CJR: ESPN Obscures Its Role in Conference Realignment

The Columbia Journalism Review is the latest critic of ESPN's role in conference realignment.

Ryan Chittum, in a piece that was posted late last week, writes that ESPN's coverage of the near breakup of the Big 12 failed to address the Longhorn Network's role in creating an atmosphere of instability outside of Austin. The Longhorn Network, of course, is bankrolled by ESPN.

Chittum uses a Pat Forde column as an example of the network falling far short its journalistic responsibility. He writes: "Imagine if The Wall Street Journal reported that a hacking scandal had roiled Britain and failed to note News Corp.'s role in it. That's analogous to what's happening in this column. ESPN's network is/was the core issue in the Big 12 turmoil."

Chittum concludes with this: "The bottom is simple for its editorial staff: ESPN has major conflicts of interest on this story, and not mentioning them — every time — makes it look really bad."

Thanks to Paul.

Comments

[bevo]

He missed the obvious problem. ESPN can be sued for tortious interference. Since the editorial side can effect the business and vice versa, the editorial side has to keep mum Otherwise, ESPN will get sued.

[bc]

Yeah, the great four-letter network..."The Worldwide Leader"...yeah, nothing is official until they report it...what a bunch of bull. Hey, four-letter network, I've got four letters for ya...f*** off.