![3D"neil](3D"http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/watchdog/blog/images/neilbest.jp=)
![3Djames_dolan.jpg=20](3D"http://nymag.com/daily/intel/20061017dolan.jpg")
How will Cablevision's
A very fair question, and one that should be asked, presumably by me. =
So I will.
Promise.
Wish me luck.
(UPDATE: Top Newsday editors have not yet met with Cablevision execs, = so all=20 of this is quite premature. But here is what editor John Mancini said = when I=20 asked about the Knicks/Rangers/MSG concern on the part of many = readers:
=E2=80=9CWe=E2=80=99re pleased that Cablevision in joining with = Newsday cites Newsday=E2=80=99s long=20 tradition of journalistic integrity. These are folks who know the paper = well,=20 know the market and understand the journalism Newsday has long = practiced. So=20 that gives us great hope for a strong relationship going forward, one = that=20 respects our traditions here.
=E2=80=9COur readers demand that we portray situations honestly, and = anyone who knows=20 Newsday knows that. And anyone who knows Newsday and is investing in = Newsday=20 understands the value of that.=E2=80=99=E2=80=99)
Comments (19)
Your fence sitting on the NFL v. Cable matter needs to end or you = might as=20 well change the name of your blog to LapDog.
Who's the goof with the smile. I was in Minnesota when Stephon was a=20 T-woofie, so I know that isn't him.
I am not a fence-sitter on NFL vs. Cable. I have been very consistent = in my=20 position on that subject.
Ah...I can see it now.....future column when this NFL Network garbage = starts=20 up again before the first Thanksgiving game after the suit they filed = against=20 comcast is laughed out of court (didn't they sign a contract with = comcast giving=20 comcast the right to put NFL Network on a sports tier if they didn't get = the=20 Thursday night package and.or access to Sunday Ticket?)....ah yes...Best = writes,=20 "Jim Dolan at Cablevision is absolutely right. Why should Cablevision = carry the=20 second rate Thursday night package if the NFL has screwed them out of = Sunday=20 Ticket. There is little chance NFL Network will ever be on Cablevision = until=20 Cablevision is allowed to offer Sunday Ticket."
We'll see.....
I don't know what to make of this. I love this Newspaper and = unfortunately=20 between Rupert Murdoch and the Dolan family it has gotten saddled with = the=20 greater of two evils. If they turn a great paper into a propaganda arm = of=20 Cablevision, I don't know what I will do. There is barely a readable = daily=20 newspaper in this area, besides Newsday, unless I want to spend 4 hours = reading=20 some story about a one legged marathon runner in Times with a thesaurus. = Neil, I=20 don't know if you have heard anything but what changes are to be=20 expected.
RWH: Looking into it!
There are a lot of concerns in my mind. First, I hope it doesn't = create a=20 similar situation to Murdoch buying the WSJ. Second, as you mentioned, = will your=20 writers still be able to assess the Rangers, Knicks and Liberty = honestly? Will=20 you be able to write a critical piece on MSG's coverage? Will you have = to write=20 pieces about obscure programs on MSG to promote them? And, considering = the=20 ridiculous lengths that MSG went to this past season to bully the = Knicks' beat=20 writers, will they promote Newsday reporters to a more favored status? =
I don't envy your position Neil and I wish you luck not only with = asking the=20 questions, but handling the transition.
I wish you good luck Neil.
So Satan is now your boss?
I feel really bad for you, and all the ladies who work at Newsday who = will=20 now be sexually harrassed by whatever newcomers the Dolan family bring = in to run=20 the place. I expect the journalistic integrity to go way down as well as = the=20 quality of writing as Dolans will be cutting costs for sure and getting = rid of=20 high-priced talent and bringing in lower costing hacks from places like=20 Poughkeepsie, Trenton and Syracuse.
Nice knowing you Best.
Here's the bottom line on all this: Obviously it's a complicated, = tricky=20 area, but it's still extremely early in the process and until further = notice=20 Newsday's editors and reporters will go about their business in exactly = the same=20 way as before.
Word is Dolan already put one of his PR flunkies on a train to = Northport to=20 live in Best's basement so he can report immediately anytime Neil makes = a blog=20 posting.
Good luck. I expect Newsday's reporters to stay the course re: = reporting on=20 the Knicks sideshow, the Rangers, and all other teams and entities = related to=20 Cablevision. You all will be under the microscope at CVC, in the = public's eye,=20 the bloggers and the journalism pointuy-heads at Poynter, Columbia and=20 elsewhere.
Just don't pull a Daily News ...Raissman, Isola, etc.n = where there=20 is no shred of credibility and there are manmy conflicts of = interest.
Neil=20 Best - never on phone company tv ...
It was odd to find myself rooting for Murdoch, but better him than = the=20 Dolans. Good luck to Neil and all of the other Newsday employees, = especially to=20 the guys covering the Knicks and NBA beats as well as the music = industry. I'm=20 sure it will be strange to be writing about how awesome JD & The = Straight=20 Shot were in concert.
Good thought. Might take a lot of courage to ask a question like = this. Have=20 you considered how little time working the 3rd shift at the printing = plant might=20 impact your family or blogging time. Maybe if you are lucky Dolan will = allow you=20 to drive a delivery truck covering western Suffolk so that your commute = is not=20 too much of a hardship.
Seriously, this is a major issue and significant conflict of interest = for=20 Newsday. Dolan's employees at MSG Network rarely address the reality of = their=20 product. Ultimately, the subscriber fees for MSG drive the bus. If the = consumer=20 wants the content there is no choice but to endure an inferior = product.
The same is not true for Newsday. The balance between editorial and = business=20 interests have been debated for years. Most recently New Corp's = acquisition of=20 the Wall Street Journal has tested the editorial independence of a major = media=20 voice. To a great extent The Journal has continued to stay the course. = It is=20 true they have evolved some, especially in content and with some new = management.=20 But the paper is still retains its image as the voice of Wall Street and = business.
I wonder if the same will be possible with Newsday. While Rupert = Murdoch has=20 his issues, few doubt his brilliance and vision in the media world. The = Dolan's,=20 on the other hand, have thrived in a monopolistic environment where the = consumer=20 is treated with little or no regard. Sadly, this makes them ill equipped = to=20 manage a major metropolitan daily. O worse, navigate the potential = conflict of=20 interest issues that their diverse ownership interests will bring upon = the=20 storied reputation of Newsday.
Good luck. I look forward to your reporting.
Boo media consolidation!
I wonder if Charles Dolan cares even a little bit that he is so = reviled=20 within the metro area and by people he deals with on a daily basis? That = the=20 company he owns and runs has an abysmal customer satifaction level and = his=20 customers wouldn't be there if they had another choice. Not to mention = his=20 company has bought and run into the ground or out of business everything = else=20 they have touched.
I also wonder when that day comes when he comes to = Newsday's news room to be introduced to the masses, if he will be upset = when he=20 doesn't get a warm welcome? I know that if I was him I'd be extremely = ashamed=20 and do everything in my power to 1) never have had these perceptions = about me=20 and 2) if I did, I would do everything I possibly could to change=20 them.
Didn't MSG network have a reasonably decent reputation for journalism = before=20 Cablevision bought and emasculated them? Good luck Neil but you are on = your way=20 to being a Bob Raissman-type hack if this deal goes through. It will be = like=20 Phyllis George on the CBS morning show.
"Word is Dolan already put one of his PR flunkies on a train to = Northport to=20 live in Best's basement so he can report immediately anytime Neil makes = a blog=20 posting."
That's the funniest thing I've read all day. Suffice it to say Mr. = Best=20 hasn't lived in Northport for a long time!
Neil,
This Blog has been great, and it will be monitored closely to see the = reel=20 scoop on what the higher ups will tolerate. We know what you are truly = capable=20 of, and what you have been posting on record, so you will be our = "constant".
I know I have a trigger finger on my cancellation to Newsday right = now, one=20 false move by Dolan and company and I will be cancelling my sub asap. I = cannot=20 tolerate an MSG type policy in this paper. I am running out of options = for=20 news.. I guess I should invest in a laptop and surf all the newspapers = for free=20 and cancel every subscription.
What has the world come to...
In the immortal words of Charlie Brown .. "sigh..."