NY Times story on UK beatwriter Jerry Tipton

Was it IJAG's original point that the NYT shouldn't have mentioned the death threats? I'm not sure you can assume a wide knowledge among NYT readers of that degree of passion.

 

That's essentially my original point.

 

Good point.

 

I think the story helped personalize what a lot of readers already knew, but I'm certain a lot of other readers didn't have the kind of familiarity with the topic that we do. Jerry covers a major beat for a paper with a major program in its city. The New York Times is a different type of paper with a different type of readership -- and different sports coverage. People who don't read a lot of sports stories read stories like this on championship game days. I think the story enlightened a few, or at least put a face to the dynamic. And as you said, it's not just any program -- it's Kentucky basketball.

If BillyT disagrees with me, that's fine.

But he asked if I didn't think The New York Times knows reporters get hate mail and death threats. He didn't say New York Times readers.

So to answer the question he asked, yeah, I do think that. I do think The New York Times knows that.

 

Not that this wouldn't also frighten me, but those hours are a pretty safe guess for reporters. I wonder if he actually knew or just figured out your address and then got lucky.

 

I don't think it's a bad article for the NYT.

I do think it's odd for people here to say it's a "great" story like it's something new.

 

I think all beat writers hear from wacky fans. I think that particular beat has second and third helpings of crazies.

 

Hey, just as an aside, but does anybody other than the Times use "N.B.A." and "N.C.A.A."?
And do they do that with even longer acronyms, such as "N.A.A.C.P."?

 

I know they do it with NASCAR -- or N.A.S.C.A.R. in N.Y.T.-speak.

 

Nascar.

 

Not this.

This.