Watchdog

Your fence sitting on the NFL v. Cable matter needs to end or you might as well change the name of your blog to LapDog.

Who's the goof with the smile. I was in Minnesota when Stephon was a 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 position on that subject.

Ah...I can see it now.....future column when this NFL Network garbage starts up again before the first Thanksgiving game after the suit they filed against comcast is laughed out of court (didn't they sign a contract with comcast giving comcast the right to put NFL Network on a sports tier if they didn't get the Thursday night package and.or access to Sunday Ticket?)....ah yes...Best writes, "Jim Dolan at Cablevision is absolutely right. Why should Cablevision carry the second rate Thursday night package if the NFL has screwed them out of Sunday Ticket. There is little chance NFL Network will ever be on Cablevision until 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 between Rupert Murdoch and the Dolan family it has gotten saddled with the greater of two evils. If they turn a great paper into a propaganda arm of Cablevision, I don't know what I will do. There is barely a readable daily newspaper in this area, besides Newsday, unless I want to spend 4 hours reading some story about a one legged marathon runner in Times with a thesaurus. Neil, I don't know if you have heard anything but what changes are to be expected.

RWH: Looking into it!

There are a lot of concerns in my mind. First, I hope it doesn't create a similar situation to Murdoch buying the WSJ. Second, as you mentioned, will your writers still be able to assess the Rangers, Knicks and Liberty honestly? Will you be able to write a critical piece on MSG's coverage? Will you have to write pieces about obscure programs on MSG to promote them? And, considering the ridiculous lengths that MSG went to this past season to bully the Knicks' beat 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 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 now be sexually harrassed by whatever newcomers the Dolan family bring in to run the place. I expect the journalistic integrity to go way down as well as the quality of writing as Dolans will be cutting costs for sure and getting rid of high-priced talent and bringing in lower costing hacks from places like Poughkeepsie, Trenton and Syracuse.

Nice knowing you Best.

Here's the bottom line on all this: Obviously it's a complicated, tricky area, but it's still extremely early in the process and until further notice Newsday's editors and reporters will go about their business in exactly the same way as before.

Word is Dolan already put one of his PR flunkies on a train to Northport to live in Best's basement so he can report immediately anytime Neil makes a blog posting.

Good luck. I expect Newsday's reporters to stay the course re: reporting on the Knicks sideshow, the Rangers, and all other teams and entities related to Cablevision. You all will be under the microscope at CVC, in the public's eye, the bloggers and the journalism pointuy-heads at Poynter, Columbia and elsewhere.
Just don't pull a Daily News ...Raissman, Isola, etc.n where there is no shred of credibility and there are manmy conflicts of interest.
Neil Best - never on phone company tv ...

It was odd to find myself rooting for Murdoch, but better him than the Dolans. Good luck to Neil and all of the other Newsday employees, especially to the guys covering the Knicks and NBA beats as well as the music industry. I'm sure it will be strange to be writing about how awesome JD & The Straight Shot were in concert.

Good thought. Might take a lot of courage to ask a question like this. Have you considered how little time working the 3rd shift at the printing plant might impact your family or blogging time. Maybe if you are lucky Dolan will allow you to drive a delivery truck covering western Suffolk so that your commute is not too much of a hardship.

Seriously, this is a major issue and significant conflict of interest for Newsday. Dolan's employees at MSG Network rarely address the reality of their product. Ultimately, the subscriber fees for MSG drive the bus. If the consumer 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 interests have been debated for years. Most recently New Corp's acquisition of the Wall Street Journal has tested the editorial independence of a major media voice. To a great extent The Journal has continued to stay the course. It is true they have evolved some, especially in content and with some new management. 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 his issues, few doubt his brilliance and vision in the media world. The Dolan's, on the other hand, have thrived in a monopolistic environment where the consumer is treated with little or no regard. Sadly, this makes them ill equipped to manage a major metropolitan daily. O worse, navigate the potential conflict of interest issues that their diverse ownership interests will bring upon the 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 within the metro area and by people he deals with on a daily basis? That the company he owns and runs has an abysmal customer satifaction level and his customers wouldn't be there if they had another choice. Not to mention his company has bought and run into the ground or out of business everything else 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 doesn't get a warm welcome? I know that if I was him I'd be extremely ashamed and do everything in my power to 1) never have had these perceptions about me and 2) if I did, I would do everything I possibly could to change them.

Didn't MSG network have a reasonably decent reputation for journalism before Cablevision bought and emasculated them? Good luck Neil but you are on your way to being a Bob Raissman-type hack if this deal goes through. It will be like Phyllis George on the CBS morning show.

"Word is Dolan already put one of his PR flunkies on a train to Northport to live in Best's basement so he can report immediately anytime Neil makes a blog posting."

That's the funniest thing I've read all day. Suffice it to say Mr. Best 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 scoop on what the higher ups will tolerate. We know what you are truly capable 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 false move by Dolan and company and I will be cancelling my sub asap. I cannot tolerate an MSG type policy in this paper. I am running out of options for news.. I guess I should invest in a laptop and surf all the newspapers for free and cancel every subscription.

What has the world come to...

In the immortal words of Charlie Brown .. "sigh..."