journalism (noun) – the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media; writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation
report (noun) – a story in a newspaper or on radio or television that is about something that happened or that gives information about something
Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price released a holy tirade all over the local media on Monday that went viral. 77 f-bombs in total were counted, making Price’s rant one of the most profane and prolific in sports.
We all enjoyed a laugh over the epic rant that will go down in baseball lore with the other great explosions we’ve seen over the years. And while the nature of Price’s rant might have entertained the masses, it’s time to get serious and look at the content of what it was that he said. As the beeps fade away, what Price really exhibits is a total failure to recognize the role of the local media that could further complicate things in the Queen City.
Perhaps the most misguided part of Price’s rant was when he tried to tell the local media what their job shouldn’t be and got it dead wrong.
“Your job is not to sniff out every f****** thing is about the Reds and f****** put it out there for every other f****** guy to hear. It’s not your job.”
As seen above, the very definitions of reporting and journalism is the publishing of information. It’s exactly the job of the local media to publish whatever information they think will serve the interests of their readers. What does Price expect them to do? Ask permission before writing every column or breaking every story? Have him sign off on their stories? If Price wants to resign and become an editor at the Cincinnati Enquirer, then by all means more power to him. Until then, he needs to stop trying to boss the media into what they can and can’t do.
Nobody is asking Price to be happy that the media is reporting what they do, but he has to accept that they don’t work for him, nor do they work for the Reds organization. There’s a well-paid public relations department that does just that. He has to accept that in 2015, these beat writers and their jobs depend on publishing information. Whether it be through newspaper articles, blog posts, tweets, you name it – reporters need to report. That’s what they do.
If Price can’t grasp the most simple and elementary job of the media, this is going to get worse before it gets a lot better.
Price continued to completely miss the point in his apology. He apologized for the language that he used but stood by the content of his message to try to shut down the reporting of the local media.
Bryan Price – “In my pre-game conversation with reporters yesterday, I used wholly inappropriate language to describe….
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 21, 2015
…. the media coverage of our team. While I stand by the content of my message, I am sorry for the choice of words.”
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 21, 2015
Thankfully, several of the Reds followers saw through Price’s apology and pointed out that it wasn’t necessarily the language that was the major issue at hand, but the message to the media itself.
The larger story here is the growing trend in coaches and managers completely missing the boat when it comes to the job of the local media. Price is the most recent example. Illinois head football coach Tim Beckman is another. Earlier this year he fruitlessly tried to rally the local media into being cheerleaders for the cellar dwellers of the Big Ten.
That baseball teams still hire managers who don't know what the media actually does blows my mind.
— Dirk Hayhurst (@TheGarfoose) April 21, 2015
Price is well off base with his objections over the media reporting on players being absent from the team, and it speaks to this larger issue at play. Way too many coaches, managers, and franchise personnel expect the local media to work in the team’s best interests.
How the f*** does that benefit the Reds? It doesn’t benefit us one f****** bit. God **** we try to go out there and win f****** games and I got to come in here and then you guys f****** blow it all over the f****** place?
No coach can justifiably ask the media that covers their team “How does this benefit us” as a point of contention. In spite of Price’s objections, it is not in C. Trent Rosecrans’ job description to benefit the Reds with his writing. He’s paid to be a journalist. Not a cheerleader. Not a public relations staffer. Not an assistant to the manager. A journalist. Rosecrans is there to report and publish information about the Reds for readers, not help them win a pennant. Actually, that’s Price’s job.
For a big league manager to not grasp this, especially after a day to consult with the front office and PR staff, is quite extraordinary.