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Sports reporter wanted to cover Va.Tech

Discussion in 'Journalism Jobs' started by gravehunter, Nov 29, 2011.

Page 7 of 13
  1. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    In your opinion, do you think MG will take the economically feasible way out?
     
    Drip, Dec 1, 2011
    #73
  2. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Uh, ah, can I plead the fifth? Let's just say I hope not. Yeah, you can tailor a lot of VT coverage for both markets. And the other areas of the state MG serves. But VT is pretty damn big 'round there and there are reasons to have your own presence. Blake DeChristopher, the big-time lineman at VT, is from Richmond. So the Richmond paper may want to do a bit more with him. Is Logan Thomas, the QB, from Lynchburg? So maybe there's a need for a few more stories there.


    When Virginia went to the college world series a few years back, Richmond didn't go and instead used Charlottesville's stuff. Which is fine. It isn't that the stuff was bad. But I think SEVEN of those kids were FROM Richmond, so the market had different needs.

    Let me point out this is just my opinion and not a knock on anything they've done. In these newspapering times, you can't always do things the way you'd want to do them. We do a copy share with Richmond. They take our Skins stuff, we take their VT and VA stuff. They'd love to have a Skins person. I'd love to have a VT/VA person. But we don't, so we do what we can. The days of "ideal" are gone.

    I just hope each city ends up with its own VT reporter.
     
    Moderator1, Dec 1, 2011
    #74
  3. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    IMHO, and Moddy might think differently, but Tech football is bigger than the Redskins in Richmond right now.

    I like UVA a lot more than Tech, but the Tech fans outnumber UVA fans exponentially in Richmond Metro Area. At least that is what I see and hear. And Tech football is bigger than VCU hoops even though VCU went to the Final freaking Four last year.

    VA Tech football, outside of the Beltway, is the biggest ticket in Virginia, especially south of Arlington and west of Fairfax.
     
    93Devil, Dec 1, 2011
    #75
  4. Balthier

    Balthier Member

    You know Moddy, we're all adults here. Can we throw the preface of "just my opinion and not a knock of anything" out the window? I don't think giving an opinion on something like that could ever be taken as an insult. Plus, damnit, I'm going to give mine. As an unabashed supporter of smaller papers (yet still with mine eyes toward the sky) - in any company - I have a lot, a lot, of issues, with how some of the bigger papers in any chain handle things such as what we're talking about now.

    With that said, glad they're filling this job. Wonder when they'll add a NASCAR writer back.
     
    Balthier, Dec 1, 2011
    #76
  5. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    Still surreal to me that three years ago Richmond had TWO NASCAR writers. Now, none.
     
    imjustagirl, Dec 1, 2011
    #77
  6. Balthier

    Balthier Member

    And that's my thing, IJAG. There's a need for that. Right now. While I'm glad they're filling this spot - is there really another need for another guy from the same company sitting in the same press box? Maybe there is. I'm asking. Especially with such a glaring need out there right now.
     
    Balthier, Dec 1, 2011
    #78
  7. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    No, Devil, on this we agree.

    The numbers may well have changed since Mike London's arrival and Virginia's apparent revival. Basketball, too, with Tony Bennett in for Leitao. London and Bennett replaced coaches who were not terribly popular.

    When I was SE in Richmond, the numbers showed about three times as much interest in VT over VA. When I left, I did some freelance work for TechSideline.com and TheSabre.com - sister sites owned by the same company and run by the same guy. The Tech stuff I did got hit at three times the rate of the UVA stuff.

    The VCU numbers have clearly gone up after the Final Four run (and the alum in me hopes they stay up) but it still doesn't compare to the interest in VT football.

    VT is without question THE major beat at Richmond. And elsewhere in the state save Charlottesville. There IS interest there, too. When I was beat guy, the C-ville paper ran my stuff. I assume it still takes Richmond's stuff.
     
    Moderator1, Dec 1, 2011
    #79
  8. Big Circus

    Big Circus Well-Known Member

    Recently, the Progress has tended to use Nathan's stuff rather than Darryl's, for the simple reason that it's designed in Lynchburg. The deskers knew Nathan better and had a handle on what he was doing.
     
    Big Circus, Dec 1, 2011
    #80
  9. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    But is there? The number of newspapers that have a traveling beat writer for NASCAR is shrinking by the day. When I started the beat, there were maybe 20-30 that traveled consistently. When I left four years later, it was probably fewer than 10. I don't even know what it is now.

    So in terms of NASCAR, where AP does the job and there's only ONE local angle (two if you count Darian Grubb), is that a better use of money spent, for 25-30 weeks of travel, than having someone on the ground in your top beat with maybe 8 weeks of travel?
     
    imjustagirl, Dec 1, 2011
    #81
  10. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    Several great takes. Now, I'll throw in a few of my own.
    @Moddy, you're right, the day of "ideal" are long gone. Cheap seems to trump Logic in many places. I agree that it would be nice if city ends up with its own VT reporter.
    @imjustagirl, Richmond has always been a good college town. Which is bigger Tech or the Skins? I always said it depends on who is winning and right now, it's definitely the Hokies. Also, don't hold your breath on getting two NASCAR writers at the TD. One is definitely needed but again, we're back at the Cheap vs. Logic argument.
    @Big Circus, Nathan's stuff was pretty good.
     
    Drip, Dec 1, 2011
    #82
  11. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    Drip: If anything, I just said they DON'T need one.
     
    imjustagirl, Dec 1, 2011
    #83
  12. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    Perhaps I have misunderstood your posts. I thought you were in favor of a NASCAR writer.
     
    Drip, Dec 1, 2011
    #84
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