Using MySpace to contact players?

Why is this even a debate? Figuring out how to get a hold of people and then actually doing so is what we do.

I sure as hell didn't set up my Facebook account to "poke" people....or to track down that girl who soiled herself on the fifth grade bus trip...I set it up as another way to contact sources.

We don't have ethical debates about e-mailing people cold. Why would we worry about sending a message to them through a public, voluntary website?

 

Facebook and myspace can be great tools for reporters. Not just for contacting hard-to-reach people; the more you know about the athletes you cover, the better. When I used to work at my college paper, I had one situation where there was a court case involving members of the football and wrestling team allegedly beating up a kid at a party. They were charged with assault. Most of the witnesses on the police report wouldn't talk to me. So I looked at the players' facebook pictures to see who else was at the party (athletes and regular students) and got a lot more information. Not long after that, the higher-ups (also students) thought it would be a good idea to block all office computers from being able to access myspace or facebook. They said it was something to do at home on personal time. Nevermind the fact that many reporters used the sites in situations like the one I mentioned.

I wasn't at that paper much longer...

 

As someone who was in college when the whole facebook fad started and still has a profile even though I'm in the real world, I don't think there is anything wrong with having a profile and using it to research stories. Now, contacting sources on there should only be considered as an absolute last resort. However, the profiles of other people can often be good sources of information to get phone numbers and things like that. As for interviewing athletes, the best way to do that is at an event or getting the coaches permission first so that everything is on the level. Plus coaches like to be in the loop when you are talking to their athletes from what I have discovered.

 

Is it just me, or does facebook seem more professional? I don't know. I guess if you were going to do something like this, you would do it through facebook.

 

I assume you are talking about high school athletes here...

 

"No, no, no" on both counts. Never ask for permission, unless someone is completely restricting your access... and if you have a tool to access someone, use it. Coaches are not demigods.

 

A good resource to track people down on MySpace, Friendster, Facebook, etc.: yoname.com (no www).

Another reason everyone should make their profiles private to everyone but friends. Forever, have you not offered a job to someone based on what you saw on their MySpace/Facebook page(s)?

My hunch is that Facebook is more "professional" merely because everyone has to sign their first and last name to it. So you can't get too wild and crazy without experiencing repercussions. Imagine if this message board were like that?

 

OK, here's my situation:

I'm trying to do a feature for next Friday and have it done by Wednesday. I've tried multiple times contacting the big league team this player is on, but I haven't gotten any return phone calls/e-mails. Is it safe to e-mail the player on MySpace, as long as you tell him in that e-mail you have exhausted all your other options? The player is a rookie, so his ego shouldn't be too swelled, at least that's what I hope.

 

You have no other way to get in touch with him?

You can't call his parents? His friends?

I would think if you talked to the family first, then they hit him up, you'd be more likely to get a favorable response.

And if the family doesn't wanna talk, c'est la vie.

 

I've used Facebook and MySpace - mostly Facebook - to seek out people for interviews, and that includes athletes, pageant contestants, cheerleaders, rock band members ... even people of my generation (I'm 44). If I'm contacting someone who doesn't know me (especially a minor female), I provide enough information in my private message to them - including a contact number - to give them some comfort that I'm legit and no perv trying to stalk them. I've been quite successful receiving responses from them.

This doesn't mean everyone I contact on Facebook or MySpace becomes a 'friend.' I don't add them to my friends list unless they make the request for me to join their list. One of the pageant contestants I interviewed recently via Facebook is on my friends list. Yes, it's a stroke to the ole male ego to have a honey who's placed in the top 10 at the state pageant two years in a row as a friend, but she was a real-time friend long before either one of us had Facebook/MySpace. And she even gives me an occasional poke on Facebook, and I poke her back.

Now, here's a style issue: How does one quote of person from an online message? Do you say: ....," said Sportsguy in an interview through Facebook (or via Facebook), just like some writers say, ...," so-in-so said in a telephone interview.

 

This is a dead issue.

I no longer have a MySpace (it was getting too pornish. God I never thought I'd say that). But I know a good number of former and current HS athletes in my area that use Facebook and I have used it numerous times to contact them. They respond to it better than they do phone calls.

 

i recently started a myspace page (other than my personal one) strictly for the purpose of getting ahold of athletes. i'm hoping with the "official" looking newspaper page, athletes will be more likely to add me.

my title has the name of the newspaper, and in the "about me" section, i explain what the page is for, networking athletes in the area through my page by adding them to the friends list. Nothing social. No spam. The only goal is to make it easy to get ahold of them, and they can get ahold of me and each other.

i just started it, so there hasn't been any response yet, but if it works like i hope, it should be a good tool. i'm already posting videos of some of the athletes i've taken at practice and games so far this season.

we'll see