Sports Journalism Has Not Been Exempt from These Tough Times
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$5.00 October 2009 May 2010 News on the Level A SLIPPERY FIELD Signs point Sports Journalists Try an End Run to Stabilization Around Economic Challenges of Station Staffs Page 10 Page 5 TV Sports in Play Comcast Out for Clout With NBC Acquisition Page 24 NSSA Honors Sportscasters and Writers Pay Homage to Their Own Page 14 m`[\fgif[lZk`fej\im`Z\jn\YZXjk`e^ÔY\iZfee\Zk`m`kp jkl[`fj\im`Z\jm`[\fZfe]\i\eZ`e^n\Ym`[\f The National Press Club Broadcast Operations Center is a full-service multimedia production studio offering video production solutions, and studio and editing facilities in a comfortable, convenient downtown location. We pride ourselves in combining our unique facilities, experience, and creativity in capturing and communicating your message. 529 14th St. NW Suite 480 | Washington, D.C. 20045 | 202.662.7580 | [email protected] | pressclubvideo.org FROM THE EDITOR A Break in the Clouds Last month, after what seemed an eternity of doom-and-gloom Contents prognostications about the future of the TV news business, a ray of hope finally appeared in the form of the RTDNA-Hofstra University FEEDS l 4 In the wake of disappointing ratings Annual Survey. performances, CNN takes steps to market its Findings of the study, detailed in the story on Page 5 of this issue, journalistic strengths. show that stations actually have been broadcasting a record amount of * The latest RTDNA-Hofstra University study brings some promising news for TV journalists. news, despite having smaller staffs than ever. And even more comforting * ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews looks ahead is the survey's determination that the era of relentless cutbacks has come after a troubling year. to a close — the number of jobs in TV newsrooms appears to be holding steady and the * A rundown of George Foster Peabody Award winners expectation is that expansion is just around the corner. Sports journalism has not been exempt from these tough times. The ranks have been SPORTS JOURNALISM l 10 thinning and, as with the rest of the industry, high-priced, experienced veterans are giving Cutbacks and salary cuts have pained the sports journalism industry, but there is new evidence of way to lower-cost, more technically dextrous novices. But as members of the National some expansion as well as opportunities for early Sportscasters and Sportswriters Associtation come together in Salisbury, N.C., this month career professionals. to celebrate their annual awards and Hall of Fame inductions, there's an underlying * The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Gathers in Salisbury, N.C., to toast optimism about pockets of growth in their sector that could mean more job opportunities the best in the field. and a brighter outlook. * How Comcast will leverage its new might with This is not to say the problems afflicting the news business have passed. Things have the acquisition of NBC Sports irrevocably changed, and doing more with less clearly will continue to be standard operating TECHNOLOGY l 26 procedure. But it looks like, at least for the forseeable future, we can enjoy the prospect of BUSINESS l 28 doing more with a little less less. NEWSMAKERS l 29 —Tom Gilbert, SIGN OFF l 30 ` Editor CORRECTION In “J-Schools Making Mac Laptops a Requirement” (NewsPro, April 12), the complete quote from Mindy McAdams at the bottom ADVERTISING SALES of Page 7 was, “What we’re doing is not cutting-edge. 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May 2010 | NewsPro | 3 *INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS FROM THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL Feeds NEWS CABLE NEWS WARS “We’ve always talked about getting to that one person out of Lagging CNN Sells on Its Credibility 10 that tells the other nine who to vote for, what movies to see, By Jon Lafayette and certainly what to buy,” With cable news channels D’Alba said. turning increasingly argumentative, part of CNN’s Influential Audience pitch to ad buyers is that its In addition to being the top cable style of old-fashioned network among Roper’s journalism is a better influentials, CNN, in all of its environment for advertisers. manifestations, reached an While much attention has integrated audience of 3 million been paid to the decline in influentials, the most of any CNN’s prime-time ratings — it broadcast or cable network, finished in third place among according to Nielsen Fusion data. cable news networks in prime In addition to reaching time last year, trailing Fox News influential viewers, it also reaches Channel and MSNBC — the more affluent ones. network at its upfront “We reach over half, 58 presentation in New York last percent of the adults, who have a month pointed out that when household income of $250K or all of its digital platforms are more. And that’s in television,” taken into account, more people D’Alba said, citing data from are consuming its content than the Ipsos Mendelsohn Affluent ever before. Survey. “When you look at digital, we’re attracting an TV and Web Reach audience on the CNN.com site CNN points to a Nielsen Fusion that is 13 percent more likely to report that said the unduplicated have an average portfolio of reach of its TV and Web over $500K,” a figure from properties totaled 125 million Nielsen Online. people in December, beating all Frank Sesno, a former CNN cable news networks. It also has Washington bureau chief now LARRY KING’S CNN 14.6 million unique mobile users. SHOW WAS DOWN professor of media and public 43 PERCENT “Some of the other players in AMONG ADULTS 25- affairs at George Washington 54 IN THE FIRST the category have a different QUARTER. University, in Washington, said emphasis,” said Greg D’Alba, his old network is indeed executive VP and chief operating different from the other news officer of CNN Advertising channels. Sales. “But CNN is still on the CNN acknowledged “CNN is the only one of the platform of journalism, and the that prime-time ratings three with a genuine news - reliability and trusted gathering operation, with bureaus environment matters, certainly were a problem and reporters across the country for our consumers, but for a lot and all over the world. That of advertisers as well.” and that it was taking capacity alone sets CNN apart That trusted environment is because it provides the ability to one reason why CNN reaches steps to recharge put eyes, ears and cameras on the more “influential” consumers, as ground when news is breaking, or defined by Roper Center for its lineup. assign the troops to dig into a Public Opinion Research. story or an issue,” he said. 4 | NewsPro | May 2010 RTDNA STUDY By some traditional measures, content such as video, photos, same in 2010, up 20 points from this is a tough time for CNN. interactive elements, live online last year. The number expecting Ratings for its prime-time shows video events, data-driven maps an increase in hiring was up a were down sharply during the first and political ticker updates. More TV whopping 145 percent from quarter. Larry King’s show was 2009, while those predicting a down 43 percent among adults 25 Out-of-Home Viewing News, Less decrease in staffing dropped 77 to 54. Anderson Cooper’s show CNN is making guarantees on percent from last year. was down 42 percent. TV ratings that include out-of- Manpower “In my mind, there’s no CNN acknowledged that home viewing as measured by the prime-time ratings were a Arbitron Portable People Meter By Hillary Atkin question we’ll see staffing problem and that it was taking system. In the fourth quarter, the There is more television increases in 2010.