Negative Article Re: Kwan in Houston Paper

[kyla2]

Uh, I don't Think So

The writer is an idiot. As for George Bush, I thank GOD for him every night I say my prayers. He is as much a Texan as any of you are by the way, and probably more so, having spent 95% of his life there, been ITS GOVERNOR ,and owning a ranch there. How many of you can claim the same?

 

[Piel]

Just so you know...the Bushes are transplanted Texans from Connecticut. We didn't ask them to move here...at least I darn sure didn't...but I don't want to get off on a political tangent.

Texans elected Bush II gov.

 

[Jhar55]

I seldom read any of the articles, most of the writers don't know a figure sktae froma hockey skate. It must have been a slow day at the paper and they nothing else to fill their paper with but an article on which they know nothing about.
Oh yeah! I didn't read this one either.

 

[Jasper]

ITA...

Me too! It's called his opinion, it's called freedom of the press. It's not "awful journalism," and while much of what he wrote was harsh, a lot of it was justified and honest!

 

[Doggygirl]

Different perspective on sports journalism...

I've never been a journalist, and never tried. I know nothing about it from any "real" experience.

I did get a different viewpoint after attending Nationals. When you think about it, it makes sense...how many newspapers can have a full time person on staff that is an expert in EVERY sport their is?

During practices, when very few spectators were around, the media was There. I had ABC (one batch - they had several batches all around the arena as ABC was covering the event.) I had another batch to my left - NBC, and that crew was there to get video footage in preparation for Oly coverage. The NBC guy approached me and a couple of new friends many times asking us to help identiry skaters, etc. I had a LOT of fun thinking about how wicked we could have been - i.e. when he asked us "which one is Michael Weiss" and Michael wasn't there, we could have easily pointed to another skater (Rohene maybe?? *wicked smiley*) but we didn't. When I mentioned this as part of my "Nationals experience" I heard back from several people who are sports journalists. They are often asked to cover sports they know little about, and they apparently often rely on "bystander info" to help them develop a story.

Once I thought about that from a realistic point of view (i.e. thinking of my own local paper, which in NO WAY could afford experts on every sport on their staff) I understood that a bit better. I'm not suggesting it's "great" to see incorrect info in print. But I do better understand the dilemma after this experience, and am more inclined to just say "at least Figure Skating is In The News." Sometimes a bad story is better than no story when it comes to the value of press.

Just 2 cents..

DG

 

[Ptichka]

DG, I understand where you're coming from, but I stongly disagree. It's true that sports stories are not really that important to people's lives. However, getting into the mindset of "better some story than no story at all" is a dangerous path. Information we get from the media helps us make decisions such as who to vote for, whether to pull out of the stock market, or whether or not to take along an umbrella for the day. Having erroneous information in all three of above examples may be more detrimental than having no information at all, and having to rely on one's common sense.

 

[Doggygirl]

DG, I understand where you're coming from, but I stongly disagree. It's true that sports stories are not really that important to people's lives. However, getting into the mindset of "better some story than no story at all" is a dangerous path. Information we get from the media helps us make decisions such as who to vote for, whether to pull out of the stock market, or whether or not to take along an umbrella for the day. Having erroneous information in all three of above examples may be more detrimental than having no information at all, and having to rely on one's common sense.

I COMPLETELY appreciate your point. There are situations where I would rather have no news than eroneous news. There are other situations where I think "any press is good press." I think that all depends on ones personal POV. I would never think "any press is good press" (assuming it's erroneous) about many things. I agree with you - there is a danger with that POV.

On the flip side, I value Free Press, which implies (to me) "let the buyer beware." I'm glad people can write what they want, and I always take it upon myself to NOT take it as gospel, especially if it's something I consider important.

I'll just add here for fun, that I wish I was a Weather Person. That seems to be one job where you can ALWAYS be wrong, and still have a job.

DG

 

[Longhornliz]

Me too! It's called his opinion, it's called freedom of the press. It's not "awful journalism," and while much of what he wrote was harsh, a lot of it was justified and honest!

I disagree. I consider myself a fledgling journalist, I was raised by two journalists and have worked at two major newspapers.... freedom of the press doesnt extend itself to the freedom to make glaring factual errors without printing a correction. As other posters have said, he has attributed her injuries to her "leg" when in reality she suffered from hip and groin issues. Yes he was vaugely correct, but one might say he was vaugely incorrect. Would we be as blahze if a reporter confused iran and iraq in an article? Probably not.

I might not even disagree with his general tone in the article... it think he has a point that figure skating as an industry has taken some credibility hits. However I dont think his dialogue was elevated, intelligent, or very well researched. In his defense... he probably lacks history and perspective on the sport. It would be just as silly if i were to write a feature on tennis, golf or any other sport I lacked a real understanding for.

Ok off my soapbox now.

 

[Ptichka]

Would we be as blahze if a reporter confused iran and iraq in an article? Probably not.

President Bush once confused Slovenia with Slovakia in a speach...

 

[Jasper]

I did notice the error about her injury, which is a problem, but that was not the main point of his article anyway. The main point was just that she was injured at all. And besides, I thought all of his facts about her results the past couple of years and her missed competitions were correct, and that's what he used as his main evidence. It is true that he seems to have very little knowledge of skating history.

The article was perhaps too opinionated, but IMO it's nice to read a contrasting opinion in print about Kwan, because from what I usually read she is unfairly free from criticism.

 

[Jasper]

President Bush once confused Slovenia with Slovakia in a speach...

Wow, that's awful. Journalists always confuse those two nations. It's not that hard to get them right!

 

[Vash01]

I can't help wondering what these anti-Kwan writers were doing when Todd and Meno & Sand got their respective medical byes, without getting whacked by a criminal?

Chances are they know nothing about these precedents. They only watch FS when there is a scandal. Now they are cashing in on Michelle Kwan's name so that their immature articles will get readers.

Vash

 

[slutskayafan21]

The article is a bit harsh. First of all it is not true she has not been a World title threat since 2003 just because she did not win one. There are more contenders for a position than they are people who actually get it. In 2004 she was not only a contender but probably the favorite, of course dissapointing Qualifying round, short program rule confusion, stunning short by Cohen, stunning long by underdog hopeful Arakawa, and voila, only a bronze, but she was most certainly a serious contender for gold. In 2005 I think nobody totally discounted her as a gold threat, although she was obviously not the top favorite this time. This is the first year she might not be considered a gold threat, but then again what would Emily Hughes be? A top 10 long shot at best, a real long shot that is, she would need the skate of her life to place that hight.

 

[Piel]

Anyway, what's amusing is this notion of the "top 3" going to Olympics. Casual fans are conditioned into believing that the U.S. gets 3 spots for the ladies, forgetting that those spots have to be earned

Sadly from what's been posted on this board it 's not just the casual fans who are misinformed.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I disagree. I consider myself a fledgling journalist, I was raised by two journalists and have worked at two major newspapers.... freedom of the press doesnt extend itself to the freedom to make glaring factual errors without printing a correction. As other posters have said, he has attributed her injuries to her "leg" when in reality she suffered from hip and groin issues. Yes he was vaugely correct, but one might say he was vaugely incorrect. Would we be as blahze if a reporter confused iran and iraq in an article? Probably not.

Ok off my soapbox now.

Soap Box was right on. I learned in Journalism 101, a free press means all written items have to be factual. The opinions go on the Editorial Page and the OPED page. However all news stories as factual as they are must not interfere with the beliefs of the Publisher. The Chief Editor will cut them out and you may get a pink slip

I believe Freedom of the Press means all that the Publisher will allow.

Joe

 

[Ladskater]

Maybe it was a slow news day at the paper and they needed something to fill the page.....

 

[Rgirl]

To me, as a former journalism major and paid journalist, this piece was clearly an editorial. Editorials can go anywhere in a newspaper the managing editor says it can go. I doubt the publisher would get involved in an editorial at this level, meaning not meaning much. No disrespect to Michelle, but the publisher is probably more concerned with some local issue that is really BIG in that area or big-time national issue.

Editorials need only report the basic facts of the situation, which this writer did, and state his opinions and reasons for them. As a forum, we have basically the same rights, except instead of editors we have moderators, some of whom express biases of their own by choosing which posters they harass due to which skaters of which they are fans, but most of which let the posters police themselves unless a poster gets out of control.

I have no problem with this editorial and I have no problem with what anybody's posted about it. Although, I would like to see the Tara bashing end, finally. I mean, the girl can't even skate any more and all she did was beat Michelle for the '98 OGM, which was the judges' decision, not hers. So much for my personal editorial.

Rgirl

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

and free wheeling monitors will ensure that personal favorites are overly protected according to their perception of opinions. It's kind like a circle jerk. One seemingly bashes while others openly gush.


Joe

 

[Mathman]

Well, John P. and the Houston C. can obviously write whatever they want. But I think that in choosing such an attention-grabbing headline -- UNFAIR!!!! -- they missed their chance to raise the most interesting question. Is Michelle putting her butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth reputation on the line?

If Michelle goes to the Olympics and wins the gold medal, all is forgiven. Everyone loves a winner.

If she decides at the last minute that she is not competition ready and graciously withdraws, she will still be our sweet darling.

Anything in between and ???????

MM

 

[Justafan]

Texans elected Bush II gov.

Therefore all Texans must be Bush fans and Kwan haters. Come on.