Re: App State Beat Writer
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 7:45 am
That's was what I was wondering. Just figured I missed something in the thread.
http://www.yosefscabin.com/forum/
I'm wondering if online news and less people subscribing have caused so many budget cuts that they are having to make choices like this.AppGrad78 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 10:54 amIt’s not so much the size of the program, but rather the proximity to a quality media outlet. Unfortunately, the Watauga Democrat and Winston-Salem Journal are no longer serious about covering their back yards. The Asheville Citizen and Charlotte Observer, for whatever reasons, have elected not to fill that role either.
Not to mention advertising revenues going down Gone to internet.AppStFan1 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:28 pmI'm wondering if online news and less people subscribing have caused so many budget cuts that they are having to make choices like this.AppGrad78 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 10:54 amIt’s not so much the size of the program, but rather the proximity to a quality media outlet. Unfortunately, the Watauga Democrat and Winston-Salem Journal are no longer serious about covering their back yards. The Asheville Citizen and Charlotte Observer, for whatever reasons, have elected not to fill that role either.
Newspaper circulation has been steadily declining for decades. People just don't like the feel of an actual newspaper in their hands anymore. I'm 59 and used to have the Atlanta Constitution's parent company as a client; my contact there said I was about the last of those who like the feel of a newspaper left. He was wrong; while I still like the feel of a newspaper, we dropped our subscription to the Greensboro News and Record several years ago. I did recently place an ad in the paper for a pickup truck I was selling...received 3-4 calls in total from the $84 ad. Posted on Craigslist for $5 and received 20-30 calls and sold the truck in one day. It's just sad.AppStFan1 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:28 pmI'm wondering if online news and less people subscribing have caused so many budget cuts that they are having to make choices like this.AppGrad78 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 10:54 amIt’s not so much the size of the program, but rather the proximity to a quality media outlet. Unfortunately, the Watauga Democrat and Winston-Salem Journal are no longer serious about covering their back yards. The Asheville Citizen and Charlotte Observer, for whatever reasons, have elected not to fill that role either.
I would lump that into my bringing up online. Online hurt need for copies and so that caused their budget cuts due to less being circulated that caused ad revenue to drop. It is sad but how it is.NewApp wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:39 pmNot to mention advertising revenues going down Gone to internet.AppStFan1 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:28 pmI'm wondering if online news and less people subscribing have caused so many budget cuts that they are having to make choices like this.AppGrad78 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 10:54 amIt’s not so much the size of the program, but rather the proximity to a quality media outlet. Unfortunately, the Watauga Democrat and Winston-Salem Journal are no longer serious about covering their back yards. The Asheville Citizen and Charlotte Observer, for whatever reasons, have elected not to fill that role either.
And as much as you knew sometimes that there could be a slant with newspapers we have seen the cause of people turning to Twitter in an increase in false stories. I see so much on social media that is just wrong but people won't go research to see.
McLeansvilleAppFan wrote: ↑Tue Jul 26, 2022 8:43 am
Here is a story about how AP poll voters are selected. There is 1 voter for every 2 FBS teams in the state.
https://www-saturdaydownsouth-com.cdn.a ... ss-poll%2F
Is the Democrat even big enough to somehow get a vote in the AP Polls? I know they have expanded the voter rolls beyond classic newspapers to radio and TV to recently to a few internet sites, but not having an advocate, so to speak, is not good. Does the Democrat have the resources to send their writer to away games or even watch on TV?
If they do I might pick up a subscription.
Does the Charlotte Observer had a beat writer for UNCC? I assume the only beat writer for ECU is from the Greenville paper. Is the Democrat down to a weekly from a thrice a week?hapapp wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:25 amI think it puts the App program and fans at a huge disadvantage. The beat writer for JMU at the Harrisonburg paper is doing a great job providing Sun Belt coverage. I worry that we may be ignorant of much what is going within the Belt without a beat reporter. Dave at 247 does a great job but that's limited circulation compared to the broader circulation of a newspaper like the W-SJ.
App puts on a Media Day. I have been to neither the App MD or the one at Clemson, so I can’t compare them to one another. In any case, I know that we have reached out to Clemson to bounce ideas off each other from time to time. Hell, the CEO of IPTAY, Davis Babb, is an App grad. Go figure that one out. My point is, every program does things differently. It doesn’t mean it’s better or worse. We have a bunch of smart, albeit disorganized sometimes, folks in the Ricks Center. They make decisions that are with good intentions and needs appropriate for App.BambooRdApp wrote: ↑Thu Jul 28, 2022 4:57 amI believe it may have been AppDiesel or someone else in regards to Clemson event, App needs to do that event. Relatively cheap and meets the "wine and dine" objective
While Ethan did a tremendous job for our program, the question going forward is "Do Beat Writers Matter?" If newspapers are reducing their numbers due to economics, they may no longer be the target. Perhaps it's sports radio (where we get good coverage), perhaps it's content producers.....AppSt94 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 28, 2022 6:58 amApp puts on a Media Day. I have been to neither the App MD or the one at Clemson, so I can’t compare them to one another. In any case, I know that we have reached out to Clemson to bounce ideas off each other from time to time. Hell, the CEO of IPTAY, Davis Babb, is an App grad. Go figure that one out. My point is, every program does things differently. It doesn’t mean it’s better or worse. We have a bunch of smart, albeit disorganized sometimes, folks in the Ricks Center. They make decisions that are with good intentions and needs appropriate for App.BambooRdApp wrote: ↑Thu Jul 28, 2022 4:57 amI believe it may have been AppDiesel or someone else in regards to Clemson event, App needs to do that event. Relatively cheap and meets the "wine and dine" objective
Comparison is the thief of joy.
It may be too little too late but even in the deep anti-union south some newspapers are going union with the writers. Columbia, SC has a contract now and Charlotte won voluntary recognition. That model may not work for a weekly like the WD, but a few other papers around the state are big enough to help move the needle. Those union employees might just save the papers from the owners in spite of the owners short-sighted action.T-Dog wrote: ↑Thu Jul 28, 2022 12:15 pmThere's multiple issues here. One is that corporate newspapers are making cuts despite making profits. It's not that they're losing money, it's that sometimes their entities don't make the profits they forecasted and they cut expenses to appease their stakeholders.
For instance, when I was at the WD in late March 2020, now two weeks after the pandemic started, parent company Adams Publishing Group "temporarily" slashed almost everybody's pay by 25%. From publishers to layout to writers (I think some advertising was spared initially). Hourly employees were cut to 30 hours a week and salaried people were just slashed. This was before any hard financial data came in from the pandemic. I was transferring to another Adams paper in April, but at that point I just put in my notice rather than put myself more into debt. It took several months to reinstate people to 35 hours a week. And trust me, the WD and Mountain Times Publications did well financially compared to many other newspapers. But again, those successes couldn't be capitalized upon because of the holders of the purse strings. And like many companies across several sectors of corporate business, the upper crust didn't suffer during the pandemic and profits were still there.
Point is, the WD has dealt with a lot of challenges fostered upon them from corporate. I imagine the same is true for the W-S Journal, the Charlotte Observer and other daily newspapers. I've personally heard horror stories from the Fayetteville Observer, which is owned by Gannett, another known corporate staff-slasher
Not only will it mean a lack of sports coverage, it will hurt you in the long term with the lack of local government coverage. Lack of coverage of local government is proven to lead to an increase in corruption and misappropriation of tax dollars.
Additionally, if the only source of news about App State comes from App State, then we'll only ever see the roses. And some people like that, because they believe their team is always right. And you get people on App State payroll chiding fans for criticisms, telling them to "be positive," while the salaries of chancellors, athletic directors and football coaches, public employees are public institutions, continue to skyrocket.
Man, this makes me want to apply for a football media credential just to ask questions during Clark's press conference. They can have the pizza for the press box media and I'll sit in my paid seat during the games. I just want to ask Clark why he chose not to try to score points at the end of the first half and why Cam Peoples only gets six touches in the second half.