Ethics and the NASCAR Citizen Journalists Media Corp

HoneyBadger

HoneyBadger

I love short track racing (Taylor's Version)
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
91,381
Points
1,033
Location
A short track somewhere
Here's the required reading:

http://dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2011/03/breaking-news-tuesday-its-started-with.html (I hate citing this blog as a source for anything, but it recaps the summary of events quite well)

And now, the in class discussion:

I'm going to skip over the Tom Bowles incident (for now) and move right to the core of the issue experienced at Daytona.

What's not pointed out in this article is that, to give "citizen journalists" (bloggers) access to the media center, someone from a reputable source who has gone through a totally different, more advanced process has been bumped.

As someone who is going to college and going through a process to get a degree in journalism, I want to make a career out of this. I write for reputable sources that go through the correct process to get credentials. That involves going through the track, faxing them a credential request, a copy of my work and a ton of personal information. This allows the track to verify that I am, in fact, reputable and not just looking to get free admission so I can hang out with Junyer.

In the CJMC, you skip that process. Instead, you go right through NASCAR - NASCAR tells the track to only assign x number of credentials instead of y and NASCAR gives bloggers access to the track.

Who are these bloggers, you ask?

I'm not going to get in-depth, but in Daytona, you had high school kids with no education, no experience and elementary knowledge about the sport and journalism occupying spots in the media center while people with college degrees at major industry publications were forced to write their recap based on what they saw on the FOX Sports telecast.

So, in NASCAR's world, you can start a blog, post to it every few days and, viola, you are a "journalist" and you can get access to cover NASCAR races.

These bloggers don't know the rules, they don't know the code of ethics. Thus, you're going to have "journalists" taking sides and cheering for drivers in the media center.

That's the problem, in a nutshell.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
I wish to point out that Tom Bowles was an accredited journalist with SI.

He even admitted on his blog that he knew it was against all professional standards for him to do what he did.

http://www.frontstretch.com/tbowles/32940
Click to expand...

Yep. Very first rule... but can you really go after him when (Bucky, kiss your 2011 prediction goodbye) three of the broadcast partners have car owners announcing the races?
 
There was a huge tweet war going on between the journalists after Daytona about this subject. TexasRaceLady's correct, Tom Bowles has been with SI for the past 5 years, I believe. IMO, I could care less whether Tom Bowles clapped or didn't clap at the conclusion of the Daytona 500. Just because you are member of the media, whatever the form, doesn't mean that you have to lose all sense of emotion. You see emotion all the time from the TV media in that same type of situation, just watch the replay of the final lap of the 500. I'd rather read a story from someone with passion for the sport than not. Tom's firing probably stemmed more from the ongoing tweet war than the actual act of a display of emotion IMO. If he was fired for showing emotion then I have to say that I don't agree with that at all.

As far as "citizen journalists" (bloggers) access to the media center. I don't think that anyone with a computer and a voice should be allowed in the media center. That sounds like yet another issue for NASCAR to deal with.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
There was a huge tweet war going on between the journalists after Daytona about this subject. TexasRaceLady's correct, Tom Bowles has been with SI for the past 5 years, I believe. IMO, I could care less whether Tom Bowles clapped or didn't clap at the conclusion of the Daytona 500. Just because you are member of the media, whatever the form, doesn't mean that you have to lose all sense of emotion. You see emotion all the time from the TV media in that same type of situation, just watch the replay of the final lap of the 500. I'd rather read a story from someone with passion for the sport than not. Tom's firing probably stemmed more from the ongoing tweet war than the actual act of a display of emotion IMO. If he was fired for showing emotion then I have to say that I don't agree with that at all.

As far as "citizen journalists" (bloggers) access to the media center. I don't think that anyone with a computer and a voice should be allowed in the media center. That sounds like yet another issue for NASCAR to deal with.
Click to expand...

More required reading from Moody: http://www.sirius-speedway.com/2011/03/bowles-firing-highlights-changing-face.html
 
They have rules to go by and one is not to show any bias toward or against a competitor when there covering an event. They are there to report the event, not be a fan of the event.

I do some freelance writing in my hometown paper. While I'm covering local short tracks, I am careful not to show favoritism when at the racetrack. Because as soon as I do, someone will see me and call me out on it.

They way I look at it if a person wants cheer and be a part of what's going on, then be a fan and forget the writing. I have no problem with a little bit of applause or a handshake for a competitor, but that should be the extent of it. Anything else, buy a ticket and sit in the stands.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Yep. Very first rule... but can you really go after him when (Bucky, kiss your 2011 prediction goodbye) three of the broadcast partners have car owners announcing the races?
Click to expand...

I don't agree with that. Anyone covering an event needs to be as unbiased as can be. Being a part of the event does not lend to being unbiased.
 
MRM said:
They have rules to go by and one is not to show any bias toward or against a competitor when there covering an event. They are there to report the event, not be a fan of the event.

I do some freelance writing in my hometown paper. While I'm covering local short tracks, I am careful not to show favoritism when at the racetrack. Because as soon as I do, someone will see me and call me out on it.

They way I look at it if a person wants cheer and be a part of what's going on, then be a fan and forget the writing. I have no problem with a little bit of applause or a handshake for a competitor, but that should be the extent of it. Anything else, buy a ticket and sit in the stands.
Click to expand...

They have rules but they don't enforce them.

I've been "called out" at local tracks for doing my job (getting both sides to a story).
 
MRM said:
They have rules to go by and one is not to show any bias toward or against a competitor when there covering an event. They are there to report the event, not be a fan of the event.
Click to expand...

The problem is when a blogger shows up to a racetrack. Some of the people at Daytona had never stepped foot inside an accredited university... probably only seen one on Legally Blonde:rolleyes:

When they run their own show, who holds them accountable? NASCAR isn't.:rolleyes:

NASCAR opened this version of Pandora's Box. It's all on them.
 
Regarding bloggers, it's tough to determine who is legitimate and who is not. I have been battling this for almost 10 years of covering local racing. I get asked that all the time by some of our track owners.

It's no different than photography. That's my real point of interest in racing. Since the explosion of digital SLR cameras about 7-8 years ago, everybody and their brother bought a camera and many of them tried to use that as a free pit pass, saying they were with so-and-so covering our race. Because everybody had a web site. The track I worked for at the time asked who is legit and who is not. It was hard to come up with a definitive answer. NASCAR is in the same boat.
 
I sent this discussion and all 3 articles to our newsroom manager at work, to see what she has to say, if anything. The CJMC has definately changed the landscape of the newsroom.
 
Magnethead said:
I sent this discussion and all 3 articles to our newsroom manager at work, to see what she has to say, if anything. The CJMC has definately changed the landscape of the newsroom.
Click to expand...

It shouldn't when there's a damn code of ethics (not getting driver autographs;), not cheering for drivers in the damn press box).

This really pisses me off.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It shouldn't when there's a damn code of ethics (not getting driver autographs;), not cheering for drivers in the damn press box).

This really pisses me off.
Click to expand...
Oh, shush.

Except 3/4 of the CJMC probably hasn't read said code of ethics....

Should I move this to the podium now or later?
 
Magnethead said:
Oh, shush.

Except 3/4 of the CJMC probably hasn't read said code of ethics....

Should I move this to the podium now or later?
Click to expand...

LOL.

As some of you know, I do a radio show Thursday Night 11pm on blogtalkradio. It's all about depth. If you're interested in this story, I strongly suggest tuning in.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It shouldn't when there's a damn code of ethics (not getting driver autographs;), not cheering for drivers in the damn press box).

This really pisses me off.
Click to expand...

Simple solution don't allow bloggers in the media center...period. Ask for genuine credentials, no twitter on race grounds, enforce it and the ethics of it all will be maintaned as it was in the past.
 
IMO the firing of Tom Bowles was a huge overreaction by SI. That is, if it is as reported so far. If any of you were following this as it happened you'd know that he wasn't alone in his actions. And..... it wasn't just the 'bloggers' that took part in that reaction. There were veteran reporters of the series as well that displayed reaction to the conclusion of the 500. It was nothing more than a reaction to a unique situation that hadn't been displayed before. If that single reaction to a race caused this guy to get fired then that seems to me that SI way overreacted in their actions. I'd think that by some other means they could get their point across that that behavior is unacceptable.
 
My guess is he's done some other things SI wasn't thrilled with and this was a good time to cut bait.
 
My guess is that it was the days that followed and the ensuing twitter war with him defending his actions. We'll probably never know.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It shouldn't when there's a damn code of ethics (not getting driver autographs;), not cheering for drivers in the damn press box).

This really pisses me off.
Click to expand...

So, Ned Jarrett should be demonized for rooting his son on when he was broadcasting that memorable Dale Jarrett win?
 
VaDirt said:
So, Ned Jarrett should be demonized for rooting his son on when he was broadcasting that memorable Dale Jarrett win?
Click to expand...
And of course DW at the finish of the 2001 Daytona 500...no wait, he also lost a good friend. Does those two things cancel each other out?
 
buckaroo said:
And of course DW at the finish of the 2001 Daytona 500...no wait, he also lost a good friend. Does those two things cancel each other out?
Click to expand...

DW sounded eerily the same calling the end of the truck race this year at Daytona. The "Oh Mikey!" crap really pissed me off. At first all I could think of was the "last time" he carried on like that and what happened. I realized I was being rather ridiculous fearing some other driver might hit the wall, but it still annoyed me to no end. I just can't stand DW or Rusty in the booth. Their biases are so obvious, I really can't stand it.

I've read all the discussions in various places regarding this incident. DW and Rusty are "commentators" not journalists, so the rules aren't the same for them. I think it should be! They're getting paid a lot of money to add to the races and for many of us, all they do is ruin it. At least ESPN had the brains to get Rusty out of the booth calling the play-by-play. FOX doesn't seem to care since they've added DW to the truck races on SPEED.

I'd much rather someone made a bit of a mishap in the press box where they aren't being seen or heard (during the race) and have them write a decent article showing no bias, than have to listen to some idiots on TV who call people by the wrong names all the time, say one thing and then just the opposite a few minutes later, etc.

Tom should have been given a slap on the wrist and told to be professional, not be fired. I missed the tweet-down so maybe that had something to do with it. Perhaps they were just looking for an excuse to fire Tom. We'll never really know the whole truth.
 
WNY24Fan said:
DW and Rusty are "commentators" not journalists, so the rules aren't the same for them. I think it should be!
Click to expand...

I agree with that completely. I would and did give Ned Jarrett a pass. It was his son. Plus, it made for one of the most memorable calls in racing history. What he did is a lot different than what DW does when he's cheering for Kyle Busch or Dale Jr.

DW needs to shut his mouth at the end of the race. The call to the line is for the play-by-play guy. He totally ruined Mike Joy's moment at the end of the Daytona 500 by yelling over the top of the Joy as Bayne came to the finish line. Joy had his lines ready and then DW started yelling on top of him.
 
DW reminds me of one of Winston Salem's most known journalists, Howard Cosell. He was without a doubt one of the most loved broadcasters as well as one of the most hated.
 
Scott Novack, SI VP of corp communications stated to Dave Moody of Sirius Speedway that the firing was only in part what occurred after the 500 in the media center. A small part. Whatever that means. He didn't elaborate.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Scott Novack, SI VP of corp communications stated to Dave Moody of Sirius Speedway that the firing was only in part what occurred after the 500 in the media center. A small part. Whatever that means. He didn't elaborate.
Click to expand...

Look for Mark Martin in the #83, or Kasey Kahne in the #09.
 
VaDirt said:
So, Ned Jarrett should be demonized for rooting his son on when he was broadcasting that memorable Dale Jarrett win?
Click to expand...

That's different, they're broadcasters, there to entertain, who pay big money for the right to be there.

I don't like it but that's the reality of that situation.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Scott Novack, SI VP of corp communications stated to Dave Moody of Sirius Speedway that the firing was only in part what occurred after the 500 in the media center. A small part. Whatever that means. He didn't elaborate.
Click to expand...
I believe Bowlers' biggest sin is that he is one of a growing number of NA__AR writers who dares to be critical of NA__AR and has t the audacity to question the direction of the sport. Larry McReynolds gave everyone a warning before the season started when he took the media, especially the Internet media, to task and laid blame for much of the falling number of viewers and fans on what was being written about the "Shows" NA__AR was producing. In hindsight I think that Larry was instructed to give a warning or dire results would be forthcoming.

Probably many won't remember but a few years ago SPEEDTV produced one of the best NA__AR discussion shows ever made. It was called Pit Bulls and featured Mike Mulhern, Ben Blake the late David Poole and to give NA__AR a totally positive spin, Marty Reid. The show lasted about a season and NA__AR brass had a cow and though the viewers were high (for SPEEDTV) high in number the show was suddenly cancelled. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_Bull_(TV_series).

Tom Bowles is a writer who has a habit of questioning NA__AR efforts. Plus and probably even a bigger sin, is that he is owner and writer for an Internet site called FrontStretch and employed a writer named Matt McLaughlin, who is never hesitant to write his feelings about this new brand of Brian Z.-bred NA__AR.

I think that Bowles' fate was predetermined and all they were looking for was a reason and his clapping for Trevor Bayne (which falls so far short of the shameless promotion that Larry Macreynolds, DW and Mikey do in the booth that is is laughable) was just an excuse that SI needed. <<Poof!!>> He's gone. Did he know about the impartiality rule? Sure he did. Did he write that Bayne's win was positive? I admit I don't know because I never read his column. Could his readers see him at the moment he stood and clapped? Dumb question. Did Brian Z. and the moguls at NA__AR have a smile on their faces when they were told that he would no longer be covering the sport for SI? I couldn't see that either but my best is that they were.

Like the panel on Pit Bulls were replaced with drivers who knew on which side their bread was buttered on, I'm sure Tom Bowles will be replaced with someone who toes the NA__AR company line exactly as they wish.
 
John Galt said:
I believe Bowlers' biggest sin is that he is one of a growing number of NA__AR writers who dares to be critical of NA__AR and has t the audacity to question the direction of the sport. Larry McReynolds gave everyone a warning before the season started when he took the media, especially the Internet media, to task and laid blame for much of the falling number of viewers and fans on what was being written about the "Shows" NA__AR was producing. In hindsight I think that Larry was instructed to give a warning or dire results would be forthcoming.

Probably many won't remember but a few years ago SPEEDTV produced one of the best NA__AR discussion shows ever made. It was called Pit Bulls and featured Mike Mulhern, Ben Blake the late David Poole and to give NA__AR a totally positive spin, Marty Reid. The show lasted about a season and NA__AR brass had a cow and though the viewers were high (for SPEEDTV) high in number the show was suddenly cancelled. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_Bull_(TV_series).

Tom Bowles is a writer who has a habit of questioning NA__AR efforts. Plus and probably even a bigger sin, is that he is owner and writer for an Internet site called FrontStretch and employed a writer named Matt McLaughlin, who is never hesitant to write his feelings about this new brand of Brian Z.-bred NA__AR.

I think that Bowles' fate was predetermined and all they were looking for was a reason and his clapping for Trevor Bayne (which falls so far short of the shameless promotion that Larry Macreynolds, DW and Mikey do in the booth that is is laughable) was just an excuse that SI needed. <<Poof!!>> He's gone. Did he know about the impartiality rule? Sure he did. Did he write that Bayne's win was positive? I admit I don't know because I never read his column. Could his readers see him at the moment he stood and clapped? Dumb question. Did Brian Z. and the moguls at NA__AR have a smile on their faces when they were told that he would no longer be covering the sport for SI? I couldn't see that either but my best is that they were.

Like the panel on Pit Bulls were replaced with drivers who knew on which side their bread was buttered on, I'm sure Tom Bowles will be replaced with someone who toes the NA__AR company line exactly as they wish.
Click to expand...
bingo
 
John Galt said:
I believe Bowlers' biggest sin is that he is one of a growing number of NA__AR writers who dares to be critical of NA__AR and has t the audacity to question the direction of the sport. Larry McReynolds gave everyone a warning before the season started when he took the media, especially the Internet media, to task and laid blame for much of the falling number of viewers and fans on what was being written about the "Shows" NA__AR was producing. In hindsight I think that Larry was instructed to give a warning or dire results would be forthcoming.

Probably many won't remember but a few years ago SPEEDTV produced one of the best NA__AR discussion shows ever made. It was called Pit Bulls and featured Mike Mulhern, Ben Blake the late David Poole and to give NA__AR a totally positive spin, Marty Reid. The show lasted about a season and NA__AR brass had a cow and though the viewers were high (for SPEEDTV) high in number the show was suddenly cancelled. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_Bull_(TV_series).

Tom Bowles is a writer who has a habit of questioning NA__AR efforts. Plus and probably even a bigger sin, is that he is owner and writer for an Internet site called FrontStretch and employed a writer named Matt McLaughlin, who is never hesitant to write his feelings about this new brand of Brian Z.-bred NA__AR.

I think that Bowles' fate was predetermined and all they were looking for was a reason and his clapping for Trevor Bayne (which falls so far short of the shameless promotion that Larry Macreynolds, DW and Mikey do in the booth that is is laughable) was just an excuse that SI needed. <<Poof!!>> He's gone. Did he know about the impartiality rule? Sure he did. Did he write that Bayne's win was positive? I admit I don't know because I never read his column. Could his readers see him at the moment he stood and clapped? Dumb question. Did Brian Z. and the moguls at NA__AR have a smile on their faces when they were told that he would no longer be covering the sport for SI? I couldn't see that either but my best is that they were.

Like the panel on Pit Bulls were replaced with drivers who knew on which side their bread was buttered on, I'm sure Tom Bowles will be replaced with someone who toes the NA__AR company line exactly as they wish.
Click to expand...

Bowles' biggest problem was that he didn't always bother to check the facts before hitting the "Publish" button.
 
John Galt said:
I believe Bowlers' biggest sin is that he is one of a growing number of NA__AR writers who dares to be critical of NA__AR and has t the audacity to question the direction of the sport. Larry McReynolds gave everyone a warning before the season started when he took the media, especially the Internet media, to task and laid blame for much of the falling number of viewers and fans on what was being written about the "Shows" NA__AR was producing. In hindsight I think that Larry was instructed to give a warning or dire results would be forthcoming.

Probably many won't remember but a few years ago SPEEDTV produced one of the best NA__AR discussion shows ever made. It was called Pit Bulls and featured Mike Mulhern, Ben Blake the late David Poole and to give NA__AR a totally positive spin, Marty Reid. The show lasted about a season and NA__AR brass had a cow and though the viewers were high (for SPEEDTV) high in number the show was suddenly cancelled. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_Bull_(TV_series).

Tom Bowles is a writer who has a habit of questioning NA__AR efforts. Plus and probably even a bigger sin, is that he is owner and writer for an Internet site called FrontStretch and employed a writer named Matt McLaughlin, who is never hesitant to write his feelings about this new brand of Brian Z.-bred NA__AR.

I think that Bowles' fate was predetermined and all they were looking for was a reason and his clapping for Trevor Bayne (which falls so far short of the shameless promotion that Larry Macreynolds, DW and Mikey do in the booth that is is laughable) was just an excuse that SI needed. <<Poof!!>> He's gone. Did he know about the impartiality rule? Sure he did. Did he write that Bayne's win was positive? I admit I don't know because I never read his column. Could his readers see him at the moment he stood and clapped? Dumb question. Did Brian Z. and the moguls at NA__AR have a smile on their faces when they were told that he would no longer be covering the sport for SI? I couldn't see that either but my best is that they were.

Like the panel on Pit Bulls were replaced with drivers who knew on which side their bread was buttered on, I'm sure Tom Bowles will be replaced with someone who toes the NA__AR company line exactly as they wish.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I can't buy into that line of thought. I watched Pit Bull and I also listened to David Poole from the day he started on TMD to the day he died. He wasn't a NASCAR 'yes man' by any stretch of the imagination yet he was hired to be the morning host for NASCAR Radio. Even the day of his death he was lambasting NASCAR for the events the preceding weekend @ Talladega. Do I think NASCAR is happy about bad press, obviously not. Do I think that they had anything to do with the firing of Bowles, not at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom