Future of sports
Sports columnist Jay Mariotti has quit the Chicago Sun-Times.
Just back from Beijing, where he covered the Olympics, Mariotti said in a phone interview that he decided to quit after it became clear while in China that sports journalism had become "entirely a Web site business. There were not many newspapers there." He added that most of the journalists covering the Games were "there writing for Web sites."
Mariotti is contentious so other factors may be involved. (He's staying as a commentator on ESPN, so he's not entirely moving to the Web.) Yet, there is some truth in what he says. And not. (The Olympics is a weak example in making the argument that sports is entirely a Web business. When the events happen 12 hours early, the Web is the best place to get the info. That doesn't happen in the world of American sports -- or Chicago sports -- often.)
Still....
Many sports fans go directly to the Internet to check scores, get in-depth reports and chat/argue about their teams and players. For them, particularly the intense ones, the newspaper doesn't add much. Sports is a natural for the Web where opinions and interaction are easy and abundant.
But there are many more casual sports fans -- I'm one -- who are interested in sports, but not so much that we haunt the Web sites. The newspaper's sports section provides an overview and taste of that day's action and topics; I can go online to get more, if I want, which isn't that often.
It's the challenge that newspapers must address, and many are: As the audience has more choices, how do we help people get what they want when and how they want it? For some, it's digital; for some, it's paper. For many, it's not much. The point: It's not either/or; it's "and."
Comments (3)
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I wish Mariotti would quit working at ESPN too, but that is another matter.
Newspaper coverage of sports in a big city like Chicago may be moving to a web only format for the major league teams, but cities and towns that are not that large need to focus on local sports. I personally do not care what anyone from Greensboro thinks about the Panther's or UNC basketball. There are websites that have people devoted solely to covering those teams. Get it from an AP wire and be done.
What I am interested in is in depth coverage of local High School and community sports. Is there another Chris Paul out there? What types of programs are going on in the community to develop our local sports, etc... My father is 64 and still has newspaper clippings of games he played when he was 12 and through HS. You can't do that type of thing with an online story and printing one out from online is not the same.
Posted on August 27, 2008 9:31 AM
ESPN 1000 AM in Chicago this afternoon had some sources that suggested there was another reason behind Marriotti leaving that had to do with his contentiousness and fellow columnist Rick Telander (deadspin.com also has this angle). They also sort of laughed at his suggestion that he had "discovered" the future of the news media while covering the Olympics.
Posted on August 27, 2008 8:01 PM
My opinion Mr. Robinson, you sell newspapers and the importance of newspapers short. I was told back in the 70's, newspaper had one advantage over all other media outlets. You can hold it in your hands. What percentage of people have internet? I have no idea! I also understand people are getting bored with it. How many people use the web for obtaining news? I would guess many use it to send emails, and would never read a paper on it.
My opinion you have the best sports page in this area. Many days I buy the paper, pull out the sports page, and put the other in the trash can beside the rack. Could it be you are playing to the wrong group?
Posted on August 28, 2008 8:13 AM