Thursday, October 1, 2009

Did You Hear? Phillies Win! Phillies Win!

PEOPLE LOVE SPORTS, especially when their teams win. So be prepared to see the Phillies dominating the local news scene for the next week or so.

People have said that there is no need for sportswriters in newspapers anymore because it's so easy to get sports scores and information from television and online. Anyone who wants that info, they say, will get the information well before the newspaper hits the street the day after the game.

And now, ESPN.com is entering local markets. Will that hasten the demise of newspapers?

To combat TV and the web, should newspapers run even more sports coverage? Or would that only be pandering to their audience?

Do we need newspaper sportswriters anymore?

10 comments:

Dan Housch said...

For tabloids that focus on more popular events, then yes they need sportswriters. People in Philadelphia who are working too much to watch the game (or don't even have a TV) are going to pick up that copy of the Daily News. It's got big color pictures and the information they want in an easily accessible form. But does the Inquirer need to talk about the game? Not really. They have so many international, national, and local issues that they could be talking about that would still interest their audience. Their audience being the ones who did watch the game, then watched the analysis after the game, and got updates to their phone throughout the game.

Wafai Dias said...

I definitely agree that sport writers are endangered now. I think that online is stealing every kind of job in journalism. However, I don't think that flooding the papers with sports will solve the problem.

Don Hoegg said...

Since scores and the like are so readily available, maybe the print articles should have a broader scope than they have now. The printed word always offers an advantage if there are people talented enough to implement it.

Anonymous said...

I read the daily news everyday. The reason why I read the daily news everyday is for the sports section. I read that section because there are local experts who cover these teams everyday. These columnists have a tight grasp on the team and what is going on. They give good inside information that someone from espn will not know. Espn is an outside source, and alot of times I could care less what the espn reporters have to say. I consider them outside sources. If you want good detailed information on what is going on local news is the way to go. They have a tight relationship with coaches and players, and than may have more information disclosed to them. So no I do not think local papers will do away with the sports section. My name is Mike I forgot my sign in to publish my name.

Dylan Jeronis said...

I think for now, newspaper sports writers are still appropriate and important to have. Some people who watch television might not get their sports fix from the news or by literally watching the game. In this way, sports in newspapers such as the daily news and the philly inquirer are the outlets for those looking to get their in depth sports recap. However, technology has already diminished the newspaper industry and i think it will only do more damage in the future

William Carlson said...

I may be a poor person to respond to this but I try to participate in the blog regularly. I gave up on sports after the baseball strike in the 90s. It left a bad taste in my mouth and I drifted away from it. I do remember how much I enjoyed sports writing in the 80s and 90s. The skilled writers gave the season even more substance and passion. You can't get that from reading box scores on television or the internet.

I think that they should cultivate more sports writing talent and promote it. It certainly has a place for the sports fan but it may be less popular than it used to be. That's where the real problem is. Newspapers aren't charitable organizations. They need to make coin.

I loved it the first time that the Phillies won the World Series. I was at the celebration. Hahah.

Lisa Jiang said...

A lot of people like to get their scores fast in a convenient way, but there are some who like to go more into the details of the game. So I believe there is still a need for sportswriters.

Zach Martin said...

The newspapers are already struggling so much, can it truly be a good idea to eliminate sportswriters?The majority of people I know read three things when reading the paper: the front page, the comics, and the sports page. Eliminating sportswriters would undoubtedly be a terrible choice by newspapers.

Lee Miller said...

I need sports reporters. Japanese baseball broadcasts and recaps are now blacked out outside of Japan(A staggeringly poor marketing move) so I have to read the Japan Times to get an indepth idea of whats going on.

on a related note; Fight Hawks Fight!
Climax Series time.

Kirsten Swanson said...

If newspapers want to continue on a downward spiral, then they should get rid of sportswriters. However, if they would like to stay in business, then having sportswriters is a must. I know one of the only reasons I pick up the Daily News is to read the sports articles. Unlike broadcast stations such as ESPN, newspapers have sportswriters that follow an individual team everyday, learning the players, the coaches, and everybody in between, therefore giving the readers an inside look on what is going on with their team. On ESPN, a Phillies Phan has to wait at least a good ten minutes in order to see the highlights from last night's game, only to see a thirty second overview. On the other hand, the Daily News is sure to have detailed coverage on what you want to read. Nobody in Philadelphia cares what the Kansas City Royals are doing, so why should we be tortured by having to sit through their highlights in order to see our team?