The SEC Is Making A Big Mistake With Media Restrictions
August 11th, 2009 ║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║ Tags: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Folks in the media aren’t happy about new restrictions being placed
upon them by the SEC… and you shouldn’t like it either.
The SEC, for
one, will put a 72-hour restriction on game highlights. If a local television station
wants to use a clip from Game One of the season, they’ll only be able
to do so for three days. So don’t expect local tv stations to be showing you as many highlights or doing as many feature stories on players this year, because they no longer have the rights to that video.
It also appears that comments from post-game press conferences will not be allowed to be posted online. And “live” blogging during events? That’s a no-no, too.
(In truth, this handicaps the media only, as fans can post anything they like while watching on tv… or even from inside a stadium via wireless mobile devices.)
The league’s goal is to drive people to the new SEC
Digital Network online. There you can see what you want and cut out the middle man. Sounds okay.
Only it limits the amount of information available to you. It filters it.
This is all just further proof that we’re headed
toward a day when each company, league, team or political party puts
out its own news… and you’re left to get only filtered commentary. If you don’t think we’re already heading in that direction check out the “news” on MSNBC or FoxNews.
Eventually, you’ll have two choices when it comes to information: get the official spin from an organization or try to find someone else out there who you can trust… but who’s still limited in what he/she can report.
Mike Slive has done an excellent job as SEC commissioner. I’ve said that many times. But this is a short-sighted move for the league.
It’s a step toward media control. And it’s been over-the-top media coverage that’s driven the league into it’s “Golden Age.”
Sure, the SEC can make some big bucks if people have to go through the league’s official channels for information. But what will that do to overall fan interest?
Currently my local television stations can pump video of great plays right into my living room without me having to actively seek out those highlights. Across the South, even non-SEC fans are bombarded with SEC images and messages around the clock, every day.
When the SEC limits that exposure, they may be setting themselves up for short-term gain… but long-term troubles. It would be wise not to kill off the very hype machine that’s helped build the league into a sports giant.
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