ESPN Writer Blast Network For Airing LeBron’s “Decision”
Posted by Media Outrage on July 23rd, 2010
Sports writers aren’t done tearing down LeBron’s decison to announce his “decision” to the masses via ESPN during a 1 hour drama. Peep what 1 writer is saying about the debacle:
ESPN’s ombudsman despised the network’s 60-minute LeBron James free-agency special as much as everyone else.
In a blistering, 4,600-word column posted Wednesday night on the network’s website, Don Ohlmeyer ripped ESPN for airing LeBron’s free-agency special and writes that it violated the implicit trust between the network and its viewers. The television producer, who serves as ESPN’s independent journalism watchdog, criticized nearly every facet of the now-infamous program, writing that it “pandered to a superstar” and gave in to a “celebration of greed, ego and excess.”
“The Decision” earned rebukes for its massive build-up, misleading viewers and blurring the lines between journalism and entertainment, or pretty much the same stuff that outside critics wrote in the wake of the program, which aired two weeks ago.
But Ohlmeyer saved most of his venom for what he perceived to be the biggest of ESPN’s violations: paying for a news story. Though money didn’t technically change hands between the network and LeBron (proceeds went to charity), Ohlmeyer believes that allowing LeBron and his team to sell an hour’s worth of advertising was essentially the same thing. By doing so, ESPN compromised the trust of its viewing audience.
“ESPN should never have traded inventory for access or allowed a subject to select his inquisitor,” he writes, “and if that meant losing the exclusive, so be it.”
Ohlmeyer didn’t blame everyone at the network for the fiasco. He mentions the dichotomy between the newsgathering side of ESPN and the one more focused on entertainment, and scolds the latter for compromising the integrity of the former. Letting LeBron and his team take over the network for 60 minutes was ”editorial acquiescence, not an editorial decision.”
If anything, Ohlmeyer may have pulled his punches. There was plenty more to criticize about “The Decision,” from Michael Wilbon’s sycophantic interview with LeBron (which Ohlymeyer backhandedly complimented as “straightforward”) to the use of children as props during the program. To Ohlmeyer, though, such matters must have seemed trivial compared to ESPN doing its best impression of The National Enquirer and paying for a scoop.
After the column appeared on ESPN.com, the network released a statement saying “it aggressively seeks and embraces feedback of all kinds.”
Mediaoutrage- We’re sure it’s very hard to walk these days if you’re LeBron, with all these people on your NUTS. Smh
July 23rd, 2010 at 10:36 am
This shit is sooooooo last month, it happened and that’s that on that! MOVE THE FUCK ON ALREADY!
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RAFIQ Reply:
July 24th, 2010 at 1:22 am
NO SHYT.
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July 23rd, 2010 at 10:49 am
If I was him, everywhere I go I would keep da finger extended. They acted as if this young gentleman murdered someone-please!!!! If it is such a big deal, why in the hell when an Owner
of a team does the same shyt this gentleman just done-why isn’t everyone in an uproar then??
After all, it’s a business decision he just flipped the script on them and done what they generally do and they can’t take that but sure as hell can ditch it out!!!! Please no one should be saying a dayum thing about what this guy chose to do- it’s done everyday with the team owners and they have no problem sleeping at night when they do it to someone so why give this guy such a hard time. If I was him, everywhere I go I would say to anyone that have a negative comment-F&*k you, have a good day and keep it moving…
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RAFIQ Reply:
July 24th, 2010 at 1:24 am
EXACTLY,BUT HE’S A BLACK MAN WHO TOLD MASSA GO PHUCK HIMSELF.
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July 23rd, 2010 at 7:56 pm
the media really on Bron DICK
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July 24th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
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July 25th, 2010 at 1:46 am
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