What Lee Jenkins' LeBron scoop says about our industry

I do think James said those words. I can see and hear him doing so. I think the fact that he had the conversation with Jenkins was simply a tip of the cap to Lee, who apparently, months ago, had proposed such an approach to this decision -- whenever it came down -- to both his editors and to James.

Regardless of the fact that James produced and put out this story according to his own timing and in his own way, he still had to choose somebody with whom to work on what would be a much-sought story, and the source specifically chose the reporter. To a reporter, that is usually a high compliment.

I, too, think the story should have been done in a more traditional, third-person way. Then, there could be no questions like the ones from Yankee Fan, or Jenkins' journalistic competitors, over how this "get" came about, or what it looks like, or what it means in terms of journalism ethics.

But really, the whole thing is an answer to the question in the thread title. The way it was handled, and by whom (James, no doubt about it) is just another reflection of how the industry is, in fact, changing -- written, on all levels, more in the first person, controlled more by the sources, and produced in ways traditional journalists previously would never have approved.

Now, though, it's all about getting it first (or at all), more than about how. The end justifies the means nowadays much more than it used to do.

All this said, if you get past all those possible qualms, this is a well-spoken, well-written piece that every other reporter wishes they would have been a part of, even if only because the story was such a big one, no so much such a great one.

You know what this made me think of more than anything?

If/when James retires, who will be chosen by him to handle that story?

 

Heck, athletes were ghostwriting newspaper articles over a century ago. This is nothing new.

 

And, if others had felt the same, my comment would have passed innocuously into the ether several pages ago.

But, I was told this:

These are pretty bold statements.

And, others agreed:

I was "so far off the beaten path on this one", "Clueless", and should "stop posting".

This was easily to believe, because they had spent "hours" together in a "series" of interviews.

And, even when I showed that to be untrue, I was told:

I don't think anything I've said is in disagreement with this post:

If some still want to believe that Jenkins didn't put a single word in LeBron's mouth, and that he said everything that was in the piece, that's fine.

But, at least some people who aren't as clueless as myself are unwilling to say they believe as much.

 

I think this is funny too.

AdAge is confused or unfamiliar with the practice, huh?

At least you didn't call them clueless.

You know who didn't find any fault with the AdAge wording? Jenkins wife.

She, "loved the Ad Age piece," and said as much in a tweet to the editor on the SI piece, Chris Stone.

https://twitter.com/JenkinsEliz/status/487745241194053632

The fact that she singles out the AdAge piece shows me that this was indeed the definitive account of how the story came about, and was done with the cooperation of SI.

She was waiting to see it, and loved it.

The AdAge article says this:

And, since as DD told us, it's unlikely that they sat around a table together, passing a laptop back-and-forth, I'm still guessing that Jenkins "wrote" some of it himself, in James' voice, including the lede, and the conclusion.

 

YankeeFan, I don't understand the correlation between my post and the words you structurally seemed to be implying were in response to my post.

 

In the end the real story is about how Lebron has been able to control
both The NBA and the media.

In the old days of SJ there was a lot more critical thinking and less
cheerleading. Almost leads you to wonder if Jenkins was a regular at
Elaine's.

 

This Elane's sounds amazing. How does it compare to EJ Clarkz?

 

Sorry. I should have put more separation between your post, and what I wrote afterwards.

My final words were meant as a summation of my entire post, not in response to what I quoted from you.

All I meant to say in regards to your post was that I did not disagree with it. That doesn't mean I think you agree either entirely, or in large part with all I've said.

 

;D
Well one is still open and the burgers and fries have always been better at
EJ's. For that matter the women too,

 

Maybe LeBron has been to Elaine's, too. Only the very upper crust.

 

Ugh, speaking of crust, Elaine's (and E-lane's!) had some shitty food. Thin layer of crust on everything.

 

AdAge says their food was great!