Exageration of Olympic Proportions?
Fellow blogger Craig Smith reports this morning on a story that started with George over at I'm Not One to Blog.
It seems the News-Press is heavily promoting the fact that they are "sending one of their own" to the Olympics. Sounds great, right? Interestingly enough, they don't say who the writer is in the flyer included in the newspaper yesterday. Craig points out on good authority, however, that the reporter in question is paying his own way to China.
Ouch. Doesn't anyone review their marketing over there? Craig points out that this is almost as good as not seeing any of the annual editorials against the Fiesta Rodeo now that they have chosen to run large ads about the event in the paper.
It seems the News-Press is heavily promoting the fact that they are "sending one of their own" to the Olympics. Sounds great, right? Interestingly enough, they don't say who the writer is in the flyer included in the newspaper yesterday. Craig points out on good authority, however, that the reporter in question is paying his own way to China.
Ouch. Doesn't anyone review their marketing over there? Craig points out that this is almost as good as not seeing any of the annual editorials against the Fiesta Rodeo now that they have chosen to run large ads about the event in the paper.
Labels: 2008 Olympics, Santa Barbara News-Press
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 8/06/2008 04:52:00 AM
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14 Comments:
Hey, Sara, there was no intent to mislead. After all, Steepleton drove the reporter to the airport and even gave him a brand spankin' new note pad, so don't tell us they didn't send him. What more do you want?
I heard about this months ago, but didn't think the reporter would go along with this foolishness.
Blake Dorfman's a decent guy and I guess his family has some money, but I'm disappointed he went.
The reason is simple precedent. Once Dorfman agreed, Queen Wendy would believe that this is an acceptable way to do things at a newspaper -- when in reality it's just wrong. He should've told the N-P, politely, to stuff it.
I guess the prospect of going to Beijing, even on his own dime, was simply too enticing.
It needs to be added that the News-Press sent (yes, sent, as in paid for) John Zant to every summer Olympics since the mid-70s through Athens 2004. (Z. was illegally fired for participating in a protected union activity last year).
But once Blake is in Beijing, he'll have access to several internet web sites that are blocked at the News-Press -- so colleagues at the NP must be envious of him for that.
The Olympics bring to mind -- again -- the sad case of John Zant. Since I was a teen I've read John's almost lyrical sports reports from the Olympics.
This time, however, he is MIA -- fired by the newspress for "disloyalty," when for two or three decades he was "Mr. News-Press" to local sportfans.
Will "one of their own" return in time to cover football in the fall?
Is he a union employee, a temp, a "staff reporter," or what?
I am truly baffled by this. Why would an employee pay to do a job?
Blake had to beg to be given the time to even go. They were going to dock his sick pay if he went. Finally he received permission to go and cover events if he payed his way. (It has to be a couple of thousand dollars at least).
Why did he go? Because it gives him the opportunity to cover the Olympics as a reporter. Not many people get to do that. It is a great resume builder for Blake. He had to take advantage of the opportunity, even if he had to pay his way.
So, now the NP staff are buying their way out! If going to the 'pics so he could write a good story bigger than SB is what it takes, then by all means go no matter what. Run Blake run! Apply for asylum!
Sara,
I fear my identity has been stolen. At the very least it is an attempt to put words in my mouth and I am uncomfortable with it.
Please ensure that it doesn't recur.
Thanks
He gets to put "Olympic Reporter" on his resume, but he also has to put "Santa Barbara News-Press."
The latter cancels the former.
eggs_ackley: not much I can do with a slight spelling difference as it would be hard for me to decide who is whom. Although eggsactly may have the candlestick in the library -- he or she may also have a Google/Blogger ID. I don't have control over that -- at best I can say that we should all review spellings before we jump to conclusions as to what certain identities say (I didn't notice on this one). Also, as your and their real names are anonymous -- it makes it even harder to be a traffic cop in Mexico City as Craig Smith would say.
Let me know if you can think of a way for me to keep track of all this -- I don't see how it could be done. Surely if someone's ID says they are Travis_Armstrong and they say they adore Mayor Blum -- I won't be able to believe it.
Otherwise it's hard to keep track of y'all!
Not to rain on the bash Wendy parade, which by rights should always be under a torrent of rain, but the comments about Mr. Dorfman need some perspective. Yes, he is paying his own way. But this was also the case for most of the times John Zant covered the Olympics. The fact that the paper gave Blake (and John) the opportunity to get credentials and pays him for his stories entitles them to fairly say they are "sending" him. They did the same thing with me when I covered Super Bowl week in San Francisco. It's not uncommon for small or mid-range papers to do this. Blake is a fine person and a good writer. Santa Barbara is fortunate to have him, even if it has to pinch its nose at the masthead of the paper he works for. My guess is he will not be there much longer.
Not to rain on the bash Wendy parade, which by rights should always be under a torrent of rain, but the comments about Mr. Dorfman need some perspective. Yes, he is paying his own way. But this was also the case for most of the times John Zant covered the Olympics. The fact that the paper gave Blake (and John) the opportunity to get credentials and pays him for his stories entitles them to fairly say they are "sending" him. They did the same thing with me when I covered Super Bowl week in San Francisco. It's not uncommon for small or mid-range papers to do this. Blake is a fine person and a good writer. Santa Barbara is fortunate to have him, even if it has to pinch its nose at the masthead of the paper he works for. My guess is he will not be there much longer.
Why wouldn't the News-Press pay Dorfman to cover Santa Barbara's athletes, trainers and commentators who are at the Olympics? That's what sells newspapers. Isn't the News-Press in business to sell newspapers?
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