CBSSports.com Debuts New Twitter-esque Reporting On NFL Teams

Writers For Each NFL Team Will File Steady Streams Of Short Reports On RapidReports

CBSSports.com has launched RapidReports, a Twitter-style reporting deployment in which it has assigned writers to each NFL team who will file steady, immediate streams of short reports, usually two to three sentences each. The new initiative will add to the site’s existing football coverage and be integrated throughout team and main pages, and the CBSSports.com home page. CBSSports.com Senior VP & GM Jason Kint downplayed a direct comparison to Twitter, but said, “We’re doubling down on content and looking to come up with a faster way to report on teams out in the field without letting go of editorial principles. We see this as something really transformative that will make us even more a must-read destination.” The writers for RapidReports will include former K.C. Star and KCChiefs.com reporter Bob Gretz (Chiefs) and former San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Tom Krasovic (Chargers). Editors for the effort include former Tennessean senior editor Alan Whitt and former Richmond Times-Dispatch sports editor Mike Harris. Not surprisingly, the available talent pool was significantly expanded by the ongoing retraction of the American newspaper industry. “There’s definitely more talent than ever looking for work, and was certainly a plus for us as we developed RapidReports,” Kint said. Each of the 32 RapidReports reporters and four dedicated editors will be contract employees for CBSSports.com for the duration of the NFL season, and will write exclusively for the site. The short-form reporting concept may eventually be expanded to other sports, Kint said. Sprint has signed on a presenting sponsor for RapidReports (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).

NO PLANS TO USE ON AIR: PAID CONTENT's Staci Kramer reported there are "no plans to use the content on the air at CBS," but some RapidReports content will be "shared with new CBS Radio sports sites in Boston and DC." There also are no current plans to "use the local domains CBSSports.com has registered for some cities -- or to expand the idea to other sports" (PAIDCONTENT.org, 7/28). AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Brian Powell writes, "Obviously it's a good move, given the fact that CBS is so far behind the game at this point, but it will be interesting to see if it works. If they use it as a Fantasy tool, then I see it succeeding, but any other use and it might not pan out" (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 7/29).