Smith said he holds the opinions he says on air, but he knows the value of conflict for the purposes of TVESPN IMAGES
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith is profiled by the NEW YORKER's Vinson Cunningham, who writes the "hallmark" of Smith's presence on TV and radio is his "ability not only to talk but to editorialize, at length, and more or less extemporaneously, about any topic tossed his way, like a juggler whose every bauble is an item of current events." Smith hosts "First Take" weekday mornings on ESPN followed by a two-hour ESPN Radio show and said viewers and listeners want to hear "perspectives" instead of news. Smith: "Back in the day, you watched to learn the news. Now you can get the news in five minutes. Between your smartphones and everything else -- you’ve always got the news. So you’re interested in watching different perspectives, hearing what people have to say, what their opinions are, and why. And sort of gauging whether or not they’re right or wrong. People think they know. They’re not interested in learning. They’re interested in hearing whether or not your perspective is aligned with theirs. If so, why, and if not, why not? That used to be just sports. Now it’s everywhere." He added, “The job is to be enough of a personality that they want to know what you think." Cunningham notes viewers often wonder "whether Smith sincerely holds the opinions he spouts on air." Smith indicated that he does, though he also "knows the value of conflict for the purposes of television" (NEW YORKER, 6/25 issue).
