Movies and TV An Inside Look At The Ridiculous Hype Machine That ESPN Turned Itself Into - Page 4

listopencil · 10-03-2012, 02:50 PM

I gave up on watching ESPN quite a while ago. I eventually abandoned cable and satellite TV all together, so it's not like I can wander by the channel and get hooked by a particular program. I do occasionally see a few minutes of ESPN at work in the break room. It typically confirms my opinion that ESPN is giant flaming pile of garbage.

Here's an interview with a guy that did radio work for them, Doug Gottlieb. It is referred to as an "exit interview" as he talks about his time with ESPN:

http://www.danpatrick.com/2012/10/03...ebow-coverage/

A few highlights:

I was told specifically, 'You can't talk enough Tebow.' I would jokingly throw it into a segment. 'I gotta find 15 seconds here to talk about Tebow, all right let's move on and talk about Major League Baseball.'

Is it ridiculous how much you have to talk about Tebow? Yeah! But for whatever reason people can't get enough of that story, and they kind of stoke the fire—that's kind of what ESPN does.

They've lost that credibility, a large portion of the credibility of covering news. I think that it's now: ‘What's trending?' Focus groups. You're trying to create things there. Bernie Fine story at Syracuse. Where's that? The New Orleans story with the Saints with Mickey Loomis? Where's that? Where are those stories? Those are big stories that you guys created. You were late on the Joe Paterno story. I think there's just a different mindset from what they're doing and how they're covering it. And they always fall back on ‘Well, Bob Ley covers the serious news stories.' SportsCenter should be covering sports, they should be covering the news. I think they created it with Tebow. And ESPN embarrassed themselves in spending a week out there at Jets camp.

TheGuardian · 10-04-2012, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief

It's too bad. I can remember a time when I'd wake up, turn on Sportscenter, and literally watch repeats of it all morning while I did shit around the house. Now I don't even know what channel ESPN is on.

Yup. When they could cover anything and make it appear interesting, from a highlight reel perspective. It was about reporting the sports, not making up stories surrounding it.

It reminds me of how at one time, you could turn on MTV and listen/watch music all day......now it's just reality show after reality show.

listopencil · 10-04-2012, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Yup. When they could cover anything and make it appear interesting, from a highlight reel perspective. It was about reporting the sports, not making up stories surrounding it.

It reminds me of how at one time, you could turn on MTV and listen/watch music all day......now it's just reality show after reality show.

I was just thinking the same thing. MTV ended up putting out a second channel to show music videos. Doesn't ESPN already have a bunch of spinoff channels? Did they not think to make one that doesn't suck, or do they only put the good stuff on the higher subscription tier?

cosmo20002 · 10-04-2012, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by listopencil

I was just thinking the same thing. MTV ended up putting out a second channel to show music videos. Doesn't ESPN already have a bunch of spinoff channels? Did they not think to make one that doesn't suck, or do they only put the good stuff on the higher subscription tier?

ESPNews is bearable. Basically a 30-min SportsCenter replayed over and over. Mostly just the highlights, with minimal to no BS and fluff segments from the hosts.

listopencil · 10-04-2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

ESPNews is bearable. Basically a 30-min SportsCenter replayed over and over. Mostly just the highlights, with minimal to no BS and fluff segments from the hosts.

I think that's what they have on at work a lot. I'll watch it rarely. After a few hours somebody switches it to the regular network broadcast and it's horrible.

Ace Gunner · 10-04-2012, 03:07 PM

ESPN is long gone. It's the Disney Corporation Channel.

Pasta Little Brioni · 10-04-2012, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe

There was actually a time when I looked forward to ESPNs coverage of the NFL SO much that I would sit through "The Sports Reporters".

Me too and when ESPNews came out I watched it like a zombie

KCTitus · 10-04-2012, 05:14 PM

I dont mind ESPN as a whole, but I have to take it in small doses. One thing I refuse to watch and have so for over 10 years, is NFL countdown. It has beyond ridiculous with the hype and talk about BS. I dont know when it happened, because I used to love that show, but in the 90's it was Dallas, San Francisco, Denver, and fluff every week. I got old and I gave up on it.

I turned it on a few years ago, and it was nothing but Green Bay and Pittsburgh with 20 seconds to all the other teams. I figure it's pretty much the same thing now with the glamor teams and, of course, Tebow's bowel movements prior to the game.

10-03-2012, 02:50 PM
listopencil Immanentize The Eschaton Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: In Partibus Infidelium Casino cash: $2325880	An Inside Look At The Ridiculous Hype Machine That ESPN Turned Itself Into I gave up on watching ESPN quite a while ago. I eventually abandoned cable and satellite TV all together, so it's not like I can wander by the channel and get hooked by a particular program. I do occasionally see a few minutes of ESPN at work in the break room. It typically confirms my opinion that ESPN is giant flaming pile of garbage. Here's an interview with a guy that did radio work for them, Doug Gottlieb. It is referred to as an "exit interview" as he talks about his time with ESPN: http://www.danpatrick.com/2012/10/03...ebow-coverage/ A few highlights: I was told specifically, 'You can't talk enough Tebow.' I would jokingly throw it into a segment. 'I gotta find 15 seconds here to talk about Tebow, all right let's move on and talk about Major League Baseball.' Is it ridiculous how much you have to talk about Tebow? Yeah! But for whatever reason people can't get enough of that story, and they kind of stoke the fire—that's kind of what ESPN does. They've lost that credibility, a large portion of the credibility of covering news. I think that it's now: ‘What's trending?' Focus groups. You're trying to create things there. Bernie Fine story at Syracuse. Where's that? The New Orleans story with the Saints with Mickey Loomis? Where's that? Where are those stories? Those are big stories that you guys created. You were late on the Joe Paterno story. I think there's just a different mindset from what they're doing and how they're covering it. And they always fall back on ‘Well, Bob Ley covers the serious news stories.' SportsCenter should be covering sports, they should be covering the news. I think they created it with Tebow. And ESPN embarrassed themselves in spending a week out there at Jets camp.
Posts: 55,887

10-04-2012, 03:07 PM	#50
Ace Gunner First Overall Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: kcmo Casino cash: $10007271	ESPN is long gone. It's the Disney Corporation Channel. __________________ The Greatest
Posts: 10,580

10-04-2012, 05:14 PM	#52
KCTitus Archivist Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: The Ethernet Casino cash: $9902732	I dont mind ESPN as a whole, but I have to take it in small doses. One thing I refuse to watch and have so for over 10 years, is NFL countdown. It has beyond ridiculous with the hype and talk about BS. I dont know when it happened, because I used to love that show, but in the 90's it was Dallas, San Francisco, Denver, and fluff every week. I got old and I gave up on it. I turned it on a few years ago, and it was nothing but Green Bay and Pittsburgh with 20 seconds to all the other teams. I figure it's pretty much the same thing now with the glamor teams and, of course, Tebow's bowel movements prior to the game. __________________ Anything you post on this BB can and will be used against you...
Posts: 26,192

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