Winging It in Motown: Detroit Red Wings and the Media
- Thread starter Chance on Chance
- Start date
Frk It
Mo Seider Less Problems
- Jul 27, 2010
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Whether you like news or opinions, is one thing.
But there are a number of dumbfounding moves the Wings do, that us as the fans will never know the answer to, . Because the people who have the resources to get an answer don't have the balls to ask the question.
That is a legitimate issue. Like why didn't Brendan Smith get power play time last year? We all want to know that, yet no one went out and asked why.
But there are a number of dumbfounding moves the Wings do, that us as the fans will never know the answer to, . Because the people who have the resources to get an answer don't have the balls to ask the question.
That is a legitimate issue. Like why didn't Brendan Smith get power play time last year? We all want to know that, yet no one went out and asked why.
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Unfriendly Ghost
Kasper
Really, I'm reading all the criticisms, and it seems to me the question is not "why aren't the journalists doing their jobs?", it's "why aren't there any opinion writers for the Detroit mainstream media?"
I think Khan makes a good point that it's not really his job to do that, it's a columnist's. But why aren't there any columnists?
I think Khan makes a good point that it's not really his job to do that, it's a columnist's. But why aren't there any columnists?
Vladdy84
L-O-Y-A-L-T-Y
Yeah and we're not allowed on here to really pass on second-hand info we have gotten from some one close to the organization or player etc (Which is a good thing). Stupid Cadillac dealership... Damn you Rice.
Unfriendly Ghost
Kasper
But I will say that if you want to get an idea of how big PR heads do their jobs, check out the movie "In the Loop" on Netflix. The big PR guy's character (Malcolm Tucker) is based on real people, including the head of communications of the British government.
Basically, it involves a lot of creative profanity and lots of threats. I don't think the Wings are as bad as that, but the basic dynamic is similar. The reporters are kept in line with threats of revoking access.
Basically, it involves a lot of creative profanity and lots of threats. I don't think the Wings are as bad as that, but the basic dynamic is similar. The reporters are kept in line with threats of revoking access.
Sports teams are selling a product. They have no obligation to grant access to media that bashes them. That would be dumb. Of course they want to shape the message coming out of the camp. Duh...
i'm really mad that the sports writer guy doesn't ask the sports people some hard sports questions
Vladdy84
L-O-Y-A-L-T-Y
I like your handle and avatar.
The Wings are coddled by the Media here. The Lions are not.
In Canada, the Media does their job. In New York, Boston, Chicago etc. The Media does it's job.
I'm really not a fan of WIIM and it's twitter community/following or whatever lately. They seem to think they're an accurate representation of the wings fanbase in its entirety and they've been making claims based off assumptions and concepts they clearly aren't in touch with I guess you can say. Just earlier today WIIM was tweeting about how the "diggers" made up the rumour of Jarnkrok heading to Sweden after the season. I know it's far from a professional blog but if the diggers are HSJ, Khan, Kulfan, Roose, Pleiness, maybe Malik? I only distinctly remember Malik bringing that up and the rumour was quite clearly not started by them. It was first published by a swedish source when Jarnkrok was home on vacation IIRC.
Maybe I've missed this, but this term seemed to come about quite quickly and I've only started seeing it be used by them and their twitter following the past month at most. Maybe I've somehow been oblivious to this title that's been given to the writers but I have never seen that term used on any other website for the years I've been following the Wings.
Seems like they're trying to start a huge bandwagon against the Detroit media all of a sudden. They're surprised all of the media reports are similar? I don't get it. Just looked like an outlet for him to get back at the Wings for not providing him with information, among other things and based off the first couple paragraphs it seemed to me to be a little spiteful. Why would a business keep you informed when you're providing, as he stated "increasingly critical tone about Red Wings management and on-ice product." What does he not understand about business?
Anyway, it's a bit unfair for me to post like this since I couldn't even get through the article. I'm a little out of line to criticize without even reading the entire piece but I've just been turned off from the way WIIM and those affiliated have been handling the Red Wings' offseason. I'll probably end up reading through it later tonight anyway.
Maybe I've missed this, but this term seemed to come about quite quickly and I've only started seeing it be used by them and their twitter following the past month at most. Maybe I've somehow been oblivious to this title that's been given to the writers but I have never seen that term used on any other website for the years I've been following the Wings.
Seems like they're trying to start a huge bandwagon against the Detroit media all of a sudden. They're surprised all of the media reports are similar? I don't get it. Just looked like an outlet for him to get back at the Wings for not providing him with information, among other things and based off the first couple paragraphs it seemed to me to be a little spiteful. Why would a business keep you informed when you're providing, as he stated "increasingly critical tone about Red Wings management and on-ice product." What does he not understand about business?
Anyway, it's a bit unfair for me to post like this since I couldn't even get through the article. I'm a little out of line to criticize without even reading the entire piece but I've just been turned off from the way WIIM and those affiliated have been handling the Red Wings' offseason. I'll probably end up reading through it later tonight anyway.
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Heaton
Moderator
The Lions have won 1 playoff game in 50 years, they haven't earned respect the Wings have.
ArGarBarGar
What do we want!? Unfair!
- Sep 8, 2008
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sepster
Gerard Gallant is my Spirit Animal
You seem to think the Wings are the only hockey team out there or that all media markets operate the way Detroit's does. As the article states, most other markets offer legitimate analysis and criticism of the local team. Detroit's media is the exception, in that it offers terrible critical insight into it's teams.
Unfriendly Ghost
Kasper
But let's not point to Toronto or Montreal for legitimate analysis, because they're just insane and at times abusive. If Detroit never criticizes, Toronto and Montreal are the other extreme: you're always criticized.
NervousPerson
Registered User
- Apr 11, 2010
- 4,671
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First time I saw the "diggers" was from the IWOsomethin' at KK sarcastically calling them deep diggers. This was a while ago (years?).
ArGarBarGar
What do we want!? Unfair!
- Sep 8, 2008
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I don't read much from Wings' writers, but I know that 97.1 (the home to the Wings radio team) is pretty much even across the board when it comes to individual radio personalities.
sepster
Gerard Gallant is my Spirit Animal
That is absolutely true. I don't think anyone wants players or team personnel to be run out of town, rather some critical analysis to voice the concern that the status quo doesn't always fly would be nice.
Vladdy84
L-O-Y-A-L-T-Y
Valenti despite his lack of in-depth hockey knowledge will bash 'em. That show also avoids hockey talk as much as they can unless it's the deadline or the playoffs or terrible signings. The rest toe the company line. Dery on 105.1 actually takes hockey calls and texts and will give his opinion. Ironically, his show actually has Holland on from time to time. I appreciate that show because he will talk Wings even though he is a hoops and baseball guy at heart.
ArGarBarGar
What do we want!? Unfair!
- Sep 8, 2008
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They would talk hockey if it gave them listeners and callers, but it doesn't. As far as the company line, I completely disagree with you, except for maybe Karsch and Anderson, who do the same thing pretty much for every team in the city.
But private companies do respond to critical press inquiries. The Wings may be a product but there is still an obligation to address concerns on the part of your customers.
The issue is primarily that the Detroit writers just aren't any good. Let's move past the whole critical aspect and focus just on their angles and writing. We don't need them to tear the Wings apart or treat them like a criminal organization. But just having a real journalist do more than recap games and release official statements while passing them off as their own work would be a real treat.
I'd hate to see Detroit beat reporters turn into Montreal or Toronto-style beat reporters, but being better writers with more insightful analysis would be nice.
And Khan, while I like him, is flat wrong when he says he's not a columnist. They include explanations for things all the time in their articles. Including a contrary view would be what a real journalist does, even if they don't push their own agenda like a columnist would.
So basically I'd say we just want innovation, quality analysis and insight, and balance in coverage of team actions.
Vladdy84
L-O-Y-A-L-T-Y
I don't exactly buy that. I think they avoid it all costs. Or maybe it's just that hockey fans don't listen to them because they don't talk about it. Whenever they talk hockey on 1130 (shep) and 105.1 (Dery) plenty of calls and texts come in.
You must never visit the A2Y pages, as they have been using the terms 'digger' and 'deep digger' mockingly for years to describe the wings beat writers who don't actually do any digging. It's not new.
The Zetterberg Era
Ball Hockey Sucks
While I appreciate the article this isn't much different than what most of us have speculated on in this board. It promises to dig deeper, it does give us some quotes but it winds up without much of a conclusion.
I also think it ignored that most of the national guys with an in to the Wings seemingly play by the rules of the organization which points to them carefully crafting the message and who gets access and not just in Detroit. Were Custance, McKenzie and Lebrun as biting as they could be or are with most teams.
A part of that is the accomplishment pass, but a fair question is a fair question. It is rather awful just how often they are asked. But then again look at Lou in Jersey, does he have to answer much?
There is a job at hand that seems to not be happening. I have been frustrated with it for a while, one of the more interesting things is I for years believed Nill was the source for the cookie cutter articles. Turns out they are fairly open most seem to acknowledge that, it is just there seems to be a fear for whatever reason. I agree a serious downturn, not the bumpy period right now would shake things up, but I think the "super friends" would probably get a little more on task if one of the big national writers laid waste. I keep waiting for it to happen, I think it is going to have to happen from a big hockey writer, I honestly hoped the change in conferences could help I think it might as we go into big media markets more often, but that help doesn't appear to be coming from our group. Khan seems the most likely to snap, but does a good job of keeping himself out of it, but he is pretty far from cheerleader and might be the guy who breaks through if the national media and other markets start picking on them more.
One thing to watch here in my opinion is if Babcock stays in limbo? If that causes pressure from within will the message break, will they finally have a fracture to exploit?
I also think it ignored that most of the national guys with an in to the Wings seemingly play by the rules of the organization which points to them carefully crafting the message and who gets access and not just in Detroit. Were Custance, McKenzie and Lebrun as biting as they could be or are with most teams.
A part of that is the accomplishment pass, but a fair question is a fair question. It is rather awful just how often they are asked. But then again look at Lou in Jersey, does he have to answer much?
There is a job at hand that seems to not be happening. I have been frustrated with it for a while, one of the more interesting things is I for years believed Nill was the source for the cookie cutter articles. Turns out they are fairly open most seem to acknowledge that, it is just there seems to be a fear for whatever reason. I agree a serious downturn, not the bumpy period right now would shake things up, but I think the "super friends" would probably get a little more on task if one of the big national writers laid waste. I keep waiting for it to happen, I think it is going to have to happen from a big hockey writer, I honestly hoped the change in conferences could help I think it might as we go into big media markets more often, but that help doesn't appear to be coming from our group. Khan seems the most likely to snap, but does a good job of keeping himself out of it, but he is pretty far from cheerleader and might be the guy who breaks through if the national media and other markets start picking on them more.
One thing to watch here in my opinion is if Babcock stays in limbo? If that causes pressure from within will the message break, will they finally have a fracture to exploit?
This is one of those issues I can never get myself to get worked up about.
The Wings are an entertainment business and the media that reports on the Wings are essentially the same. Sports journalism is right up there with Entertainment Tonight. Actually, if I were pressed, I probably respect what some actors do more than athletes.
More transparency would be nice, and certainly a gesture of goodwill towards fans, but I'm struggling to come up with a reason why they are obligated to do so.
