First reported by...

Bobble · 11-03-2017, 09:41 AM

I'm watching the ESPN ticker and they throw out a news tidbit (not Deshaun Watson ... oh, it was J-Up signing a new contract) followed by "first reported by {whoever}". Are we supposed to care about that? I thought your job was to report the news, not keep score on who scooped whom. I don't care who broke the story. Am I taking crazy pills?

JonInMiddleGA · 11-03-2017, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobble

I'm watching the ESPN ticker and they throw out a news tidbit (not Deshaun Watson ... oh, it was J-Up signing a new contract) followed by "first reported by {whoever}". Are we supposed to care about that? I thought your job was to report the news, not keep score on who scooped whom. I don't care who broke the story. Am I taking crazy pills?

's just a marketing gimmick. Trying to influence where you look first for news. (since the average person stops looking once they find whatever)

miami_fan · 11-03-2017, 10:26 AM

I also think it is a nod to industry criticism that ESPN never gave the proper credit to non ESPN reporters who break stories.

Ksyrup · 11-03-2017, 10:30 AM

That's not new, but it's a direct result of the blowback ESPN got going back a couple years where they would report these things as if their own person was the first one to break the news. It would be, "Adam Schefter is reporting...", even though he really just confirmed what someone else reported (or probably just "me too!" it and they ran it under an "ESPN reports" tagline.

I agree with you - I could care less who reports something first. Journalists/reporters care though. And presumably their bosses. It's this outdated culture that leads to the "just report it and hope it's true" way the news is reported these days. It's one thing when newspapers were the only means of communication and a scoop was really a scoop, and if someone stole it, it looked bad. Now, you're literally talking a few seconds on Twitter, not a half-day.

JonInMiddleGA · 11-03-2017, 11:15 AM

This reminds me an an old tale that was (or at least used to be) frequently taught about the impact of staking your position. Research showed a radio station that they fared poorly with listeners in terms of their identity as a source for weather & traffic.

Six months later they ranked #1 with listeners surveyed in both categories.

The only thing they changed was making sure to say that they were "#1 for traffic & weather" twice an hour, 24/7.

molson · 11-03-2017, 11:35 AM

I remember reading a few media blogs with all this back and forth about who reported something first, with second-by-second analysis. Nobody else actually cares, so I think those acknowledgments about who was "first" is all about professional courtesy/avoiding criticism from others in the media, etc.

JonInMiddleGA · 11-03-2017, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by molson

Nobody else actually cares, so I think those acknowledgments about who was "first" is all about professional courtesy/avoiding criticism from others in the media, etc.

I took the OP to be about a case where ESPN was highlighting the fact that ESPN employee was first (based on how it was worded).

If they were simply crediting someone a non-employee with being first then, yep, that's everybody trying to keep from ruffling any feathers (or worse).

Bobble · 11-03-2017, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

This reminds me an an old tale that was (or at least used to be) frequently taught about the impact of staking your position. Research showed a radio station that they fared poorly with listeners in terms of their identity as a source for weather & traffic.

Six months later they ranked #1 with listeners surveyed in both categories.

The only thing they changed was making sure to say that they were "#1 for traffic & weather" twice an hour, 24/7.

First reported by JonInMiddleGA...

Bobble · 11-03-2017, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I took the OP to be about a case where ESPN was highlighting the fact that ESPN employee was first (based on how it was worded).

If they were simply crediting someone a non-employee with being first then, yep, that's everybody trying to keep from ruffling any feathers (or worse).

Yeah, it was "first reported by {not-ESPN}". I don't care if they want to mention it somewhere in the 1000 words the talking heads verbally say about the topic (even then, seems weird) but to put it that in the crawl seems off.

Arles · 11-03-2017, 11:58 AM

I remember they used to do the trick of "Confirmed by Chris Broussard" if Woj had it first. Same with Schefter and Jason La Canfora. They took a lot of heat for that ploy and eventually shifted to 'First reported by X". I think that's also a reason they went so hard after Woj - the high ups were tired of seeing "first reported by Woj and the vertical" for every NBA scoop

Young Drachma · 11-03-2017, 12:18 PM

This all happened after the NYT for years was reporting stories by the main author without crediting all of the people who were doing the research. So things have seemed to go in the other way, especially when an agency is breaking news by someone else from another entity.

Twitter has exacerbated this, but I'm fine with giving people credit for work they've done even if it sounds clumsy.

JPhillips · 11-03-2017, 12:33 PM

It's a big deal for reporters trying to establish a reputation or trying to move up the ranks. The general public may not care, but the people that hire reporters sure do. Not giving proper credit really screws the people that are getting the scoop.

albionmoonlight · 11-03-2017, 01:03 PM

It's interesting. For any given story, I don't care that Reporter X broke it when every outlet is going to be reporting it within 20 minutes of it breaking.

But, in the aggregate, I like the fact that reporters are out there trying to break stories. I don't want a world where reporters just sit at their desk just waiting to report on official press releases.

So even though I don't care who broke a story, I benefit from the fact that some people do care.

JonInMiddleGA · 11-03-2017, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobble

Yeah, it was "first reported by {not-ESPN}". I don't care if they want to mention it somewhere in the 1000 words the talking heads verbally say about the topic (even then, seems weird) but to put it that in the crawl seems off.

Now that I understand what you meant, this became black-letter policy last year.

The move was largely applauded at the time afaik.

ESPN sets new guidelines for crediting breaking news stories

Ksyrup · 11-03-2017, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arles

I remember they used to do the trick of "Confirmed by Chris Broussard" if Woj had it first. Same with Schefter and Jason La Canfora. They took a lot of heat for that ploy and eventually shifted to 'First reported by X". I think that's also a reason they went so hard after Woj - the high ups were tired of seeing "first reported by Woj and the vertical" for every NBA scoop

Of course, emphasizing that Chris Broussard didn't have the news first should have been seen as redundant, but...

stevew · 11-03-2017, 01:34 PM

Shams> all others

korme · 11-03-2017, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevew

Shams> all others

It's funny that ESPN got Woj for this reason and they just give all the scoops to his predecessor now, hehe

11-03-2017, 10:26 AM	#3
miami_fan Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Land O Lakes FL	I also think it is a nod to industry criticism that ESPN never gave the proper credit to non ESPN reporters who break stories. __________________ "The blind soldier fought for me in this war. The least I can do now is fight for him. I have eyes. He hasn’t. I have a voice on the radio, he hasn’t. I was born a white man. And until a colored man is a full citizen, like me, I haven’t the leisure to enjoy the freedom that colored man risked his life to maintain for me. I don’t own what I have until he owns an equal share of it. Until somebody beats me and blinds me, I am in his debt."- Orson Welles August 11, 1946

11-03-2017, 10:30 AM	#4
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	That's not new, but it's a direct result of the blowback ESPN got going back a couple years where they would report these things as if their own person was the first one to break the news. It would be, "Adam Schefter is reporting...", even though he really just confirmed what someone else reported (or probably just "me too!" it and they ran it under an "ESPN reports" tagline. I agree with you - I could care less who reports something first. Journalists/reporters care though. And presumably their bosses. It's this outdated culture that leads to the "just report it and hope it's true" way the news is reported these days. It's one thing when newspapers were the only means of communication and a scoop was really a scoop, and if someone stole it, it looked bad. Now, you're literally talking a few seconds on Twitter, not a half-day. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

11-03-2017, 11:15 AM	#5
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	This reminds me an an old tale that was (or at least used to be) frequently taught about the impact of staking your position. Research showed a radio station that they fared poorly with listeners in terms of their identity as a source for weather & traffic. Six months later they ranked #1 with listeners surveyed in both categories. The only thing they changed was making sure to say that they were "#1 for traffic & weather" twice an hour, 24/7. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

11-03-2017, 11:58 AM	#10
Arles Grey Dog Software Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Phoenix, AZ by way of Belleville, IL	I remember they used to do the trick of "Confirmed by Chris Broussard" if Woj had it first. Same with Schefter and Jason La Canfora. They took a lot of heat for that ploy and eventually shifted to 'First reported by X". I think that's also a reason they went so hard after Woj - the high ups were tired of seeing "first reported by Woj and the vertical" for every NBA scoop __________________ Developer of Bowl Bound College Football http://www.greydogsoftware.com

11-03-2017, 12:18 PM	#11
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	This all happened after the NYT for years was reporting stories by the main author without crediting all of the people who were doing the research. So things have seemed to go in the other way, especially when an agency is breaking news by someone else from another entity. Twitter has exacerbated this, but I'm fine with giving people credit for work they've done even if it sounds clumsy. __________________ Current dynasty: OOTP25 Blitz: RTS meets Moneyball \| OOTP Mod: GM Excel Competitive Balance Tax/Revenue Sharing Calc \| FBCB Mods on Github

11-03-2017, 11:35 AM	#6
molson General Manager Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: The Mountains	I remember reading a few media blogs with all this back and forth about who reported something first, with second-by-second analysis. Nobody else actually cares, so I think those acknowledgments about who was "first" is all about professional courtesy/avoiding criticism from others in the media, etc.

11-03-2017, 12:33 PM	#12
JPhillips Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Newburgh, NY	It's a big deal for reporters trying to establish a reputation or trying to move up the ranks. The general public may not care, but the people that hire reporters sure do. Not giving proper credit really screws the people that are getting the scoop. __________________ To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.. - Mr. Rogers

11-03-2017, 01:03 PM	#13
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	It's interesting. For any given story, I don't care that Reporter X broke it when every outlet is going to be reporting it within 20 minutes of it breaking. But, in the aggregate, I like the fact that reporters are out there trying to break stories. I don't want a world where reporters just sit at their desk just waiting to report on official press releases. So even though I don't care who broke a story, I benefit from the fact that some people do care.

11-03-2017, 01:34 PM	#16
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	Shams> all others

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)