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The Wind-Up
About 50 years ago, Ernie Kovacs said, "Television: A medium. So called because it's neither rare nor well done." But that observation doesn't cut it when it comes to sports
broadcasting today. Arriving on the scene in 1979, ESPN grasped the simple fact that sports programming is infotainment--and big business. In the ensuing quarter of a century, the
media juggernaut evolved into a total newsgathering operation presenting sports news across all platforms--television, radio, Internet, print and wireless. Today, in nearly 88
million homes, ESPN is one of the largest cable networks in the country, reaching 100% of American households with cable television.
For the hardcore sports fan, there is SportsCenter, the flagship news program that runs more than 23 hours of live programming each week - three times daily at 6:00 p.m. ET,
11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. Additional live editions of SportsCenter are featured Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and Sunday morning, generally at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The 1 a.m.
(10 p.m. PT) SportsCenter is re-aired at 2 a.m. with live updates each night and on weekdays from 5 a.m. through 1 p.m., Saturdays from 6 a.m. through 10 a.m. and Sundays, 5:30 to
7:30 a.m. In an average week, 28 million people check out SportsCenter during the week, and 22 million watch the show on weekends.
At ESPN, reporters, camerapersons, editors, producers, and even "the suits" are aware that every medium from movies to magazines is "competition for eyeballs." That means
creating entertaining, insightful, provocative, and timely stories every day. While talking heads like Dan Patrick and Matt Winer make it look easy, behind their casual demeanor
and spontaneous banter beat the hearts of serious journalists who offer analysis, perspective, hard news, and who write their own scripts. While anchors are the daily face of TV
news shows, savvy PR folks know not to pitch them, because story decisions are made elsewhere. And on-air personalities get enough free advice from friends, neighbors, and
relatives.
The Pitch
Instead, focus your efforts on folks like Senior Coordinating Producer Craig Lazarus, [email protected], or Glenn Jacobs,
coordinating producer, [email protected]. Lazarus, a 15-year veteran of ESPN, joined the network after earning a degree in
public policy studies from Duke. To date, his work has garnered nine Sports Emmys, so he's difficult to impress, but easy to access. If you write succinct, pungent e-mails,
you'll receive a much quicker response than leaving a voice-mail message.
ESPN believes in both internal and commissioned research to decide on "block and tackle" profiles and features, but by education and instinct Lazarus is interested in stories
that highlight sports and crossover into popular culture and societal issues. He looks outside traditional venues and stretches his people to show the human side of a story.
Recent work that he's proud of includes the profile of Loyola lacrosse coach Diane Geppi-Aikens' battle with inoperable brain cancer, and a lengthy feature on the "Homeless World
Cup" soccer championship held this July in Austria.
In the weeks ahead, the Kobe Bryant case and the upcoming Women's World Cup -- coupled with the pending demise of the professional women's soccer league -- may provide some
unique story angles. Lazarus differs from many in the media because his Pet PR Peeve isn't people who haven't done all their homework on ESPN. Although he can be sanguine now, he
ruefully recounts the story of the enthusiastic pitchman who piqued his interest in a high-profile story, but hadn't cleared it with his client. "Needless to say, the client
declined to participate, the story didn't run and I felt the PR person had mislead us." MORAL: Align thy ducks before the pitch is made.