Recently, in an interview with country singer Kenny Chesney on "60 Minutes," correspondent Anderson Cooper brought up rumors that had been circulating in the tabloids about Chesney being gay. These rumors started after actress Renee Zelweger divorced him after only four month, citing "fraud" as the reason. The question is: Should Anderson Cooper have brought up something based on a tabloid in an interview? Here is my take:
Tabloids are a type of journalism. Their job is to create controversy and spark topics of discussion, regardless of how “legitimate” the story is. Somehow people feel less awkward “raking up muck” and taking shots at celebrities and questioning their every move. Mainstream news organizations can use the tabloids as they wish, but they have to realize that the credibility of their organization would be taking a hit.
It’s fine that “60 Minutes” did a story on Kenny Chesney. However, what did Anderson Cooper asking about tabloid rumors add to the story? Who cares if he was married for four months to Renee Zelweger and divorced? Why do the personal, intimate relations of celebrities matter? Is it affecting how they work? Do we as humans, have the desire to see those on the “top” take a fall? Are we out to look for a “flaw” in everyone?
I find it amusing how shows bring on news “analysts” to talk about the lives of celebrities, asking probing questions such as, “What do you think she was feeling at the time of the divorce? Are there problems at home? Why did she choose to paint her new ten million dollar house blue?”
If I could figure out what the obsession with finding out all the information on celebrities is, I would write a book. Sure, news organizations can use tabloids to come up with questions, but is that really how they want to be spending their time?
I have never heard of Kenny Chesney, and even if I did, I wouldn’t care if he were gay. I hate rumors. When people say, “Oh, it’s just a rumor,” it’s not just a rumor. A rumor can instantly put questions into a person’s mind, and shape the way he or she perceives someone. People become curious, the question becomes a bigger deal, and then a seemingly legitimate question in an interview becomes, “To dispel all the rumors, is it true?” Why should the guy even have to be on the program if he is going to have to confront junk like that? Sometimes, a person will actually feel pressured to go on a show, so he can put an end to the rumor. Even though Anderson Cooper didn’t directly ask him the question, the fact that the tabloids were even mentioned, means that people are still thinking about the rumor, and want the answer.
I may be crazy, but I feel that people are out to look for the flaws, without even truly knowing the person. If the “flaw” isn’t there, then people will work to create one. Let a person’s actions speak for themselves. As legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden said, “Judge character more than reputation. Character is who you really are, reputation is how people think you are.”
Monday, February 26, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Zotero, Diigo and Research
The use of computers has made the act of searching for and gathering information easier. Now, with annotated bibliography programs and social bookmarking sites, such as Zotero and Diigo, the act of conducting research online has taken another step forward.
Using Zotero makes the act of constructing a bibliography more simple. The user barely has to think. If he or she finds an article on a site that is supported by Zotero, all they have to do is click a button and, boom, it's done. There are other sites where the user has to enter the critical information for the bibliography, click a button, and it will make a bibliography in correct MLA style. Now, Zotero gathers that information, and makes a perfect bibliography that can be exported to a word processor and printed out. It allows the user to write notes about the article which can also be exported. Sometimes, there are even ready-made summaries of the article. I have no idea who writes them but they are also helpful. The only drawback to Zotero is that unless the user exports the information to the computer, it does not get saved.
Diigo is good if you want to save websites of interest, and then access them from any computer. It does not provide the automatic bibliography of Zotero, but the user could simply save his bookmarks, return to the sites, hit the Zotero button and the problem is quickly solved. Diigo also features a highlighting tool that allows the user to select text from the site and write comments. If the user is logged in to Diigo and returns to the site, the highlights and comments remain. It it also somewhat useful if you want to find websites related to a certain topic that you are interested in. However, finding academic type articles or journal entires in a person's bookmarks is rare.
Using Zotero makes the act of constructing a bibliography more simple. The user barely has to think. If he or she finds an article on a site that is supported by Zotero, all they have to do is click a button and, boom, it's done. There are other sites where the user has to enter the critical information for the bibliography, click a button, and it will make a bibliography in correct MLA style. Now, Zotero gathers that information, and makes a perfect bibliography that can be exported to a word processor and printed out. It allows the user to write notes about the article which can also be exported. Sometimes, there are even ready-made summaries of the article. I have no idea who writes them but they are also helpful. The only drawback to Zotero is that unless the user exports the information to the computer, it does not get saved.
Diigo is good if you want to save websites of interest, and then access them from any computer. It does not provide the automatic bibliography of Zotero, but the user could simply save his bookmarks, return to the sites, hit the Zotero button and the problem is quickly solved. Diigo also features a highlighting tool that allows the user to select text from the site and write comments. If the user is logged in to Diigo and returns to the site, the highlights and comments remain. It it also somewhat useful if you want to find websites related to a certain topic that you are interested in. However, finding academic type articles or journal entires in a person's bookmarks is rare.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Social Bookmarks
When searching under the keywords Sports, Media, and Society on diigo.com, the list that I got had about 39 entries, with most of the links being to ESPN and FoxSports.com. There was also a Sky Sports link (some network in Canada). When I clicked on the usernames to find out what other types of bookmarks they had accumulated, there was a very wide variety, most of which did not have anything to do with other sports or media related issues. One had topics ranging from politics, to animals, to Jesus. In this way, I think social bookmarking can be similar to regular social conversation.
When I searched for under just "sports," over one thousand entries appeared. However, when I clicked on the user names, it once again displayed a wide variety of topics.
We do not simply talk about one topic, unless we're in a certain group that has an affinity with the subject. Social bookmarking seems to cover a broad spectrum, much like a person would do if he or she were talking with friends. The topic can change at any moment and the conversation can head in a different direction. We search for sites that interest us and about topics that interest us. Most people have more than one topic that sparks their thoughts.
When I searched for under just "sports," over one thousand entries appeared. However, when I clicked on the user names, it once again displayed a wide variety of topics.
We do not simply talk about one topic, unless we're in a certain group that has an affinity with the subject. Social bookmarking seems to cover a broad spectrum, much like a person would do if he or she were talking with friends. The topic can change at any moment and the conversation can head in a different direction. We search for sites that interest us and about topics that interest us. Most people have more than one topic that sparks their thoughts.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Response to J.A. Adande
In reading L.A. Times sports columnist J.A. Adande’s most recent post on his blog, it appears that the NBA can still not shed itself of the recent hip-hop, gangster image, as it prepares for All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas.
In his post, Adande quotes Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman: "I don't want to see some gangbangers or hip-hoppers knocking over a jewelry store at Fashion Show mall."
Adande is also quick to mention that these comments came from the same man who animatedly said that Las Vegas deserved a basketball team. He then refers back to when the All-Star game came to Los Angeles and mentions that there was only one crime that could have possibly been associated with the event
This post reflects how the NBA, no matter what it tries to do to change its image, such as implementing a dress code, cannot shake itself of the gangster, hip-hop image. The media and the NBA itself have contributed to a skewed view of the players in the league.
The NBA brought hip-hop upon itself by using hip-hop songs in its ads. This ended a few years ago but they have yet to recover. Sports media also jumps on anything related to NBA players that would be considered violent. Let’s face it, news media likes violence. Violence plays a part in at least one story on any nightly newscast. The viewers must like it, too, or else networks wouldn’t show it.
When Indiana Pacer Steven Jackson fired a gun outside a nightclub, it was the lead story on ESPN. Jackson was also was part of the Pacer/Pistons/fans brawl in 2005 and that didn’t help him any. ESPN spent a solid two weeks on the aftermath of that story. It then highlighted subsequent games between the teams as “the first match-up since the brawl.”
In late 2006, when the Knicks and Nuggets got into a brawl, it was once again the lead story on ESPN and was covered by all the major news stations. Yes, brawls are bad. Yes, guns are bad. However, a person shouldn’t pass judgment on a whole league for the actions of a few individuals.
On most TV broadcasts of NBA games, the NBA advertises its “NBA Cares” program, which shows the players going out and helping in the community. However, on a sports news show, the producer will rarely decide to run a story on the good deeds of an NBA player or any other professional athlete. The second something awful happens, it becomes news. However, it seems that something has to be “remarkably” good for it to become news.
In his post, Adande quotes Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman: "I don't want to see some gangbangers or hip-hoppers knocking over a jewelry store at Fashion Show mall."
Adande is also quick to mention that these comments came from the same man who animatedly said that Las Vegas deserved a basketball team. He then refers back to when the All-Star game came to Los Angeles and mentions that there was only one crime that could have possibly been associated with the event
This post reflects how the NBA, no matter what it tries to do to change its image, such as implementing a dress code, cannot shake itself of the gangster, hip-hop image. The media and the NBA itself have contributed to a skewed view of the players in the league.
The NBA brought hip-hop upon itself by using hip-hop songs in its ads. This ended a few years ago but they have yet to recover. Sports media also jumps on anything related to NBA players that would be considered violent. Let’s face it, news media likes violence. Violence plays a part in at least one story on any nightly newscast. The viewers must like it, too, or else networks wouldn’t show it.
When Indiana Pacer Steven Jackson fired a gun outside a nightclub, it was the lead story on ESPN. Jackson was also was part of the Pacer/Pistons/fans brawl in 2005 and that didn’t help him any. ESPN spent a solid two weeks on the aftermath of that story. It then highlighted subsequent games between the teams as “the first match-up since the brawl.”
In late 2006, when the Knicks and Nuggets got into a brawl, it was once again the lead story on ESPN and was covered by all the major news stations. Yes, brawls are bad. Yes, guns are bad. However, a person shouldn’t pass judgment on a whole league for the actions of a few individuals.
On most TV broadcasts of NBA games, the NBA advertises its “NBA Cares” program, which shows the players going out and helping in the community. However, on a sports news show, the producer will rarely decide to run a story on the good deeds of an NBA player or any other professional athlete. The second something awful happens, it becomes news. However, it seems that something has to be “remarkably” good for it to become news.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Annotated Sources
From the article "The Future of Sports Media"
This article talks about the changing nature of sports media, discussing how ESPN has created a model with its abundant coverage of sports. It offers print, broadcast, and online media. Other sports teams, such as England's soccer team Manchester United, have followed this model. The team has its own network. However, Manchester United has taken its "brand" to the next level. It offers services ranging from financial advice to car insurance.
The role of streaming online media and sports is at the forefront. Major League Baseball is one of the pioneers of broadcasting all of its regular season games as streaming video over the internet. Other organizations, such as the NCAA have asked MLB for help when setting up user-friendly sites for streaming video during the NCAA basketball tournament. Bloggers are also becoming a bigger influence in the sports media world and the media can no longer "filter" all of the content. The article doesn't go as far as saying that bloggers have actually broken many sports-related story, but it does suggest that the trend may occur. In final, the sport media landscape is constantly changing and adapting.
Summary of a book review of “The Ultimate Assist: The Relationship and Broadcast Strategies of the NBA and Television Networks.”
This is a review of a book by John A. Fortunato that talks about the way the NBA chose to market itself during the time of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The author tries to prove that there was more going on to promote the league other that the on-the-court product.
The reviewer writes that Fortunato suggests in the 1980s, the NBA purposely did not air many games on television in order to “leave the fans wanting more.” Then, when there was a game, the fans would really tune in. The author talks about the use of visual media during the games in order to paint a picture of the players. The fans could somehow, then, relate to the stars. This was also the start of “storylines” for games (the game was not just a game, it had higher significance).
The review also says that Fortunato discusses how the NBA marketed its product by giving the media extra access to the players. The book documents the NBA’s growth over time. The main point is that the NBA controls its own agenda. It is also able to market its product so well through the use of various media, that other companies are following the NBA’s model.
This seems relevant to the way that the NBA chooses to market itself today. Each year the league tries something different. Also, the NBA has focused less on the actual teams playing in the games. It chooses to hype the match-up between star players from each side.
This article talks about the changing nature of sports media, discussing how ESPN has created a model with its abundant coverage of sports. It offers print, broadcast, and online media. Other sports teams, such as England's soccer team Manchester United, have followed this model. The team has its own network. However, Manchester United has taken its "brand" to the next level. It offers services ranging from financial advice to car insurance.
The role of streaming online media and sports is at the forefront. Major League Baseball is one of the pioneers of broadcasting all of its regular season games as streaming video over the internet. Other organizations, such as the NCAA have asked MLB for help when setting up user-friendly sites for streaming video during the NCAA basketball tournament. Bloggers are also becoming a bigger influence in the sports media world and the media can no longer "filter" all of the content. The article doesn't go as far as saying that bloggers have actually broken many sports-related story, but it does suggest that the trend may occur. In final, the sport media landscape is constantly changing and adapting.
Summary of a book review of “The Ultimate Assist: The Relationship and Broadcast Strategies of the NBA and Television Networks.”
This is a review of a book by John A. Fortunato that talks about the way the NBA chose to market itself during the time of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The author tries to prove that there was more going on to promote the league other that the on-the-court product.
The reviewer writes that Fortunato suggests in the 1980s, the NBA purposely did not air many games on television in order to “leave the fans wanting more.” Then, when there was a game, the fans would really tune in. The author talks about the use of visual media during the games in order to paint a picture of the players. The fans could somehow, then, relate to the stars. This was also the start of “storylines” for games (the game was not just a game, it had higher significance).
The review also says that Fortunato discusses how the NBA marketed its product by giving the media extra access to the players. The book documents the NBA’s growth over time. The main point is that the NBA controls its own agenda. It is also able to market its product so well through the use of various media, that other companies are following the NBA’s model.
This seems relevant to the way that the NBA chooses to market itself today. Each year the league tries something different. Also, the NBA has focused less on the actual teams playing in the games. It chooses to hype the match-up between star players from each side.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Visual Appeal of ESPN.com and FoxSports.com
In this post I will attempt to discuss what makes such sports websites as ESPN.com, FoxSports.com. What works and what doesn’t work.
On the ESPN website the creators have a picture with the main story on the left and various other sports headlines on the right. The right side of the page also features ESPN Motion, where the viewer can stream highlights of recently completed game. Across the top of the page, it lists all the major sports, such as NBA, NFL, MLB, College Basketball and more. When you drag the cursor over any one is brings up a pull down menu, where the user can access information about stats, scores, players and other information. If you click on the sport the site will bring you to the sport-specific page where you can find all the info and stories pertaining solely to that sport.
On the main page it also has the “spotlight” section that scroll through the various stories accompanied with pictures. It also has an interactive poll question pertaining to one of the recent trends in the sports world. I think the site in well set up and the user can access anything that they ever wanted to know about sports. The site might be a little too extensive and there is a lot of content on the page.
FoxSports.com delivers the user the same information and has a somewhat similar layout to ESPN but it is not nearly as cluttered. It has the main story on the left, followed by feature stories underneath. The sports are listed on the top with pull-down menus. Sports headlines are on the right, there are highlight videos and an interactive poll just like ESPN. There are fewer “flashy” components to site and it’s less distracting. When you log on to ESPN, it will immediately start playing highlights on ESPN Motion. The user has a choice on FoxSports.com. It’s a simple, straightforward, layout and the user can access the same information in the same amount of time.
Probably the number one thing that a viewer of ESPN or FoxSports.com is going to want to find out is quick scores. Fox Sports has a scoreboard on the front page and you can pick the sport. ESPN has a scrolling scoreboard that displays only one score at a time. The user can pick the sport but again is limited to one score at a time.
FoxSports.com is both visually pleasing and productive. ESPN is great visually, but can sometimes get in the way of what a person is trying to accomplish.
On the ESPN website the creators have a picture with the main story on the left and various other sports headlines on the right. The right side of the page also features ESPN Motion, where the viewer can stream highlights of recently completed game. Across the top of the page, it lists all the major sports, such as NBA, NFL, MLB, College Basketball and more. When you drag the cursor over any one is brings up a pull down menu, where the user can access information about stats, scores, players and other information. If you click on the sport the site will bring you to the sport-specific page where you can find all the info and stories pertaining solely to that sport.
On the main page it also has the “spotlight” section that scroll through the various stories accompanied with pictures. It also has an interactive poll question pertaining to one of the recent trends in the sports world. I think the site in well set up and the user can access anything that they ever wanted to know about sports. The site might be a little too extensive and there is a lot of content on the page.
FoxSports.com delivers the user the same information and has a somewhat similar layout to ESPN but it is not nearly as cluttered. It has the main story on the left, followed by feature stories underneath. The sports are listed on the top with pull-down menus. Sports headlines are on the right, there are highlight videos and an interactive poll just like ESPN. There are fewer “flashy” components to site and it’s less distracting. When you log on to ESPN, it will immediately start playing highlights on ESPN Motion. The user has a choice on FoxSports.com. It’s a simple, straightforward, layout and the user can access the same information in the same amount of time.
Probably the number one thing that a viewer of ESPN or FoxSports.com is going to want to find out is quick scores. Fox Sports has a scoreboard on the front page and you can pick the sport. ESPN has a scrolling scoreboard that displays only one score at a time. The user can pick the sport but again is limited to one score at a time.
FoxSports.com is both visually pleasing and productive. ESPN is great visually, but can sometimes get in the way of what a person is trying to accomplish.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
OJ Mayo, The Media, and Invincibility
University of Southern California bound point guard OJ Mayo has been anointed “the next Lebron James.” He plays in front of sold out crowds for Huntington High School in West Virginia. His team is considered the top high school squad in the nation.
However, last week, his image took a hit after he received two technical fouls in a game against Capitol High School and was ejected. After the ejection Mayo went over to the referee that gave the fouls and according to many accounts, nudged him and caused him to fall. This incident has sparked controversy around the country as to whether as not Mayo intentionally bumped the referee. Enter YouTube.
The video has been viewed over 180,000 times on YouTube, shaping people’s opinions of the incident. After watching the video it appears that the contact was incidental and that Mayo was approaching the referee to ask what he did to earn the second technical foul.
However, the brunt of the story doesn’t end with the ejection. Mayo received an automatic two-game suspension for the two technicals and many of his teammates were also suspended for leaving the bench.
Huntington High’s next game was against national powerhouse Artesia High School at Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium. So, OJ Mayo would learn his lesson by missing a key game when his team needed him, right? Wrong. The issue was taken to court, and Mayo and five other Huntington players were allowed to play against Artesia because the judge changed the hearing to February 9. Huntington won 73-66 and Mayo scored 19 points. Coincidentally, Huntington’s next game was against the number-one team in Kentucky, a game in which Huntington was upset 72-68.
Have high school sports and athletes become so important, that players get lawyers and set court dates so they can play in a game against a top team? It lets the players off the hook. No matter what they do, they are somehow above the rules.
The news media is partly to blame for this phenomenon. Writing that players are the “next big thing,” nationally televising their games, and constantly telling them how wonderful they are, gives some a sense of invincibility at a young age. The judge himself has probably heard of OJ Mayo and perhaps knew how “important” the games were.
Knowing nothing about OJ Mayo’s character, it’s difficult to say if taunting other players and earning technical is normal for him. However, the issue is not that he earned technical fouls, it’s that he was granted permission suspension at a particular so he could play in an important game.
The issue extends beyond high school to the professional ranks. Chicago Bears defensive lineman Tank Johnson violated probation on gun possession charges and yet a judge granted him permission to leave the state so he could play in the Super Bowl. Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke expressed his view in this January 31st column:
“One semiautomatic rifle. One loaded .45-caliber handgun. One collection of four other guns. One ammunition stash of 550 rounds.
One police raid of his home. One book thrown at him on multiple weapons charges. One probation violated.
One scene of his two young daughters being carried from his home during the raid. One visit to a club the next night, where someone murdered his bodyguard.
One game suspension by his team. One home confinement ordered. One judge in Bear's clothing allowing him to attend the Super Bowl.
One apology?
I asked Tank Johnson if he was sorry.
"Sorry to who?" he said.
Sorry to society?
He turned his broad back to me. He shook his head. He laughed. He said nothing more.
There are many legendarily dumb questions asked at the Super Bowl's annual media day.
On Tuesday, asking a criminal defensive lineman to show remorse was apparently the dumbest.”
Here is a professional football player facing gun charges and he’s still allowed to play in the Superbowl. This instance is much more extreme than earning two technical fouls. It’s about owning unregistered semiautomatic weapons, violating probation, being allowed to play in a football game and then showing no remorese. A football game in the scheme of things means nothing. Athletes who think they can get away with anything is everything.
However, last week, his image took a hit after he received two technical fouls in a game against Capitol High School and was ejected. After the ejection Mayo went over to the referee that gave the fouls and according to many accounts, nudged him and caused him to fall. This incident has sparked controversy around the country as to whether as not Mayo intentionally bumped the referee. Enter YouTube.
The video has been viewed over 180,000 times on YouTube, shaping people’s opinions of the incident. After watching the video it appears that the contact was incidental and that Mayo was approaching the referee to ask what he did to earn the second technical foul.
However, the brunt of the story doesn’t end with the ejection. Mayo received an automatic two-game suspension for the two technicals and many of his teammates were also suspended for leaving the bench.
Huntington High’s next game was against national powerhouse Artesia High School at Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium. So, OJ Mayo would learn his lesson by missing a key game when his team needed him, right? Wrong. The issue was taken to court, and Mayo and five other Huntington players were allowed to play against Artesia because the judge changed the hearing to February 9. Huntington won 73-66 and Mayo scored 19 points. Coincidentally, Huntington’s next game was against the number-one team in Kentucky, a game in which Huntington was upset 72-68.
Have high school sports and athletes become so important, that players get lawyers and set court dates so they can play in a game against a top team? It lets the players off the hook. No matter what they do, they are somehow above the rules.
The news media is partly to blame for this phenomenon. Writing that players are the “next big thing,” nationally televising their games, and constantly telling them how wonderful they are, gives some a sense of invincibility at a young age. The judge himself has probably heard of OJ Mayo and perhaps knew how “important” the games were.
Knowing nothing about OJ Mayo’s character, it’s difficult to say if taunting other players and earning technical is normal for him. However, the issue is not that he earned technical fouls, it’s that he was granted permission suspension at a particular so he could play in an important game.
The issue extends beyond high school to the professional ranks. Chicago Bears defensive lineman Tank Johnson violated probation on gun possession charges and yet a judge granted him permission to leave the state so he could play in the Super Bowl. Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke expressed his view in this January 31st column:
“One semiautomatic rifle. One loaded .45-caliber handgun. One collection of four other guns. One ammunition stash of 550 rounds.
One police raid of his home. One book thrown at him on multiple weapons charges. One probation violated.
One scene of his two young daughters being carried from his home during the raid. One visit to a club the next night, where someone murdered his bodyguard.
One game suspension by his team. One home confinement ordered. One judge in Bear's clothing allowing him to attend the Super Bowl.
One apology?
I asked Tank Johnson if he was sorry.
"Sorry to who?" he said.
Sorry to society?
He turned his broad back to me. He shook his head. He laughed. He said nothing more.
There are many legendarily dumb questions asked at the Super Bowl's annual media day.
On Tuesday, asking a criminal defensive lineman to show remorse was apparently the dumbest.”
Here is a professional football player facing gun charges and he’s still allowed to play in the Superbowl. This instance is much more extreme than earning two technical fouls. It’s about owning unregistered semiautomatic weapons, violating probation, being allowed to play in a football game and then showing no remorese. A football game in the scheme of things means nothing. Athletes who think they can get away with anything is everything.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)