is DJ(Johnson is his last name i believe) still doing the Austin Sports thing? I took a "TV and Radio Announcing" class at ACC from him back in '97 when he was local sports anchor for one of the networks.
Anyone know the exact date/times they re-run yesterdays episode? I missed it. I know I've seen previous episodes re-run 2 or 3 times at least during the week.
The "He's Asian, I'm short" line was dumb. I can't believe they thought it would be funny. What if it had been... He's Black, I'm tall or He's White, I can't dunk...that wouldn't fly. Also, the director of talent said this isn't Seinfeld. WTF is he watching? SportsCenter hosts are all wannabe comedians.
Without the Comedy they probably would have died. ESPN is ok but all they have to do is look to Inside the NFL to see how it should be done. Now that's a highlight. Even the people at the game are interested to watch it. Good camera work, a good script, and some intensity. What ESPN needs is some directors that can weave a story out of this stuff.
Quigley's performance was painful to watch. I had to turn away from the screne as he kept botching and fumbling over his words.
He is the one to blame for all of the wannabe's that they've hired. I don't see how he can't look at the candidates and wonder "oh, God...what have I created?".
Are you serious? They are basically writing a script for a sport highlight show, then reading it off of a teleprompter. Anybody with the requisite skills should be allowed to compete for the job. I'm not demeaning journalism, but what these people are actually competing for is not even close to being a parallel for doctors or lawyers.
Therein lies the essential problem with the participants. Ever since this show aired, I've more closely scrutinized the content of "Sportscenter" and what the anchors say. They mix in a little humor amidst a LOT of content. These contestants use a LOT of humor and mix in a LITTLE sports information. Big difference!
I understand what you are saying DV, but welcome to the real world. You have to understand that getting a journalism degree or any other degree for that matter is not an entitlement. There are many different ways to achieve success in this world and getting a degree is a path that makes achieving your goals easier, but it doesnt mean you deserve a journalism position more than another person with the natural ability to do the job better.
Precisely. I can't tell you how many people I knew who had IT jobs while I was unemployed. People who had no official degree or certification, but were self taught after years of "jacking around with computers" More power to them.
Disclaimer: I have to think this way, seeing as how I'm a software engineer with aspirations to break into the world of sports journalism (specifically print media)
As someone who has a journalism degree with an emphasis on sports, and actually was a sports anchor. I love it. I don't think a journalism degree teaches you anything special....IMHO, you either have IT or you don't. Life is not about the degree you have but the breaks you make and what you do with them. DV...I wish you the best....but there are a LOT of crappy journalists with degrees in journalism, and a lot of good ones without them. I think the show is cool....BUT....I could kick all their butts from here to eternity... I got out of Sports anchoring because I hated the hours......they sucked.... DD
Someone told me that the anchors on SC don't make anything for pay (something like $35K). It's only the ones who get picked for other events (like announcing other sports) who made good money. Anybody know anything about that? It doesn't sound right to me (the dollars) but I woudl guess it could be supply and demand. thanks
I'm sure some people have the natural ability to be lawyers but do you see them getting law jobs without a degree in that field. No. They difference is because journalism for years didn't want a binding legal code on how to get a job, so this idea anyone can be a journalist got started. I'd like to see somebody try and get a print job without published clips, a solid journalism background on their resume, etc. It won't happen. Being a journalist is an important role in society, one of the most influential/important jobs anyone can have, and ESPN, the leader of the industry is ignoring the people that most deserve a crack at that kind of job. That isn't cool. Just like in any other profession, you have to have some degree closely related to the field, or you won't get hired. Unless it is a high school level job, or so, of course. And with the job market sucking so much especially in Journalism, this is not the time to be doing something like this in my opinion. Like I said, it's not the fact a show like this is being run, it's the fact working as an ESPN anchor is damn near the top of the broadcast journalism profession. The prize is too much, even if it was restricted to aspiring journalists. And these people just have to beat out other contestants, most of which have no aspirations of journalism at all to get this job, while people who work their asses off and care about the profession get less job opportunities out there for us. Plus, this isn't the first time ESPN has done foolish things in regards to journalism. You have the hiring of Tim Hardaway, putting Sal Maskela as the sports sideline reporter for NBA broadcasts last year, and then, having one of their own reporters play the role of the women reporter on Playmakers which had women journalists up in arms across the country. If the leader of broadcast sports journalism at this time chooses to make journalists, which is essentially what ESPN has started to do, why even have college degrees in that major? It's a horrible standard to set. I know broadcast journalism relies on ratings and the viewers, but that doesn't mean that should spew over into ESPN's hiring practices, and that's what this show is doing. There is already fierce competition between real journalists for the few available jobs. The fallout of this, especially if some of the finalists get hired at local markets because they are known, is more important than the one winner. It means less job opportunties in an already over competitive and crowded job market, and it tells future broadcast employers, just hire people you can make good journalists if they have a pretty face, etc. Drapg, You write a fantasy basketball report for ESPN. That's getting journalistic practice. I have no problem with you getting a job in sports journalism. But these participants outside of a handful work in entirely different professions, and have no journalistic experience whatsoever. It's entirely different. It's a slap in the face to real journalists out there, who really like the profession. And the fact ESPN is one setting the standard, it creates even more of an issue because other people in the industry will follow.
