There has been quite a bit of a stir involving blogs and the new media lately. It all started when Bob Costas had a 90 minute HBO special devoted to the topic of new media. Once Pulitzer prize-winning author Buzz Bissinger (Friday Night Lights) blew up on Deadspin creator Will Leich, including many expletives, the issue of blogging was brought to the forefront. There were, of course, the blogs popping up on the subject, but even the print, radio, and TV media are getting involved in the discussion. On May 6th I even heard the afternoon gang at 104.5 the Zone discussing the subject at length with Tennessean columnist David Climer.
All of this discussion has been quite interesting to me. I’m very blessed in the fact that while not only am I a blogger, I do have access via media credentials to the team I cover. That fact alone changes my perspective from the more typical blogger. There are plenty of bloggers out there who “cover” teams from their living room, sometimes even states away from their team. While there is nothing wrong with that, it does raise some interesting points that bear thinking about.
Most bloggers are able to say whatever they want about a particular player, coach, or GM. They can do so and safely be away from those people. While there is merit to being able to express yourself freely, that lack of accountability can hurt as well. I’m not looking for sympathy here, but I do walk a fine line, much like anyone in the newspaper game does. If I write something bad about a player or Barry Trotz, I have to face them the next home game. I might need a quote or some info. and my words may or may not have been read by them, but if they are, it can create a strain. While we all know this is just business, you can’t help but negative comments to heart sometimes. Does this affect what I write? Quite frankly, no it doesn’t. While I still have to face that person, the only difference is that I may think twice about what I’m saying. This can sometimes be a good thing since it gives you a chance to make sure your point is valid, has truth, and is well thought out. If I were to just post that someone sucks, that would be foolish. If I truly feel someone is lacking in their performance, I need to detail why I feel this way. That alone makes you approach a blog in a different way.
Another issue brought up is the lack of quality writing by bloggers. I won’t lie. I’m sure I’ve made my fair share of grammatical errors. While I strive to write as professionally as possible, there is no doubt times I make mistakes. That said, I think I do a fairly good job compared to the more casual bloggers out there. I think there is a misconception out there however that getting your blog up as fast as possible is the way to go. While I do try and get my blog up after the post game pressers as soon as I can, the blog can’t go out leaving readers confused and distracted by grammatical errors throughout the work. I’d rather take the extra 10 minutes to go back, make sure, and get it right before the world sees it. Believe it not folks, I don’t want to be a writer. Some of you may or may not know, but my career goal is actually NHL play-by-play. Although blogging is fun, I don’t want deadlines and AP styles to control my life. I have deep respect for those that are able to do it, but it’s just not for me. I guess that is my excuse for when I do let some poor writing slip through.
While I can’t argue that there are blogs out there filled with poor writing, I think those in the mainstream media are much too quick to generalize bloggers as a whole. There are those of us who go out and try to do this job in a professional manner. I know that when I’m at the games, I’m not looking to step on toes, and get in the way of those who have deadlines to meet. That is part of the fine line you tread though. I personally prefer going 1 on 1 with players, but if I’m in a scrum I try and wait till the newspaper folks get their quotes before I jump in. Sometimes, it’s inevitable that someone needs to ask the 1st question and others are hesitating. That is usually the only time I’ll jump in first. These little things may sound silly and pointless to you, but I promise you that it is all apart of the media game I play each night and has its importance within that game. For all I know, I’ve upset someone along the way, but they haven’t come and made it known to me so for now I assume I’ve gone about my business in a proper and professional way.
In the end, I think I wrote this piece to defend those of us who try to make blogging a real part of the mainstream media. I take this job seriously. It doesn’t have it’s monetary rewards yet, but the amount of readership blogs get, I’ve found, is much higher than you would first expect. For that reason, I try and bring a real professional feel to the blogs I write. It will be a fine line that bloggers walk for some time, especially when more and more of the professional acting bloggers get credentialed. I’m proud to be apart of a minority group within the blogging community, and hope I’ve represented them well. I’m also very grateful to the Nashville Predators for allowing me to cover the team. The media relations, front office, coaching staff, and players have all been real accepting of me from the start once I did start blogging. I’ve been treated in a professional and respectful manner by not only the Preds, but the other traditional media that cover the team as well. Although I’m sure there is some unseen tension, I’m glad that it has never gotten in the way of allowing each other to do our jobs. At the end of the day, we are just trying to do the same thing, inform our readers. I think those with open minds have already begun to accept that blogging is here to stay. I just hope that future bloggers try and find that balance that I’ve reached. It’s not always easy or comfortable. It is hard work but it’s also rewarding at the end of the day.
Thanks for indulging me and I hope this sparks some discussion about the internet and blogs. I know I have a bias, so I’m open to hearing all perspectives. I’m looking forward to the comments that are sure to come. I’ll have another blog for you on Thursday, this time talking about the NHL’s Conference Finals, the Preds of course, and maybe some follow-up to the discussion on this blog I hope will occur.
Till then, take care.
Questions, comments, or criticisms are encouraged and can be sent to [email protected] if you wish to contact me personally.
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