What makes the mainstream media better than some random Internet site or random blog?

Every pontificating journalist tells us it is the editorial process—a process where the writer is held accountable via skilled editors.

What a crock.

Thanks to Roll Bama Roll we know the Sporting News “editors” are less responsible than bloggers who work for the company. You can read about the story on RBR, but the summary is simple, an “editor” for the Sporting Blog from the Sporting News posted a photograph of an Alabama fan showing off his tattoo. The problem? The photograph was attached to a story regarding a criminal action. Then as to clarify this tatoo-bearing fan wasn’t the criminal, the “editor” attached this helpful caption: Not the man accused, but still an idiot.

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While the man may or may not be an idiot, when did it become journalistic practice to run a photograph in such a derogatory manner? Why link an innocent person with a criminal activity? Moreover, this isn’t a public figure being lampooned. It is just a fan attending a sporting event.

We don’t expect that type of behavior from a reputable media outlet.

We are told over and over and over and over that what makes mainstream media better than the new media are the old standards of professionalism. These standards are enforced with skilled editors, who apply fundamental journalistic principles to editorial content.

We are assured that as mainstream outlets move online, they will bring their standards with them, and improve the quality of online journalism.

Someone forgot to tell this Sporting News “editor.”

Todd at RBR calls the Sporting News out for “a cheap, unwarranted shot (at an innocent bystander)…Boo on the Sporting News.”

I’ll go further. It is a despicable action which showcases the hypocrisy of the mainstream media.

16 thoughts on “Another media folly”

  1. i’ll guarantee you the “journalist” involved is a damn democrat, this fits the m o.

    democrats in the media (they comprise about 85% of the msm) look down their noses on us “common” folks.

    they think they’re better than you. they think they can tell you anything and you’ll buy it.

    why?

    because they got away with it for so many years. they controlled the network news. they controlled the papers.

    enter rush limbaugh. love him or hate him, rush changed everything. to limit his impact to the resurgence of am radio is intellectual dishonesty. rush not only brought the am dial back from the dead, he made it cool to be conservative. he gave millions a voice. he opened the door not only for many other conservative talk show hosts but for rupert murdoch’s fox news and the conservative wave of internet bloggers.

    think of the impact of the blogger community on the face of politics. before blogging, dan rather would have gotten away with his bush/national guard fabrication.

    in the old media world chris matthews’ leg would be tingling for obama behind the nightly news anchor’s desk at nbc.

    think on the hillary clinton/sniper fire incident in bosnia. clinton knew there were msm cameras present at the event. footage that would expose her lies about the details of her actions. but she repeatedly lied about it on the campaign trail. why?

    because the msm had provided cover for her and her husband many, many times before. again, bloggers to the rescue. the internet truth detectors.

    without the free flow of information you’d have never known cnn had a news office in on of saddam hussein’s golden palaces.

    make no mistake, locally, the kevin scarbinsky’s, the ray melick’s of the sports news world hate us. the coaches of the programs we love HATE us. why? we jeopardize their spin. we are a threat to the total control they aspire to have over the information disseminated to the great unwashed masses.

    i remember the day when i bought every word coming out of tuscaloosa concerning my beloved crimson tide. enter paul finebaum.

    paul changed everything. with his post-herald reporting, columns and, later, his radio show, he rejected the buddy-up, sugarcoat sports reporting of the past. paul brought a critical eye to the local sports scene and not a moment too soon. he brought objectivity. locally, he was a trailblazer. he interjected the free flow of information to a market where the athletic dept. of the university held a stranglehold with an iron grip. his radio show gives the common man a voice. and that’s a voice the old line media hates with a passion. it’s common knowledge clyde bolton wouldn’t do radio shows because he hated them. they challenged his journalistic authority. the free flow of information deluted his power over the dissemination of info.

    ditto fox news. ditto the internet and the blogging community.

    without the free flow of info things like this go unchallenged. lies and spin control prevail.

    this is something to seriously consider when stepping into the voting booth in november.

    in the energy debate going on right now in our country, the status quo is being challenged in washington. voices from cable news, talk radio, the internet and the blogging community are providing a alternate view to the debate.

    john mccain himself lamented after the grassroots upheaval against his comprehensive immigration (amnesty) reform legislation, “talk radio’s running the country.”

    the free flow of information affected the debate.

    there are those in washington who want this free flow shut down. it challenges their authority and control.

    it challenges your to affect your future.

    vote carefully. your voice depends on it.

  2. Yes, I’ve spoken with the “tattoo guy” guy before and he’s as nice as can be. It’s quite a shame when a supposed member of the “real press” calls people idiots whom they don’t even know.

  3. I don’t remember ‘tattoo guy’s’ name but he could likely sue the Sporting News. If nothing else, they should issue an apology.

  4. His name is Nathan and he is from Colorado, but has always been a lifelong Alabama fan.

    He’s a genuinely super nice guy that displays a great deal of class and respect to both Alabama fans and opposing fans who visit Tuscaloosa. I’ve spoken with him quite a few times while pregaming, and he’s a highly intelligent person who is a devout Crimson Tide fan who does more for the fans than anyone I’ve ever seen. For anyone to say something negative about him only envies his good nature and heart.

  5. I know the man that used to block for Tucker Fredrickson way back when…He gave me some insight to the Bammers…I have noticed it to be somewhat true….Most Alabama fans are demcrats….Not that there is anything wrong with that. And most Auburn fans are Republicans…Hey , dont shoot them messenger..That is just what he said.

  6. That tattoo guy is fantastic. A great ambassador for the team. Who is better him or the old guys with toilet paper & detergent?

  7. INDIAN WHY DON’T YOU GO TO MOMMY’S HOUSE .GET IN YOUR TOY BOX AND DON’T COME OUT.YOU HAVE TO BE THE DUMB AND DUMBER OF THE AUBURN LOSERS NATION .PLUS YOU DON’T KNOW SHIT ABOUT FOOTBALL OR ANY THING LOSER.ROLLTIDE BABY

  8. Nate Davis is a dear friend of mine. He’s a sweet guy and would risk his life to save a total stranger. I don’t understand why anyone would wanna badmouth or stereotype him.

  9. API fans hate seeing an avid Alabama fan receiving more attention than Tommy Tuberville receives for beating Alabama 6 straight years. If your fans would cut the grass in their trailer parks and put their focus more on football instead of dressing up like kkk members on the weekend, someone may receive attention from the outside world.

  10. JW…Has no one warned you of the side effects of Crystal Meth usage? Sheesh boy, Get a clue…..

    Phil ,, my goodness, just cause hes got a giant tattoo of BAHR on his back, hes an “ambssador” for the team? Boy , yall have a high standard at Bammer dont you?

  11. Because there are no worthy ambassadors for Alabama Tech (football wise), you insist on discrediting him for having a tattoo of an Alabama football figure.

    I’m sure somewhere out there, there’s an AUtard with a similar tattoo, only except it’s of a skeleton leaning against the goal post. We all know Barnies are only outcasts of the Alabama family; therefore they sport anything anti-Alabama, instead of pro-Alabama Tech.

  12. George….Honostly man…That has to be a liiitle embarrasing for yall, doesnt it ?…He really IS an ambassador for Bama football. Ive seen a special on the guy on some T.V. show. Southern pigskin review or something like that…. If somebody had a big ol tattoo of Dye on thier back we would never hear the end of it , would we? The guy seems like a good guy, but dang man, talk about obsessed…SHEEEESH !!!!! That has to be embarrasing to the non-neck bammers…

    Oh , wait, I forgot…..Thier arent any non-neck bammers……BWAAHAHAHHHAAHAH…

  13. Playing with an Indians balls, the reason you would never see someone with a “big ol tattoo” of Dye on their back is because those are preserved for someone of greatness you idiot, they would need to have won at least a half dozen national championships, that would be like putting that big eared weasel of a coach you have now on your back. LOL Auturds, always the bridesmaid never the bride.

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