After Further Review: An open letter to ESPN

Earlier today, I sent a letter to ESPN.com’s ombudsman, Le Anne Schreiber.

I would like to claim columnist’s privilege and reprint it here.

It is regarding this article, and more directly, this quote from analyst Chris Mortensen:

In an e-mail to The Associated Press, ESPN stood by the report.

“The Raiders have lost the privilege with me [Mortensen] of running stories past them for comment,” the e-mail stated. “This stems from their history of denials to most stories I have reported — as well as others in the media — when those stories have eventually proven to be true. The latest example is I reported that Al Davis planned to interview Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and, of course, the story was trashed by a team spokesman.”

As a veteran professional journalist, not just for Silver & Black report, but for several daily newspapers, I felt compelled to speak (as, apparently, did Inside Bay Area’s Jerry McDonald).

Thus, in the interests of showing Mr. Mortensen the fairness he is clearly, in my opinion, not showing the Raiders, I will make my remarks right here up front. Mr. Mortensen or Ms. Schreiber, if you read these, I can be contacted via the information I sent you, or through Raiderfans.net or SBReport.net.

My now-open letter to ESPN:

Ms. Schreiber, I am writing regarding a recent article involving Chris Mortensen reporting on the Oakland Raiders.

To quote from an AP story:

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In an e-mail to The Associated Press, ESPN stood by the report.

“The Raiders have lost the privilege with me [Mortensen] of running stories past them for comment,” the e-mail stated. “This stems from their history of denials to most stories I have reported — as well as others in the media — when those stories have eventually proven to be true. The latest example is I reported that Al Davis planned to interview Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and, of course, the story was trashed by a team spokesman.”
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For the record, I am both a Raiders fan and a freelance writer for a website covering the Raiders.

I understand the Raiders have often had a contentious rapport with the media, and are known for this difficulty in dealing with both the press and the public.

Nonetheless, as a former full-time professional journalist for more than a dozen years, including time on both a sports desk and at a major metro newspaper, I find Chris Mortensen’s remarks on the “privilege” of contacting the team before publishing his reports to be appalling.

This is not – I repeat NOT – how any respectable journalist should behave. I can understand the frustration of dealing with a source who misleads or ignores a member of the media. I’ve been in that situation more than once. Nonetheless, even a high school freshman journalism student knows that the only way to be considered anything resembling an unbiased reporter is to give every possible side of the story the opportunity to comment.

I cannot emphasize enough how disgusting I find these remarks by Mr. Mortensen – not because of their reflection on the team I cheer for, but because of the blatant lack of professionalism shown. Bad enough he does not give the team the courtesy of a call for comment. (If they deny the report, and are proven wrong, this merely reflects poorly on them, not him.) But to gloat over his lordly “privilege” of DOING HIS JOB is a disgrace to the profession.

Mr. Mortensen has clearly forgotten two of the first rules any journalist learns: 1. Be fair. 2. Report news, don’t make it.

I have written in the past questioning the bias of some of ESPN’s writers and reporters for or against various teams. But this is the first incident I can recall where a so-called journalist has gone beyond such a bias, however justified, and crossed into the realm of thorough unprofessionalism.

I sincerely hope ESPN does not condone its journalists treating a basic tenet of fairness as a “privilege” to be given or taken away at their whim. It dishonors any of us who call ourselves members of the profession.

I sincerely hope the readers of S&B Report can see this stance in all of my coverage, and the coverage by the rest of our team. I feel very, very comfortable saying that although our site has its roots in our love for the Oakland Raiders, as a media organization, we strive to be fair to the organization we cover, and the fans who are our audience.

I hope you all agree. Stay with us, and we’ll continue to strive to prove ourselves to you with every keystroke and every story.

Contact the author: Eric Strauss, S&B Report Staff Columnist