http://dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2009/08/espn-drops-twitter-hammer-on-nascar.html

When emails begin to appear in clumps and most of them are from folks
connected with ESPN, there is usually a theme. This time, the message
was not good for NASCAR fans and the timing could not be worse.

ESPN has dropped the hammer on NASCAR reporters, anchors and
production staff using Twitter. Unfortunately, they have done it
during one of the most critical times of the NASCAR on ESPN season.

Throughout this year, ESPN's NASCAR efforts have been better off due
in no small part to the contributions of many ESPN folks who use
Twitter on a regular basis. Ryan McGee, Marty Smith, Mike Massaro,
Shannon Spake and even Allen Bestwick all use this form of social
media to present a mix of professional and personal messages.

This often drove Twitter users to the ESPN.com website to follow-up on
a message or a link that had been posted. The entire idea of Twitter
was to allow the closest thing to a short conversation to be sent
anywhere to anyone who wanted to listen.

Here are some of the new guidelines ESPN presented to cast members in
a recent memo:

ESPN regards social networks such as message boards, conversation
pages and other forms of social networking such as Facebook and
Twitter as important new forms of content. As such, we expect to hold
all talent who participate in social networking to the same standards
we hold for interaction with our audiences across TV, radio and our
digital platforms.

This applies to all ESPN Talent, anchors, play by play, hosts,
analysts, commentators, reporters and writers who participate in any
form of personal social networking that contain sports related
content.

Specific Guidelines
· Personal websites and blogs that contain sports content are not
permitted
· Prior to engaging in any form of social networking dealing with
sports, you must receive permission from the supervisor as appointed
by your department head
· ESPN.COM may choose to post sports related social media content
· If ESPN.com opts not to post sports related social media content
created by ESPN talent, you are not permitted to report, speculate,
discuss or give any opinions on sports related topics or personalities
on your personal platforms
· The first and only priority is to serve ESPN sanctioned efforts,
including sports news, information and content
Assume at all times you are representing ESPN
If you wouldn't say it on the air or write it in your column, don't
tweet it
Exercise discretion, thoughtfulness and respect for your colleagues,
business associates and our fans
· Avoid discussing internal policies or detailing how a story or
feature was reported, written, edited or produced and discussing
stories or features in progress, those that haven't been posted or
produced, interviews you've conducted, or any future coverage plans.
· Steer clear of engaging in dialogue that defends your work against
those who challenge it and do not engage in media criticism or
disparage colleagues or competitors
· Be mindful that all posted content is subject to review in
accordance with ESPN's employee policies and editorial guidelines
· Confidential or proprietary company information or similar
information of third parties who have shared such information with
ESPN, should not be shared
Any violation of these guidelines could result in a range of
consequences, including but not limited to suspension or dismissal.

How about that for a wake-up call? Click here for a link to Richard
Sandomir's column in the New York Times on this issue. Click here to
read ESPN's entire memo on the subject in full courtesy of the
NBCSports.com website.

Just how this will affect the NASCAR on ESPN gang is about to be seen
in two days. Normally, the Tweeting begins as the various anchors,
reporters and production folks start their journey to the race. The
biggest volume is over the weekend, when NASCAR fans are kept informed
of stories, issues and just how far Marty Smith went on his daily run.

As someone who is tremendously interested and involved in social
media, I follow probably 50 Twitter accounts of people and sports
information directly tied to ESPN. Ironically, one of my favorites is
a social networking manager at ESPN in Bristol, CT. My days of her
updates on sports-related new media topics may have come to a sudden
end.

"Today is a landmark day for social media, but for all the wrong
reasons," says Jennifer Van Grove at the social media site
Mashable.com. "It would appear that the network is showing poor
judgment and exposing to the world the fact that they have no idea
that social media is all about relationship building." Click here for
her full column.

Chris LaPlaca at ESPN is a great guy and has been a spokesman for the
company for over 25 years. "We’ve been in the social networking space
for a long time and will continue to be there," said LaPlaca. “But we
want to be smarter about how we do it. The key phrase is write it
once, publish it everywhere.”

Ultimately, ESPN's goal is to publish one piece of content and then
have the company's own technology deliver that information everywhere.
Unfortunately, that is exactly the opposite of the very personal vibe
that Twitter users get from the NASCAR on ESPN staff who speak
directly to the fans with every hand-crafted message.

This issue will continue to be debated in the media and almost
certainly ESPN will continue to clarify this new policy. The only way
for many of us to completely understand it will be to monitor the
traffic on Twitter from the many ESPN friends we have come to respect
and enjoy on the NASCAR beat.

The push-and-pull of freedom of expression vs. the corporate agenda is
bending in very different directions as technology continues to
advance. I'm just not a very big fan of this direction for ESPN where
Twitter use is concerned.

Updated: Click here for a great interview with Rob King, ESPN social
media czar that talks about these issues. Wonderful journalism by John
Ourand at Sports Business Daily.

We want your comments on this topic. To add your opinion, just click
on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website,
please keep that in mind when posting. Thank you for taking the time
out of your day to stop by The Daly Planet.

"TMC" <tmc1982 (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

http://dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2009/08/espn-drops-twitter-hammer-on-nascar.html

When emails begin to appear in clumps and most of them are from folks
connected with ESPN, there is usually a theme. This time, the message
was not good for NASCAR fans and the timing could not be worse.

ESPN has dropped the hammer on NASCAR reporters, anchors and
production staff using Twitter. Unfortunately, they have done it
during one of the most critical times of the NASCAR on ESPN season.



Hardly nobody is watching NASCAR on ESPN anymore anyhow so how much can this
stupid social networking hurt anything?

"RickyBobby" <nascar42 (AT) cox (DOT) net> wrote

As much as I would like to pile on ESPN for this...after further review,
methinks the brass at NASCAR want to control a little more of the content
than we might ordinairly believe.

"Riley 77" <riley (AT) noemail (DOT) com> wrote

What sort of numbskull sets up a Twitter account to post their random
thoughts? That sounds a lot like Usenet and that has been around for a long
time and it still useless.

And another bad thing about all of that instant messaging is that people
keep on wrecking their cars and trains by texting while operating.
Something needs to be done about that also.

On Aug 6, 1:36�am, "RickyBobby" <nasca... (AT) cox (DOT) net> wrote:
The first think ESPN should do .. is .. TELL THE ANNOUNCERS TO SHUT
UP ....
After that is accomplished...all of the other problems will go away..