Confidential Document Reveals MSG's Punitive Media Policy

Internal MSG Document Outlining Dolan's Strict Media Policies Leaked To Press

While new Knicks President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh said that the media "will be given a professional working environment, free of media-relations employees eavesdropping on conversations and interviews," a 16-page internal document from '03 outlining the MSG media policy indicates that MSG Chair James Dolan's basic rule is "you are either with us or against us," according to Frank Isola of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. The document states media members who "show fairness and journalistic integrity are granted regular access to our spokespeople," while those that do not are "not unilaterally granted unlimited access to our spokespeople." However, Isola writes Dolan "seems to equate integrity with lack of criticism," as in recent years media members "deemed to be overly critical ... eventually found their access limited or cut off completely." The policy states:  "Consistent explanation of certain ramifications provides the media with fair notice of the company's expectations and the potential consequences of objectionable journalistic behavior." A former MSG exec said that MSG officials "obtained employees' phone records to see if they had talked to certain reporters, and threatened to fire employees who had done so." Isola notes MSG also assigns employees "to listen to local sports radio programs and television shows to keep a 'naughty and nice' list of what is said." The former exec: "There are certain writers that the company won't deal with because of negative stories they've written. Other writers they know they can play ball with. There are some influential writers and radio guys that people at [MSG] will say, 'We own them'" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/4).