Media Archive: Bob Smizik's Take on FSN "Gratitude" toward McClatchy

The first in what TYKM hope will be a regular look back at various media reports on relevant topics. This particular article, written by Bob Smizik, appeared in the July, 21, 2006 online edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and addresses the inspiration for our blog title. Enjoy.

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On the Air with Bob Smizik: FSN's praise of McClatchy a bit too much

Friday, July 21, 2006

Regional sports networks such as FSN Pittsburgh walk a fine journalistic line with some of the teams they cover.

On one hand, such networks make a legitimate effort to honestly cover the teams whose games they carry, which, in the case of FSN, are the Pirates and Penguins. Toward that end, they hire qualified journalists who work hard to deliver balanced news.

At the same time, though, regional sports networks are important partners of the teams they cover. Without the Pirates and the Penguins, in all likelihood, there would be no FSN. It's important to FSN that those teams do well.

Likewise, those teams need the revenue they receive from FSN.

For FSN, it's a balancing act that requires constant fine tuning. Unfortunately, FSN lost its balance this week with its brief but gushing post-All-Star Game tribute to Kevin McClatchy that regularly appeared between innings of its coverage of Pirates games.

As a screen shows a shot of PNC Park, an announcer says, "An All Star thanks to the Pirates and Kevin McClatchy." As PNC fades, the screen shows, "Thank You Kevin McClatchy."
A bit much.

It's true McClatchy lobbied hard to get the game. And, once it was awarded the Pirates and the city carried out a near-flawless presentation. But overlooked in the thank you was the fact the game never would have been awarded to the Pirates, just 12 years after it previously had hosted it, if McClatchy's mismanagement of the franchise hadn't demanded it.

The only reason the Pirates got the All-Star Game was because the franchise was in a desperate -- and that's not too strong of a word -- need of a pick-me-up. The All-Star Game was a life preserver for the Pirates. But they weren't accidentally thrown overboard into the rough seas of competitive baseball. They got where they are -- the team with the worst record in the National League and with one of the most hopeless futures in MLB -- with mismanagement to the highest degree.

That doesn't deserve thanks, not even from an important corporate partner.