One final thought on the Kenny Rogers issue. Conflict between the media and pro athletes is not the only prominent example of discord in the sports-entertainment arena. There’s also that ongoing, intramural contretemps between print media and its electronic counterpart.
The former have notebooks, and their words are the next day’s newspaper stories and columns. The latter have lights, mikes, cameras, cables, a show-biz ethic and an often pressing need for in-your-face immediacy.
Priorities and deadlines are not the same. It’s hardly a seamless overlap.
The recent Rogers piece in this column – and its subsequent web site posting – prompted the following response, among others. It’s from a friend and former colleague, Ed Christine, sports editor of the Scranton (PA) Times and a one-time beat writer with the New York Mets, reporter for USA Today and U.S. Marine.
“I can’t count the number of times I wanted to punch out a camera man,” wrote Christine in an e-mail. “Don’t want to count the number of times I threatened TV and radio people – not that print guys are above being intrusive and obnoxious.
“The problem with the Rogers incident is a lack of spontaneity,” he added. “From what has been shown, it appears as though that was his game plan from the time he left the clubhouse.”