With the '12 presidential election season "heating up, and more media members taking to Twitter and other social media outlets," ESPN has the "trickiest terrain ahead," according to SI.com's Richard Deitsch, who examined the issue of sports commentators talking politics. ESPN "reprimanded" golf analyst Paul Azinger for a tweet last month criticizing President Obama's job creation record, and network execs "spoke with" analyst Kenny Mayne about a tweet he sent in June that noted he "almost rammed a car with Palin bumper sticker. with intent." Deitsch noted ESPN Radio 1050 N.Y. host and "The Sports Reporter" panelist Mike Lupica "has written a left-leaning political column" for the N.Y. Daily News for years, while ESPN.com writer LZ Granderson "is a frequent contributor to CNN and writes often on gay and lesbian issues relating to politics." Additionally, college football analyst Lou Holtz is a "GOP fundraiser who has worked on behalf of the National Republican Congressional Committee," while fellow college football analyst Craig James "has long expressed interest in Republican Party politics." ESPN has issued a section on political advocacy in its overall editorial policy book that states, "We should avoid active involvement or membership in any cause that could compromise our ability to report and edit fairly. ESPN discourages public participation in matters of political advocacy or controversy among editorial employees, contributors and public-facing talent." Deitsch wrote, "This space offers no perfect solution for sports media outlets heading forward, though we side on trusting its employees to be smart about how politically active they are in the social media space." Independent contracts like Lupica and James "present challenges for all networks because those contracts might have primary employers who have zero problem with political advocacy." Deitsch added, "For Holtz, James and others who become a direct part of the political apparatus, the line seems cut and dry. If you wish to be active in a campaign, you should take a leave of absence or jump into your new profession" (SI.com, 9/21).
TIME TO GROW: BLOOMBERG NEWS' Andy Fixmer reported Time Warner Cable "will offer more broadly a low-priced programming package that excludes sports channels," including ESPN. TWC President & COO Robert Marcus said that the company will offer it "in markets on the East Coast during the next few weeks," and West Coast availability "will follow." The offer "had been previously tested in New York." Marcus said that by "carving out sports channels, which charge the highest fees, the company has been able to offer a package that costs $30 to $40 a month." TWC "pay-TV bills averaged $73.50 a month at the end of June" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/21).
UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE: ESPN Senior VP/Production & Business Divisions Traug Keller told the audience at Broadcasting & Cable/Multichannel News' ninth annual Hispanic TV Summit Tuesday that ESPN's Hispanic audience "has grown 39% in the past four years, and with the U.S. Hispanic population boom, it's only bound to get stronger." Keller said that ESPN's next move "is to bridge the gap between the Hispanic fan and the non-Hispanic fan." Keller: "Programming doesn't know a language. It's about the content" (BROADCASTINGCABLE.com, 9/21).
