News Article: Jets hire Jamie Thomas as Jets TV Host and "Insider"

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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Winnipeg, MB - The Winnipeg Jets announced today that Jamie Thomas is the new JetsTV Host & Insider for JetsTV. Thomas will join current JetsTV Reporter, Mitchell Clinton to bolster the in-depth coverage of the team and produce new features that showcase the team's players, coaches and hockey operations.

Thomas will bring 20 years of sports broadcasting experience to the organization in order to provide Jets fans with a behind-the-scenes original perspective of their hockey club. While his primary role will be to provide live pre and post-game coverage of the team starting in the regular season, Thomas will also provide Jets fans an insider's perspective and insight regarding the day-to-day operation of the team and beyond.

Thomas, who is familiar with Winnipeg sports after serving as a sports anchor and reporter in the area previously, returns to the Prairies after spending seven years in the Greater Toronto Area. Most recently, he co-hosted a morning sports radio show in Hamilton at TSN 1150 and before that he anchored Sportsnet Central and hosted NHL and Blue Jays postgame shows.

Thomas's other hockey experience includes hosting Calgary Flames broadcasts for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons. He also covered the Edmonton Oilers (as well as the CFL's Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos) while working as the Alberta bureau reporter for Sportsnet.

Thomas joins the Jets next week and fans can meet him at Fan Fest on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Bell MTS Iceplex.

https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/jets-hire-jamie-thomas-as-jetstv-host/c-290862870

Thomas is a regular guest on some of the local Edmonton TSN 1260 shows, seems amusing enough. Don't really now him otherwise.

My first thought is it seemed like something of a demotion, but maybe that's the way the media world is going these days - workng directly for the team, rather than for traditional media outlets.
 

Jerts

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Mar 5, 2015
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Was hoping for the return of Mike Johnson.

As a Jets fan I am now accustomed to not getting what I want.
 

Aavco Cup

"I can make you cry in this room"
Sep 5, 2013
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Do people here even use JetsTV that much? I like when the archive the development camp and things like that. I watch some of the post game and almost every PoMo pregamer but I rarely watch their highlights and other vidoes. Who they hire to be their "voice" is pretty irrelevant to me TBH.
 

Bob E

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Aug 20, 2011
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I like the hire. A veteran sportscaster. Liked his work as a anchor on national sports broadcasts with Sportsnet.
 

portamoral

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Nov 6, 2015
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i remember this guy form sportsnet. think this is a pretty good pick up. someone with a bit of personality for once
 

SensibleGuy

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Nov 26, 2011
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Is his personality going to make you visit the Jets website more often?

Not me. Isn't this essentially the job Lawless now has in Vegas? Honestly, I'm not sure why anyone who has a desire to cover sports would want a position like this. I mean I guess it probably pays ok and all that so as a job I get it, but in terms of your work having any significance outside (or even inside) the specific market you are in it seems like more of a publicity/marketing position. I know I have very little interest in anything Lawless has to say now.
 

kittiecarlyle

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Nov 1, 2016
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Is his personality going to make you visit the Jets website more often?

Never really knew or paid attention to him until Little re-signed.

Watched the interview he had and was impressed. Think he is professional, intelligent and he handled himself very well. From that I would say I personally will watch him more and more likely then not click on things he does.

For example I wouldn't bother to try to hear/see something Munz would do, I would do that for Hnidy and will for Thomas ( the new guy with apologies to RR and Grant Clitsome ).
 

Brominator

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Sep 12, 2009
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Not me. Isn't this essentially the job Lawless now has in Vegas? Honestly, I'm not sure why anyone who has a desire to cover sports would want a position like this. I mean I guess it probably pays ok and all that so as a job I get it, but in terms of your work having any significance outside (or even inside) the specific market you are in it seems like more of a publicity/marketing position. I know I have very little interest in anything Lawless has to say now.

Totally. Did TSN kick Lawless to the curb by not renewing his contract, or did he just leave for greener pastures? I can't imagine being on the Golden Knights payroll allows you any sort of legitimate journalistic integrity. I'm sure he wouldn't be allowed to say anything substantially negative about the team or league.

I didn't always agree with him, but he used to garner some respect (at least from me) because he presented a bit as a tough old-school reporter.

These team reporter jobs sound like a dream job to a fan, but if I was a journalist I'd look at them as a serious step down.
 

Channelcat

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Feb 8, 2013
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Totally. Did TSN kick Lawless to the curb by not renewing his contract, or did he just leave for greener pastures? I can't imagine being on the Golden Knights payroll allows you any sort of legitimate journalistic integrity. I'm sure he wouldn't be allowed to say anything substantially negative about the team or league.

I didn't always agree with him, but he used to garner some respect (at least from me) because he presented a bit as a tough old-school reporter.

These team reporter jobs sound like a dream job to a fan, but if I was a journalist I'd look at them as a serious step down.

There isn't much for real sports journalism anymore, although it seems like The Athletic may attempting to change that.....hopefully
 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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These team reporter jobs sound like a dream job to a fan, but if I was a journalist I'd look at them as a serious step down.

But look how many "serious" journalists are taking such jobs. Take a look at Ed Tait, who covered sports for the Free Press (and the Sun before that) for many years, but is now working directly for the Bombers.

The sad news is that journalism is in a really rough spot. Print is dying. TV news is dying. And online you're competing with thousands of bloggers and wane-be reporters that will produce their copy for free.

And with the internet, sports teams feel they are able to speak directly to fans and have greater control in shaping the message that gets out. That's why they're hiring people like Thomas in the first place.
 

SensibleGuy

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Nov 26, 2011
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Well, no internet bloggers have access to the players, coaches, GMs and owners the way an actual, accredited journalist working for an independent organization might - or like Lawless used to have. I have to assume the Golden Knights gig pays better than what he was doing because I can't imagine the actual work is anywhere close to being as interesting. Otoh, Lawless was sort of attempting to be a Bob Mckenzie type of guy but really didn't have the chops so maybe he realized the writing was on the wall and decided to get while the getting was good...

I mean he used to be all over the place doing radio and TV stuff and interviews in other markets and all that. Now? He goes to the Golden Knights arena every day and looks for stuff to post on the GKs web site. Seems pretty blah compared to his previous gig.
 
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snowmobile

Registered User
Jan 23, 2015
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Lawless had some pretty big scoops on the CFL the last couple years and now Dave Naylor is trying to take that position.

And for the other journos congratulating Thomas on his "scoop", what a farce. His tweets might as well come from the Jets account themselves.
 

MrBoJangelz71

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Jan 14, 2014
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Do people here even use JetsTV that much? I like when the archive the development camp and things like that. I watch some of the post game and almost every PoMo pregamer but I rarely watch their highlights and other vidoes. Who they hire to be their "voice" is pretty irrelevant to me TBH.

I watch JetsTV all the time, highlights mostly but I click on the special doc stuff and one on one interviews as well.
 

surixon

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Jul 12, 2003
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I'm starting watch more Jets TV just due to the fact that I can't stand most of what is written in the third party media.

I know what I'm getting with Jets TV. Solid interviews, interesting stories with a pro organization spin. Other media It a either shoddy work, terrible research to support a negative piece etc. If I want an unbiased well argued piece I will go to Jetsnation and arctic ice for the most part.
 

Jet

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https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/jets-hire-jamie-thomas-as-jetstv-host/c-290862870

Thomas is a regular guest on some of the local Edmonton TSN 1260 shows, seems amusing enough. Don't really now him otherwise.

My first thought is it seemed like something of a demotion, but maybe that's the way the media world is going these days - workng directly for the team, rather than for traditional media outlets.

OMG If you think Sara Orlesky is awful (trust me she is, if you can separate her ability from her beauty) Jamie Thomas is a whole other level of atrocious. This guy is BRUTAL.
 

Jet

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OK....but is as good looking as Sara;)

Haha no he has a horse mouth

jamie-thomas.jpg


We can look forward to this guy whinnying at us 82 games a year.
 

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