In California, Michael Lev profiles SportsNet LA reporter Alanna Rizzo and writes while progress “has come slowly but steadily for women in sports media," Rizzo “has it by virtue of her work ethic.” Rizzo said, “In this industry -- particularly as a woman in this field -- I think you can go two ways. You can be the eye-candy, flirtatious approach, that unfortunately a lot of people assume you are the second they see you because you’re a woman. Or you can do what I believe and I hope I’ve done -- always be prepared, know the sport, know what’s going on, ask the right questions, establish a relationship” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 6/23).
ROOM TO WORK: CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday asked former ESPN President & Exec Chair George Bodenheimer, “How independent is ESPN? I thought that there was a kind of a break with the commissioner in the NFL over the domestic violence. I mean it was almost like when (Walter) Cronkite broke with the president about Vietnam. Is it that powerful?” Bodenheimer said, “It shows you that ESPN functions as a journalistic entity and our producers ... and anchors are reporting news as they see it ... (and) they're free to do that as long as they do it responsibly and not make it personal" ("Mad Money," CNBC, 6/19).
FOOT-IN-MOUTH AGAIN: Media writer Robert Feder reported Chicago-based WSCR-AM talk show host Dan Bernstein is “in hot water for tweeting an offensive message” about a female TV personality “for the second time in recent months.” The station “yanked Bernstein from his afternoon show” last Wednesday and “ordered him to delete a tweet he posted” about WLS-ABC meteorologist Cheryl Scott (ROBERTFEDER.com, 6/17).
GEAUX GET ‘EM: In Baton Rouge, Ross Dellenger reported LSU hired Georgia Southern radio play-by-play announcer Chris Blair to “replace Jim Hawthorne as the Voice of the Tigers.” Blair will “start his LSU radio career” with the ‘16 baseball season. Blair has been “calling Georgia Southern football, men’s basketball and baseball for a decade” (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 6/22).
