Final conclusion.

What a project! It’s been a wild ride since February and to be honest it’s not going to end. I struggled in the beginning to really look at how the media is effecting the news it delivers, but I figured it out. Like I said in the presentation I really took two things from this project. First, the media won’t report a controversy in sports unless it deals with a mega star. There is no controversy without a mega star behind it. Second, it more about what’s not being reported as opposed to what’s being reported. This project has given me really opened my eyes to what the sports media is trying to portray when it comes to gender, class and an array of other issues. Whether they are not reporting on news that is news-worthy or if they are intentionally reporting something worng the media is not always fair with what is being reported. Looking at how the media reports stories is something everyone should do. Reading between the lines isn’t easy, but it definitely is doable. So in ending my advice is the following: watch for the stars and watch for what can’t be scene. Maybe, just maybe then one can see how the media is taking the news and creating a money making machine.

You can do no wrong!!!

*McFadden can do no wrong becuase of his talent...

I know I do a lot of articles on Sportscenter, but it is the main location for a majority of sports news throughout the country. Each Sunday they do a spot called the “Sunday Conversation.” This week we heard from star college running back Darren McFadden. McFadden has all the talent in the world, but can’t seem to keep out of trouble off the field. He is entering the draft this year and is expected to go in the top 5 if not higher, but every team is having their doubts because of his troubles of the field. The interviewer was awful. He gave McFadden a free pass for all of the things he had done. McFadden might have 4 or 5 illegitimate children that he isn’t paying child support on. He has been in 3 or 4 bar fights in the past 6 months. What is the media trying to accomplish with this? If you are a quality athlete then you are free to do whatever you wish? I am not for chastising the guy, but getting details on how he has lived his live isn’t the most unfair thing I have ever heard of. I think some of the people who do these interviews get star struck and can’t ask the tough questions. I just hope the media gets a clue as to what they are portraying as good and bad.

Sportscenter April 20, 2008

Sports media focused on controversy, not sports

The article below is fantastic. It sums up everything I have been saying the whole semester. In my presentation I said I have learned two things: Controversy in sports isn’t about the controversy it’s about the star and second is it’s more about what not being reported as opposed to what’s being reported. Well from this article I have learned something new. Sportscenter, talk radio, local news broadcasts don’t want to report sports they want to report sports controversy. I wish I could find some stats on what the lead story has been for Sportscenter the past 2 years. I am betting that it has been some sort of controversy. For the past two years we never heard the news on a giant’s game. NEVER! The only time we ever saw the highlights of a giants games was when Barry Bonds did something. Then it was quickly followed by his steroids allegations. The media isn’t interested in delivering sports scores it is interested in delivering controversy that people will continue to tune into for along time. This is a sad realization for me knowing that I am just part of the money turning machine. Shame on the media.

http://media.www.dailytoreador.com/media/storage/paper870/news/2007/08/27/Sports/Sports.Media.Focused.On.Controversy.Not.Sports-2933676.shtml

Boycott

If my blog is media then I guess dwizzles blog is media as well and I think he has some good points. It’s something that isn’t getting a lot of attention, but it should be. The media is barely touching the surface of the controversy of the Beijing Olympics. The Olympics are usually a gathering place for the world to come together to a short period of time and enjoy each others company. Not this year. To the credit of activists these Olympics shouldn’t be celebrated because of the host nation. The Olympics are a display of human talent. China is not a proponent of allowing the human race grow on its own a use its freedoms however they would like. Dwizzle is opposed to this idea because he feels the activists are just using this as a way to get there message across. Well duh! It’s a great tool. They should be. What is happening right now in Tibet is not fun and games. It’s a real situation and for this blogger to say its ok is absurd. Not to mention the media will talk about the protests, but they will never mention the reality to them. They never go into detail about why they are protesting. On PTI the other day they laughed at the person using the fire extinguisher. I think the only way to fix this years Olympics is for the media to show what really is going on over there and then, maybe then people like dwizzle won’t be opposed to these protestors.

http://dwizzlesworld.blogspot.com/2008/04/olympic-torch-controversy-is-much-ado.html

Stay or go? Should be an option

YOU should go to school...

Kobe, KG, McGrady, Howard, Lebron. What do they have in Common? Each one went straight into the NBA out of high school and each has been very very successful while there. What about names like James Homer, Robert Rothbart, Maurice Shaw, Dorell Wright? Those names don’t sound familiar because they are high school kids who went straight to the NBA and weren’t successful. The media never talks about them. The article below gives a great look at the disadvantages of going straight to the NBA. Unfortunately the article wasn’t posted on ESPN or cbssports. It was written by a college professor. To the NBA’s credit the changed the rule so this can’t happen anymore, but they is still a lot of options for these kids not to go to college. Once again, this article gives great insight as to how themedia ony shows the success stories of the sports world. I find it interesting that people complain there isn’t enough good news in the news anymore. My advice? Read the sports section. This is a real issue in the NBA and more precautions need to be taken in order for those names above to be taken care of in the future.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DXK/is_/ai_77133957

A win is a win!

The second I laid eyes on this article I had a mix of emotions, but after really thinking about this article I realized it was an unfair assessment. Danica Patrick (A girl) came onto the Indy Car scene by storm and revolutionized the sport by the mere fact that see is a girl. I know for me personally that I have taken the time watch a race until she was a part of it. She has had her struggles while on the tour, but came to work every day and put up a good fight. Well, she finally won on Sunday. A girl won an Indy car race. Time to celebrate! Well, not according to this article, which doesn’t give her credit for the win. It says other race cars lost the race. It seems to me that a win is a win in any sport. Trying to take that away from her is unfair. If this was a male rookie on the tour and this was his first win he wouldn’t be scrutinized. He go there as a columnist? The only reason I can see is that he is trying to start a controversy and get as many page views as he can.

http://sports.yahoo.com/irl/news?slug=bm-patrick042008&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

More proof in the Pudding.

Who is the MVP? Lebron, KG, Chris Paul and of course Kobe are the only ones in the running according to the media. Click this site to see the "experts" picks. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=MVP-0708
Are they forgetting someone? The MVP debate has been going on since February and it is all going to come to an end in the next few weeks. Once again someone is being left out? Why? Deron Williams absolutely should be in the discussion, but of course he is in a smaller market. His stats will make my debate easier:


NAME: Deron Williams
GP: 82
MPG: 37.3
PPG: 18.8
RPG: 3.0
APG: 10.5
STPG: 1.1
BLKPG:0.3
DblDbl:52

So, didn’t miss a game. Averaged 4th in minutes. Higher point total then KG. Higher rebounds then Chris Paul. More assists then Kobe, Lebron and KG. More steals then those three as well. And third in double doubles. Some say its not about the stats. It’s about how many games they would lose if they weren’t there. Celtics played great without KG. Kobe is 3 others all stars on his team. Paul is all alone so he can win this argument, but then you would have to cut his stats argument with all the shooting he does. Lebron also has a weak cast. Why does the media give no love to Utah? Money. They refuse to give any attention to a smaller market. It’s a sad day in sports and especially Utah.