OT: BSPN says no to Twitter - New England Patriots Forums

BradfordPatsFan · 08-04-2009, 09:46 PM

ESPN has sent out an edict banning their workforce from "tweeting" unless it is directly related to the content on an ESPN platform.

Adam Schefter has been a Twitter addict (his words) recently and I am sure he will follow this. However, I would love to see him be able to put forth his info and opinions like he does now.

I was never really into Twitter or Facebook but have begun using Twitter recently and people like Schefter, Peter King (say what you will of him), and other mediots have the masses in their collective palms with this technology and being able to interact with their audience while reporting.

LINK

Some of what is in the memo from ESPN should be standard procedure for all media outlets. However, do you think other outfits will follow and only allow its writers to "tweet" articles that have been written and not one sentence more?

**Ian** · 08-04-2009, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradfordPatsFan

ESPN has sent out an edict banning their workforce from "tweeting" unless it is directly related to the content on an ESPN platform.

Adam Schefter has been a Twitter addict (his words) recently and I am sure he will follow this. However, I would love to see him be able to put forth his info and opinions like he does now.

I was never really into Twitter or Facebook but have begun using Twitter recently and people like Schefter, Peter King (say what you will of him), and other mediots have the masses in their collective palms with this technology and being able to interact with their audience while reporting.

Some of what is in the memo from ESPN should be standard procedure for all media outlets. However, do you think other outfits will follow and only allow its writers to "tweet" articles that have been written and not one sentence more?

I think they'll have to find a balance between Tweeting thoughts and opinions, while saving their reporting for actual articles. If everyone just starts posting links then it becomes a glorified RSS feed, which goes against the point of what Twitter is. I think someone will come along (the same way Reiss revolutionized sports blogging here in New England) and set the standard within the restrictions that we'll see put in place and then you'll see them all follow suit. Seems to happen with any technology we've seen come along, and I'm sure this won't be any different.

**Ian** · 08-04-2009, 10:36 PM

I like what may be Kenny Mayne's final Tweet:

"Was informed 2nd hand of Taliban-like decree against further Twitter. I leave noting that I am a fan of Fiona Apple."

Kenny Mayne (Kenny_Mayne) on Twitter

BradfordPatsFan · 08-04-2009, 10:48 PM

I guess I look at a post Amalie Benjamin of the Globe made the other day. She was on vacation in Chicago, took in a ball game and made some innocuous comments about what she saw there. That would be tweeting about sports, and therefore be banned, would it not?

Schefter just tweeted that this is "to be continued". Perhaps an uprising in Bristol?

**Ian** · 08-04-2009, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradfordPatsFan

I guess I look at a post Amalie Benjamin of the Globe made the other day. She was on vacation in Chicago, took in a ball game and made some innocuous comments about what she saw there. That would be tweeting about sports, and therefore be banned, would it not?

Schefter just tweeted that this is "to be continued". Perhaps an uprising in Bristol?

I think they all realize this is probably a major mistake. I'm sure they like being able to be themselves and have fun interacting with the fans, and a good way to help establish up and coming guys in the business.

Here's something that I think is one fact worth noting. Say for example one of their personalities accumulates 20,000 - 50,000 "followers" over the course of a few years. Then they receive a better offer from a rival network and leave. Technically, the person owns the Twitter account, so they take it with them. They then use it to promote their fans to watch them on their new network.

ESPN can then argue that it was the exposure on their network that helped accumulate that audience, and could pursue some sort of legal action. Sounds crazy I'm sure - but after reading what I've seen tonight I don't think I'd rule that out.

***jmt57*** · 08-05-2009, 12:00 AM

I think Ian makes a valid point in this debate. As an analogy, it's like the difference between being an actual employee of a company and having all those benefits versus being a contract worker. If I have to point a finger at anybody it is at the corporations for not putting a policy in to place sooner.

There was plenty of time to see this coming, from individual websites to facebook and myspace, and then all this time that has passed while twitter has evolved. I'm guessing the big sites were waiting to see how they could use it to their advantage and did not want to come across as old f#rts to the twitter advocates, but now they're forced to make a choice.

This seems to fall in to the standard non-compete part of an employment contract. If sportswriters are drawing sports fans to their twitter site, then that means those same customers are not visiting espn; in other words they are now competing with espn. The solution is that they can twitter all they want, but any information they report needs to be made available through their employer first, and twitter later.

***Patjew*** · 08-05-2009, 12:12 AM

Sports Guy ain't gonna like that.

**Ian** · 08-05-2009, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patjew

Sports Guy ain't gonna like that.

Definitely not. So far he hasn't changed his approach, and neither has Chris Mortenson. But many of the others are in complete disarray right now. I'm very curious to see how this plays out.

**Ian** · 08-05-2009, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmt57

The solution is that they can twitter all they want, but any information they report needs to be made available through their employer first, and twitter later.

I think ESPN is simply trying to control what information is released but they're going about it completely wrong, and instead of being innovative (which is what got them to where they are) they're instead stuck in a backwards way of thinking which is going to hurt them in the long run.

I found this article very interesting, touching on a lot of things we've discussed recently. If these policies continue it's moving the advantage toward the fan (ie: their customers) instead of the media - further crippling media forms (especially newspapers) that are already struggling as it is.

Demanding the right to bear tweets at NFL training camps - USATODAY.com

***jmt57*** · 08-05-2009, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patjew

Sports Guy ain't gonna like that.

Very true but if I am espn, for example, why should I be happy with my employees making another company (twitter) profitable while my my own potential customers are being directed elsewhere?

And for that matter, why are the sportswriters so focused on twittering? Yes, I understand that is where the potential audience is and that the audience may then follow you, but do they not understand how they are paid and how the system works? They're paid by espn, or the Boston Globe, or whomever; to the best of my knowledge twitter doesn't send them a paycheck.

In other words it may be in your best interest to stop complaining Kenny Mayne, because I am sure that espn can replace you a whole lot more easily than you can replace their paycheck.