Best Newspaper Coverage....

[Guitarman]

Posted by rhinob59:

He's a newspaper writer, and he used to cover sports for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, but Stump Martin of Stump on Sports has done great things for the prep football in Chattanooga

 

I agree about Stump on Sports. For anybody in and around Chattanooga it comes on Channel 46 on Comcast Cable on Friday and Saturday night at Midnight. (I think)

The Chattanooga Times-Free Press has some of the worst coverage of High School sports for one of the larger papers in the state. I think since the merger of the paper, the sports section has gone down hill. I dont agree with a lot of the things that they are doing now. THe Friday "Blitz" section of the paper is okay. Saturday's paper usually stinks cause half the time they dont have all the the scores in it and very rarely to they have all the box scores.

[OS91]

Located in Knoxville

 

And to answer your question, YES a paper can have a staff of 6-8 and easily succeed, thus not needing to hire help from Sports Illustrated.

[TankTalk]

Posted by OS91:

Located in Knoxville

 

And to answer your question, YES a paper can have a staff of 6-8 and easily succeed, thus not needing to hire help from Sports Illustrated.

 

Hmmmm, 6 yo 8 eh? And all that coverage. So, a couple of other questions. Is the 6 or 8 just the writers or the entire staff. I mean, you have to have sales, production, circulation, office staff. To cover all the counties you have mentioned would take mega dollars. Give me one name I can contact, that's all I am asking. I would love to speak with the person who is doing this. I mean, surely someone who is taking on this venture would love to hear from someone who has covered east Tennessee sports and could perhaps offer some assistance....so just one name is all I am asking.

[OS91]

Tank, I am happy you have an interest and would like to contribute your expertise in this field, but its all under control and your imput is appreciated, but not neccessary.

 

Just so you dont worry, Cost, Production, Sales, and Staff is part of a business plan that has already been written and forecasted. There have already been demographic studies done on ALL facets/areas of this project. I am sorry your paper didn't succeed, but I agree with you KNoxville is the perfect fit for a paper to cover the high schoolas the study has shown. The group that is part of this venture, rest assured comes from a the highest communication background's background in East Teennesee - MBA from UT, Board of Directors for Tennessee Press, and a Public Relationsh Background.

 

Yes, a staff of 6-8 can easily producethe results through innovative ideas, hard work, and communication to each and every school with an open door policy. This paper is not about the paper as much as it will focus on the kids. Sometimes we forget in out own self serving plight that its about the kids.

[UPSGregg]

Here is the worst news paper coverage of high school football....The Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle. Its such a joke. This town is trying so hard to be considered one of the "big cities" in the state yet has really pathetic coverage of its football AND the rest of the sports.

[6D]

The Jackson Sun does a good job.

[BuckLateral]

Your comment about the Free Press and the effect of the merger between the Times and the Free Press on coverage of local sports is interesting because I think the same thing has happened in Nashville with the Tennessean. Back when the Chattanooga Times and the Free Press were in serious competition with each other, I think that both papers did a pretty good job of covering local sports, particularly high school and youth sports, and had a strong interest in the local scene. Both were run by local families with ties to the community . Sales and circulation made them cover the local scene better because this sold newspapers-----every story on a kid meant that his parents and grandparents were going to buy multiple copies. And competition kept the reporters agressive for stories. Without it, they get lazy.

 

In Nashville, the Tennessean is no longer locally owned and controlled, and the demise of the Banner and the influx of pro sports hit at about the same time. With no competition and no local ownership concerned about sales and circulation, the Tennessean rapidly became nothing more than a regional USA Today. Coverage of local sports, particularly sports other than football and basketball,has been pretty weak--------for some sports, its almost non existent. Local kids have seen recognition of their sports efforts give way to increased coverage of overpaid and overhyped professional ( and, unfortunately, even some college) athletes.

 

For good coverage of local sports I now make sure I pick up a copy of the Nashville City Paper every morning. Unfortunately, it is only a weekday paper so it misses out on the Saturday coverage of Friday night's football games. However, it devotes a lot of space for the size paper that it is to coverage of local sports and is willing to give space to the 'other' sports------its coverage of local wrestling last season was far superior to the Tennessean----and that is not just my opinion, I've heard that from coaches as well. Its reporters seem genuinely interested in the local scene and providing local kids with the publicity they deserve for their athletic efforts. Because they are going up against the big monster on Broadway, they are aggressively going after stories on the local scene. The articles are generally well written with some thought given to what the story is trying to focus on-----they either have good writers or a managing editor who is on his toes.

 

Interestingly, I think that the City Paper has caught the attention of the Tennessean which has added some reporters to its high school coverage this fall, the Saturday football scores section seems bigger, and it has added the high school sports website mentioned in another post. It also seems to be reacting to some of the coverage style of the City Paper--------case in point, yesterday the City Paper had a nice article on the undefeated CPA middle school football team. I'm not sure when the last time I saw the Tennessean devote any significant space to sports atthe middle school level, but, lo and behold, guess what appeared in the Tennessean this morning----an article on the same CPA middle school team. This is not the first time this "follow the leader" has occurred.

 

So all you Nashvillians who want to see more coverage of the local sports scene, make sure you pick up the City Paper. Right now it is free in the blue newspaper stands. And as long as it keeps doing what it is doing and makes the Tennessean takes notice, that will only benefit coverage of local sports. And better recognition of local sports will only encourage more kids to play and give them the recognition they deserve for their efforts.

 

And no, I don't have an interest in and I am not employed by the City Paper. Just like to give credit where credit is due and this post presented the opportunity to do so.

 

 

 

 

Posted by Guitarman:

Posted by rhinob59:

He's a newspaper writer, and he used to cover sports for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, but Stump Martin of Stump on Sports has done great things for the prep football in Chattanooga

 

I agree about Stump on Sports. For anybody in and around Chattanooga it comes on Channel 46 on Comcast Cable on Friday and Saturday night at Midnight. (I think)

The Chattanooga Times-Free Press has some of the worst coverage of High School sports for one of the larger papers in the state. I think since the merger of the paper, the sports section has gone down hill. I dont agree with a lot of the things that they are doing now. THe Friday "Blitz" section of the paper is okay. Saturday's paper usually stinks cause half the time they dont have all the the scores in it and very rarely to they have all the box scores.

[TheAnswer9]

Is Tinker Ivans back at the Monrow County Newspaper??

[BDURHAM]

No question that the Tennessean has gotten worse after it absorbed the Banner. Although they promised a better paper, it got worse.

 

The City Paper focuses on private more than public schools, and it doesn't appear to have enough advertising to make it long-term. But I agree, it is a good read -- when read as a supplement to the Tennessean.

[BDURHAM]

Very weird response, dude.

 

Posted by OS91:

Tank, I am happy you have an interest and would like to contribute your expertise in this field, but its all under control and your imput is appreciated, but not neccessary.

 

Just so you dont worry, Cost, Production, Sales, and Staff is part of a business plan that has already been written and forecasted. There have already been demographic studies done on ALL facets/areas of this project. I am sorry your paper didn't succeed, but I agree with you KNoxville is the perfect fit for a paper to cover the high schoolas the study has shown. The group that is part of this venture, rest assured comes from a the highest communication background's background in East Teennesee - MBA from UT, Board of Directors for Tennessee Press, and a Public Relationsh Background.

 

Yes, a staff of 6-8 can easily producethe results through innovative ideas, hard work, and communication to each and every school with an open door policy. This paper is not about the paper as much as it will focus on the kids. Sometimes we forget in out own self serving plight that its about the kids.

[TheBoredGuy]

Posted by 6D:

The Jackson Sun does a good job.

 

They have their high and low points. I think they could do a little better, maybe expand their previews a little bit to hit more than 3-5 games. And for heaven's sake, they ought to check the accuracy of some of their information. Seems like they always goof a few things up each week.

 

Kary Booher and Dennis Seid do a great job with the coverage they provide, however. And "I Beat Fearless" is always fun.

[TankTalk]

Bah, I erased the post I had put, remembering that I was an adult.

 

OS91, I don't know you...but do wish you would tell me your real name. And I hope this paper flies high. My paper died because of the events of 9/11 and not because of content. It was close...real close to becoming a reality but a few minor mistakes on my part ended that.

 

With all the brain power you have assembled I am sure the 60 plus schools your promise close coverage on will be very happy, but some advice from me to you....change your terrible attitude. Many of us have witnessed it on these boards and if you are part of this sports dynasty in the making, you will need to mellow out. You will be covering high school kids...try and remember that.

 

I asked a simple question and I got a quirky response from you. I will be waiting for your paper to come out to see if it is what you claim it is. All the "experts" you have will need DEEP pockets...and I am sure they do according to you.

 

Posted by OS91:

Tank, I am happy you have an interest and would like to contribute your expertise in this field, but its all under control and your imput is appreciated, but not neccessary.

 

Just so you dont worry, Cost, Production, Sales, and Staff is part of a business plan that has already been written and forecasted. There have already been demographic studies done on ALL facets/areas of this project. I am sorry your paper didn't succeed, but I agree with you KNoxville is the perfect fit for a paper to cover the high schoolas the study has shown. The group that is part of this venture, rest assured comes from a the highest communication background's background in East Teennesee - MBA from UT, Board of Directors for Tennessee Press, and a Public Relationsh Background.

 

Yes, a staff of 6-8 can easily producethe results through innovative ideas, hard work, and communication to each and every school with an open door policy. This paper is not about the paper as much as it will focus on the kids. Sometimes we forget in out own self serving plight that its about the kids.

[Edited by TankTalk on 10-11-02 9:47A]