Quote:
For once Norths actually has a point. Whoever heard of a media critic, whose job it is to critique a program, actually being part of the show he is assigned to critique? It's also interesting that the Trib editors allowed it. Another sign of the demise of the grey lady. But it's absolutely brilliant on Zederman's and Craig's part to invite the fox into the henhouse and make pals with him. We all know first hand how difficult it is to be objective about our friends. They make Teddy their bud and, whether Teddy will ever admit it or not, it's now much more difficult for Teddy to honestly criticize his friends. So much for Journalism Ethics as practiced in 2008.
This isn't really much of a new development, though. It has been going on for some time. MJH have had Teddy as an occasional guest on their show, and the tenor of those conversations was very buddy buddy. That's not something you have seen other media critics do with other shows because it puts their objectivity into question. Could you imagine Feder doing the Spike O'Dell show? Or Rosenthal doing the evening news? Of course not. Brilliant move on ESPN's part. Their principal media critic is now their pal. That's very smart business. Keep your friends close...and your critics even closer.
Coast, I see your point, but Norths tone and reaction to it sounded more like he was pissed off that he didnt get his name in the paper, he even admitted that he likes to see his name in the paper. Plus, if Teddy was a full time media guy, I would sit on your side of the fence, but since he isnt and Pappy reacted like a child who didnt get what he want for X-Mas, I just think Pappy looks bad in the way he reacted.
I dont know if you heard pappy this morning, but like I said before, it was just his tone, it was a first for me to hear the panic in his voice, almost like he picked up the paper while he was on the air and the more he read it, the more pissed off he got. With that said, the biggest thing I took away from it was the fact that when he is interviewed, that he wants certain things to be in the article, I dont know, because as most can see, I am not a writer, but that seems strange to me.