Seven weeks and counting...
- Thread starter SpaceRaider
- Start date
A little history in coverage by the Gannett paper in Nashville. As expected, when the NFL came to Nashville the Titans became the 900 lb. Gorilla in sports media. It was clear that other sports moved down a peg and especially the school on West End. This was obvious during the early portion of the BkB season when, previously, the Commodores would have been front page news more often than not. They were relegated to not much more coverage than other area schools (not that that, by itself, bothered me). I specifically remember once that the report of a game the night before being on either page 4 or 5 of the sports section.
I can't remember where I heard the story (certainly can't prove it) but it seems that several VU sports fans who also owned (or were high up in) businesses which advertised in The Tennessean went to the editor and threatened to pull advertising $$$s from the paper if VU sports did not regain some of the lost coverage. Regardless, it was clear that something caused more coverage for VU (and a better and a more dedicated beat writer) after a period of time.
The question becomes: Does MT have enough fans in Rutherford Co. who also have influence in businesses that advertise in The DNJ? If so a little pressure could help. It would also be beneficial to those of us outside of Rutherford Co. who subscribe to The Tennessean because once a beat writer is hired at the DNJ some of their stories will be carried by The Tennessean and possibly other Gannett TN papers.
I can't remember where I heard the story (certainly can't prove it) but it seems that several VU sports fans who also owned (or were high up in) businesses which advertised in The Tennessean went to the editor and threatened to pull advertising $$$s from the paper if VU sports did not regain some of the lost coverage. Regardless, it was clear that something caused more coverage for VU (and a better and a more dedicated beat writer) after a period of time.
The question becomes: Does MT have enough fans in Rutherford Co. who also have influence in businesses that advertise in The DNJ? If so a little pressure could help. It would also be beneficial to those of us outside of Rutherford Co. who subscribe to The Tennessean because once a beat writer is hired at the DNJ some of their stories will be carried by The Tennessean and possibly other Gannett TN papers.
Sure, the Titans/Preds added competition for headlines and coverage the last 20 years, but they aren't the reason Belmont/Lipscomb/Vandy/MT have lost coverage. It's the decline of paper media in general.
10 years ago, the Tennessean had a Titans beat writer, a NFL beat writer, and a opinion/editor type guy who wrote covered the Titans. Now, they have a NFL/Titans beat writer who is downright terrible in comparision to Paul K, Jim, John, and David.
I'm not even sure who the Preds beat writer is for the Tennessee.
I cancelled my subscription after 25 years of paying for it Monday. Have yet to get a response from them. Indicated that the lack of MT coverage was the primary reason and the fact that the DNJ sports stories are recycled Tennessean stories just a day later.
