August 20, 2008
Room for Everybody
In all the scrutiny over the surprise retirement announcement of Stefan Legein there was a hidden gem in an article by The Hockey News' Adam Proteau.
The other intriguing angle to this story is the way in which the news was broken: by a Blue Jackets blogger who received an anonymous tip and forwarded it on to intrepid Columbus Dispatch reporter (and THN correspondent) Aaron Portzline, who confirmed the news with team officials.
There’s still a sizeable chasm between the hockey media establishment and bloggers, but I’m guessing that gap will shrink in the coming years. As long as both sides are on the same page in terms of accuracy and accountability, there’s room for everybody.
Indeed, at a time when the NHL has trouble selling itself to traditional media, nobody in the hockey business should be especially picky as to who piques fans’ interest in all aspects of the game.
While Proteau speaks the truth, it is nothing new for some of us. Capitals owner Ted Leonsis learned long ago that bloggers were going to become an integral part of sports reporting. For several years bloggers have been welcome in the Capitals press box to cover games and practices. The New York Islanders have set up a special section that allows bloggers to enjoy certain games and go into the locker room after and report on the game.
It's nice to see more and more people recognizing the benefits of bloggers and their ability to coexist with mainstream media. And Proteau is absolutely right, it's all about accuracy and accountability. Bloggers conduct themselves with the same professionalism as MSM reporters. Many sports reporters even have their own blogs. Go into the Capitals locker room post-game on any given night and you would be hard-pressed to tell who is a blogger and who is an MSM reporter.
The divide between bloggers and MSM reporters is rapidly shrinking, and the black and white is turning into shades of gray. And that's not at all a bad thing.
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