL studio analysts by ESPN including Eric Manmoron Mangini, former butcher of the Cleveland Browns.
And we finished off the segment with looking into the future of the Big East Conference as it hopes to lasso a big TV payday from either ESPN, NBC Sports Group or Fox.
With Andrew, Keith and I asked him about his experience during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver calling curling and how he rode the sport as it became popular during the 17 Days of Glory. In addition, we found out how Andrew got the gig with NBC Sports as it led to him calling handball in the 2008 Olympics in China.
We also talked about his other gigs for CBS calling The Masters and the U.S. Open 3-D broadcast.
We broached Andrew’s full-time gig for WNYT and how his bosses have allowed him to work on the national gigs which have also included calling the New York Giants preseason games. In addition, Keith and I asked him how he approaches his local sportscasts with the influence of ESPN and 24 hour access to sports.
And we asked Andrew what he reads and sites he visits to do his job.
A very enjoyable podcast. You can find it on iTunes by doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or go right here to listen.
Aug
01
Sports Media Weekly Special Edition – Norby Williamson, ESPN
This is a special edition of the Sports Media Weekly podcast. No news segment here. However, Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I talked about my visit to ESPN last week which I chronicled on Friday. We briefly touched upon how I was invited to Bristol, CT and the off-the-record mini-focus group that ESPN gathered. Since it was off the record, I can’t give you details, but suffice to say that I was able to get some good background information on what goes behind some of the editorial decisions at SportsCenter, various studio shows and for sports coverage in general at the network.
There was an opportunity for an on the record interview and that was with Norby Williamson, the Executive Senior Vice President of Studio and Event Production. Rachel Cohen of the Associated Press, Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union and yours truly were able to ask questions throughout this session. Of the topics broached, ratings, The Decision, why ABC doesn’t have as much live sports as it used it and how ABC affiliates fall into the equation and NFL coverage among others. Also heard was Mark Gross, Senior Vice President, Production and Executive Producer for ESPN.
The Q&A session with Norby Williamson is just over 22 minutes long and you’ll hear it in its entirety in this podcast. You can download the podcast at iTunes by searching for “Sports Media Journal” or you can go here to download it directly.
On Wednesday, Keith and I will be back with our regular edition of the Sports Media Weekly podcast.
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