Your Observer questions answered ...

I am 8 years old.

I live in Charlotte and would so much like to cheer for a team.

But I do not know which team I should be a fan of.

[QUOTE=Virginia;149470]I am 8 years old.

I live in Charlotte and would so much like to cheer for a team.

But I do not know which team I should be a fan of.[/QUOTE]

You are too young to be using the F word…:biggrin:

[QUOTE=C49er;149459]Just dealing with the basic point of your argument, whether it’s right or wrong - how do you measure interest which you base the coverage on?[/QUOTE]

There are lots of factors, none of them particularly scientific and some admittedly subject to the chicken-and-egg theory:

Attendance at games; TV ratings/contracts/exposure that advertisers on that medium are paying for because of the popularity; importance to the community/dutiful coverage; stuff you can’t get anywhere else that makes us useful; page views on charlotte.com; anecdotal evidence from years of working here; the input of the staff on what are big moments; “buzz” generated by teams that will sell papers because those teams are having outstanding seasons; plus some others I’m sure I’ve forgotten. It’s not an exact science to be sure.

CIAA tournament in Charlotte, for instance, will get good coverage because we’ll probably sell some extra papers, but not Wachovia Championship-type coverage. Other events that happen locally are barely a blip and get less coverage.

I always wonder why we have so many complaints here, yet don't see letters to the Editors in the paper.

Because we have the executive sports editor on this board. He is willing to come on this board so I am willing to express my concerns to him, instead of looking for someone else.

Wonder no more.

[QUOTE=Brick Tamland, Weather;149460] And, if so, then the question becomes would the Observer do this, or would it pose an ethical problem for them (paying for coverage)?

[/QUOTE]

Ethically, we wouldn’t do this because our newshole isn’t for sale; the university could do it and produce the copy, on deadline, and put it in clearly labeled advertising space. Logistically, that wouldn’t work, because it would take too many people and happen too late. At one point I think some PTBs at the university discussed doing a sports page they paid for with all sports represented but decided against. Or maybe that was Davidson. I can’t remember, it’s been a while.

You’re newshole isn’t for sale.
The Observer has cut content, bu not advertisers.
The Observer frequently puts ads in the Sunday Comics.
The Observer has even put sticky notes with ads on the paper.
You may not be for sale, but your bosses sure are.

[QUOTE=stonecoldken;149488]You’re newshole isn’t for sale.
The Observer has cut content, bu not advertisers.
The Observer frequently puts ads in the Sunday Comics.
The Observer has even put sticky notes with ads on the paper.
You may not be for sale, but your bosses sure are.[/QUOTE]

The money side doesn’t tell us what to write and what not to write. They sell ads into most products, but those ads don’t include “news” like was suggested by another poster. That said, they have cut newsroom costs, mostly newsprint and travel, to save money and increase profits to please investors. Those kinds of cuts are happening everywhere, even though the Observer is a very healthy newspaper financially. We’re part of a larger company with some less-healthy newspapers, and in some ways we pay a price for that.

[QUOTE=Mike_Persinger;149419]BobandEdNiner asks why we don’t get unpaid interns to work for us.

Three reasons: Our insurance won’t cover them unless they’re paid or getting course credit for the work, and I don’t get many who get course credit. We have had some.

And, I’m trying, through the chair of your communications department, to get someone to work here as a clerk. A paid position. No takers. I can only assume there’s no one out there who wants the experience and the resume entry.

And, writing a story for the paper is not like sending someone out to sell widgets. Someone has to edit that stuff, it’s usually a very tough edit to get the stories to our publication standards, and it’s not worth the effort in the long run.

gamer asks why we don’t just add a page or two.

I explained the cost in the other thread. It’s about $750 per page in the daily paper, about $1,000 on Sunday, and because of the way the presses work, sometimes that increase by a page requires an increase in another section where they might or might not need the space. I’d love to have more space, but I live within limitations I get from the editor and the publisher, and they have tightened the newsprint budget recently because of pressure from Wall Street investors on Knight Ridder to sell the company.

Silvio asks about which outlets we compare ourselves to on Niners coverage:

I guess the only real comparison would be TV stations in Charlotte, the student paper and Jason’s website. He doesn’t cover all the games I don’t think, but I don’t pay for the service so I’m not sure. I doubt they make enough money to travel with the team.

Any others out there?[/QUOTE]

have u contacted timmy parker? from ninerreport.com

Mike P

Have you ever thought about hiring some of the students who post on here as a possible intern. I’m sure one of them would be happy to work with in sports. Heck I’d have KILLED for an intern like that 2 years ago.

How will the upcomming sell of Knight Ridder papers effect staffing/coverage? What is the overall outlook of that situation from employees at the Observer?

Mike P

Have you ever thought about hiring some of the students who post on here as a possible intern. I’m sure one of them would be happy to work with in sports. Heck I’d have KILLED for an intern like that 2 years ago.

You’re on to something! Interns! That’s the way to go!

No it isn’t! Freelance Photographers! Amazing pictures! You need to hire one of them. Don’t tell them I said that. We don’t have the money to spend, you know! Where’s my coffee?

No photo with your front page story? What’s the matter with you? I can get a great front page photo for $300! No, wait, $150! You’re terrible!

Let me tell you something: You’re my hero! Great job over at the Observer. Us here at the Bugle can learn a thing or two from you. Now get out of here!

[QUOTE=Anborn;149495]How will the upcomming sell of Knight Ridder papers effect staffing/coverage? What is the overall outlook of that situation from employees at the Observer?[/QUOTE]

That would be the $64,000 question. Wish I knew. We’re pretty thinly staffed as compared to other newspapers our size, so I expect we won’t be hit hard in sports no matter who the new owner is. At this point, I prefer to think only about those things I can control.

In another thread you stated that “relative to their success, I think think we’re doing fine.”

Our success:
-One of 22 teams in the country to have made the NCAA tournament 7+ out of the last 9 years
Your coverage:
-It is almost certain that any of the other 21 teams who have accomplished this get more ink in their local/regional paper than any other team around, let alone from three other in-state 2+ hour away schools.

Our Success:
-Former major college basketball conference Player of the Year, two time Defensive Player of the year is now an NBA player who made a roster despite not being drafted.
Your Coverage:
-A nice article telling the trials and tribulations of a good, not great, player from a college over an hour, and one major newspaper, away. This same player plays on the SAME NBA TEAM as the local highly-decorated college star, yet not so much as a joint “two North carolina college standouts find their way onto the Chicago Bulls” story.

Our Success (sort of):
-A loss to Xavier in our first big conference game in our new league. First place on the line early, Xavier is knocking on the door of the Top 25 and Charlotte has won 5 in a row and both are undefeated in conference. The arena was nearly full and louder than you will ever hear a Bobcats game be, people showed up and they were interested.
Your Coverage:
-Still waiting for a box score…

[QUOTE]Attendance at games; TV ratings/contracts/exposure that advertisers on that medium are paying for because of the popularity;[/QUOTE]
Our Success:
-Move to the A10 leads us to the best national TV package we have had in years(possibly ever, I’m not really sure). SIX games picked up by Disney on ABC or ESPN/2.

Q: We have more national TV exposure than ever, do we have more local newspaper coverage?

[QUOTE]I guess the only real comparison would be TV stations in Charlotte, the student paper and Jason’s website.[/QUOTE]
The UTimes featured a full page preview of the Xavier game, they give a half page minimum to the men’s basketball team every issue, most of the times a full page if not more. Obviously they have less to cover than you, but if you want to be compared to the school paper, you lose. Why can’t you admit that the Cincinnati Enquirer or other major-city newspapers are fair comparisons to your paper? Not on Charlotte 49er coverage, of course, but on local colleges fighting with other “local” colleges (I can’t imagine any major city actually ignores their own home team as much as you, but the Cincinnati/Xavier thing is a reasonable comparison).

Also, on the topic of “relative to success”, the Bobcats. If you cover events “relative to success”, the Bobcats must be the most popular team in the country, they must sell out every night and get first billing on Sportcenter as well. That is if you go by your own rule of judging success, interest and TV coverage. It was also pointed out that over 50% of this city didn’t want them here.

Two days after Bobcats opening night you have two stories sitting at your desk:
1: A well-written piece about a college star from a school over two hours away. How he is struggling to adjust to life in the NBA, trying to find his way so-to-speak, ONE GAME INTO THE SEASON.
2: A conference preview of the A10, the new conference for your local school. It isn’t the most popular school in the world, but it is in your own backyard, it is the 4th largest in the state and it is the fastest growing. A nice front-page preview could really do a lot to help get the area to know some stuff about the new conference they can go see play 8 times in January through March, for something like $10.
The decision:
Run the Raymond Felton story, his stuggles one game into the season take precedent over your local school who is getting a lot of preseason hype. Nevermind the preseason Naismith Award Nominee, nevermind the team who many predict to be a top 25 squad. The city needs a day-by-day update on Raymond Felton, as if there is a single person in the city that hasn’t already had the Charlotte Tarcats shoved down their throats all offseason. You need to do that reach piece on the day of the team’s second game?

I seem to remember claims that non-time specific pieces like that about the Niners are held until it is an off day in the sports world so they can get more attention. Granted an A10 preview probably isn’t going to be the biggest newstory of the year, but it couldn’t take the main story over that junk?

SUGGESTION for Mike P.

Has there been any discussion within your organization about doing web-only stories and then publishing a small paragraph in the paper with the heading “Exclusively on Charlotte.com”?

For example, for the sports that do not get coverage (most of the Olympic sports and at times basketball and women’s basketball when there is a lot going on), you could still do a web-only story. Then in the paper you could have a small box that would be the equivalent of one small story that gave some headlines of stories that are “exclusively” online.

Obviously you can track the hits that each story takes on Charlotte.com, and then your readers would know, ok, you didn’t totally ignore this but I have to go online to read about it.

A sample of what I’m talking about would be something along the lines of:

[B][U]Exclusively on Charlotte.com Today:[/U][/B]
[B]Charlotte 49ers[/B]
Baseball Sweeps Wake Forest
Softball Wins Twinbill
Women’s Basketball Heading to A-10 Championships

[B]Davidson Wildcats[/B]
Baseball Drops Opener

[B]High School[/B]
Baseball & Softball Scores
Track & Field Agate

That little box wouldn’t take up much room, but now you’ve “satisfied” the two local universities and some high schools (“satisfied” in comparison with doing nothing)

Obviously this only satisfies the paper angle of things. Staffing would still be a concern, but I presume that Charlotte and Davidson, Appalachian, etc. whoever it may be, send you press releases that you often times take pieces of anyhow (I doubt you send reporters to, say, volleyball matches or baseball games). Obviously it would just take some light editing to take a press release, take out the fluffy home-team stuff and leave the nuts and bolts in a format you could use.

Similar to what Brick Tamland is suggesting but a blog by Utter and/or David Scott seems logical. Or have someone else do it “Special to the Observer”. Jason Jordan comes to mind.

[QUOTE=Brick Tamland, Weather;149522]SUGGESTION for Mike P.

Has there been any discussion within your organization about doing web-only stories and then publishing a small paragraph in the paper with the heading “Exclusively on Charlotte.com”?

[/QUOTE]

I’m not sure the web traffic on those stories would justify the time they would take. We do cover baseball, women’s and men’s soccer games in the paper. I don’t have a staff to do much web-only stuff right now, although I think in the future that kind of thing will happen more, just not on the stuff you’re talking about. More likely to be Panthers, Bobcats, maybe some Charlotte, Davidson and ACC basketball stuff.

[QUOTE=LeftyNiner;149528]Similar to what Brick Tamland is suggesting but a blog by Utter and/or David Scott seems logical. Or have someone else do it “Special to the Observer”. Jason Jordan comes to mind.[/QUOTE]

There could be a blog at some point because we’re adding those, but the hosting costs money so they’re going slow. If it went up, then wasn’t popular, it would come back down. It would be a staffer, not special to us by a freelancer, because the nature of those is there’s opinion in there.

Here’s a question that was brought up about 20 or more times in other threads. Why did the Cincy newspaper have FOURTEEN pre-game ARTICLES about our game with Xavier while our LOCAL newspaper only had about THREE SENTENCES? Also, why does our local paper give acc games pre-game attention (& don’t say they don’t because they do) while ignoring the Niners?

Another question (and I like to just bypass the bull and get to the heart of the matter): Why does our local newspaper PROMOTE the team in chapel and other teams in their conference?

There’s a major difference in providing “coverage” and “promoting”. Fans of other teams often mention this to me and ask when we are going to get the hometown newspaper on our side. They also think it’s pretty discusting.

[QUOTE=Over40NINER;149539]Here’s a question that was brought up about 20 or more times in other threads. Why did the Cincy newspaper have FOURTEEN pre-game ARTICLES about our game with Xavier while our LOCAL newspaper only had about THREE SENTENCES? Also, why does our local paper give acc games pre-game attention (& don’t say they don’t because they do) while ignoring the Niners?[/QUOTE]

Somebody link the 14 stories and I’ll respond to this. Only two show up in the Nexis archive, which leads me to believe that was all that actually appeared in their paper.