MT media coverage is probably primed to take another hit

[MTCasey]

As many of you may have heard, it was announced today that The Tennessean will be "coordinating" with Memphis C-A and Knox News Sentinel as part of the USA Today- Tennessee Network (essentially the Gannett behemoth that has already swallowed up the DNJ, as well as the papers in Jackson and Clarksville. This naturally led to layoffs, but there was an MT mention in the editor's explanation today, and the context made my blood boil:

"For example, Middle Tennessee is home to numerous universities including Vanderbilt, Middle Tennessee State, Austin Peay, Belmont, Tennessee State and Lipscomb. But we know a lot of you bleed Tennessee orange on football Saturdays.

So the network is fielding a new, statewide sports team headed by award-winning Tennessean sports editor Dave Ammenheuser. He will direct our statewide pro sports coverage of the Titans, the Predators and the Grizzlies. Ammenheuser also will oversee college sports editor Phil Kaplan in Knoxville and high school sports editor Tom Kreager in Nashville, both of whom will coordinate coverage statewide for the network."

If basically every major paper in Tennessee's college coverage is overseen by an editor in Knoxville...well, the writing is on the wall.

Full article here- http://www.tennessean.com/story/new.../?hootPostID=44e83be2cefe710e44fd0af5cf41cb50

 

[blueboro007]

I am still wondering why I pay for both the Tennessean and DNJ. Hope Aldo stays on.

 

[SpaceRaider]

I am still wondering why I pay for both the Tennessean and DNJ. Hope Aldo stays on.

I can't blame anyone for getting completely out of the dead tree media business if they choose to. I hope we can continue to have a dnj beat writer, but you have to recognize the trends for that are not good. I know I rarely go out and buy a newspaper these days. It's been a year since I bought one. It's just not worth it or necessary to me anymore. I can't blame others for going the same route.

I think it's necessary to keep track of social media and try to provide a wide net of news and opinion in regards to Middle Tennessee and a lot of what you end up seeing in the dnj you can find in twitter, to a lesser extent facebook, and other articles and information floating out on the internet. I think it's important to have as many sources as possible. And that's one of the reasons that when I have time to link things here, I do it.

 

[MTTim]

The Tennessean and Memphis CA are crap. Nowadays these so called journalists scan social media for their next big story instead of talking and meeting with the people involved. It's lazy reporring.
We will probably hear more about the urnge but that's been the norm forever.

 

[sWiley]

I am still wondering why I pay for both the Tennessean and DNJ. Hope Aldo stays on.

cancel it and give the money to go middle. if go middle had 10% of the money the DNJ got Casey could hire at least 1 person part time (maybe full time) to produce tons of content. We could turn go middle into the #1 source for all things MT (It really already is....but we could make it better)

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

Social Media news is the future. It is up to us to determine the slants ... but what an opportunity to build MT.

This is not a bad thing. With technology, you can target alums specifically much better than hoping they read your paper.

 

[sWiley]

Social Media news is the future. It is up to us to determine the slants ... but what an opportunity to build MT.

This is not a bad thing. With technology, you can target alums specifically much better than hoping they read your paper.

yup

 

[MTFNBY5]

As an oldtimer who remembers (in ancient times before the internet, cell phones, sports talk radio, ESPN, etc.) when the only way to keep up with sports was through newspapers, radio newscasts, and the 6:00 and 10:00 TV local news I have one question for those of you who think Social Media is the future (you are obviously correct on that front) and can be used to build MT athletic support.

How does social media encourage anyone not already interested in your program to take notice; even those living close to campus, alumni, and students? For years I have been forced to listen, watch, and read media which was dominated by the two in-state SEC schools. Yes, I could look over the articles without reading, tune out portions of the sports reports I wasn't interested in, and in general be focused on just what small portion of the reporting I was interested in but that was a conscious decision on my part. To me it seems as if "new media" is much like a huge portion of political news today regardless of delivery by radio, cable TV, or internet. People only want media which plays to and confirms their biases and addresses their interests.

MT must broaden the base of area sports fans to the extent that some of them will at least attend a few games and MT will be a topic of conversation when such fans congregate. Please explain how in the "new media" the sports media relations department at MT can force the area's casual fan to be aware of the program to the extent that these potential fans have to make a conscious effort to not learn about/keep up with MT sports.

 

[C-Bow]

I am still wondering why I pay for both the Tennessean and DNJ. Hope Aldo stays on.

cancel it and give the money to go middle. if go middle had 10% of the money the DNJ got Casey could hire at least 1 person part time (maybe full time) to produce tons of content. We could turn go middle into the #1 source for all things MT (It really already is....but we could make it better)

Preach brother!

 

[AustinLewis]

cancel it and give the money to go middle. if go middle had 10% of the money the DNJ got Casey could hire at least 1 person part time (maybe full time) to produce tons of content. We could turn go middle into the #1 source for all things MT (It really already is....but we could make it better)

If GoMiddle had 10% of the DNJ budget, Casey could go full time and provide more MT coverage than any other outlet