Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 73 -- Jen Royle, 105.7 The Fan, Baltimore

Oct

Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 73 — Jen Royle, 105.7 The Fan, Baltimore

by Ken, under Jen Royle, Podcast, Sports Media Weekly

Our guest this week is the lovely Jen Royle of sports radio station The Fan, 105.7 in Baltimore. Before that, Southern New England media mogul Keith Thibault and I discussed the news of the week in sports media.

Our top story was of course, the Hank Williams, Jr. mess and how ESPN dealt with it by pulling his open from this week’s Monday Night Football game.

Then, we talked about TBS and its coverage of the League Division Series. We talked about TBS’ ratings and we also discussed our thoughts on its coverage including the announcers.

We then moved to the start of the NHL season and what we can expect to see from the NBC Sports Group and the NBA lockout could affect viewership.

And we also talked about former Red Sox manager Terry Francona joining Fox for the first two games of the American League Championship Series.

The lovely Jen Royle, part of this year’s edition of the Five Women Who Can Make Me Stop The Remote.

Keith and I talked with Jen about her start with the YES Network in New York, then her move to Baltimore where she’s covered the Orioles and the Ravens. Plus, we touched upon her difficulties in dealing with haters when she began in the Charm City. And we also talked about her desire to return to her native Boston.

Overall, a very good podcast. You can download it at iTunes by doing a search for Sports Media Journal, or you do the simple thing by listening to it

Tag:

Some Sunday Sports Media Thoughts (April 28th, 2013)
Sports Media Weekly No. 127 — Jen Royle, Sports Reel Boston (November 30th, 2012)
Some Monday Sports Media Thoughts (November 5th, 2012)
Some Sunday Linkage (October 21st, 2012)
Some Really Quick Tuesday Sports Media Thoughts (August 28th, 2012)

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Charm City

View October 6, 2011

Any discussion of her lawsuit against a local radio station and the fallout from it?

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- kzf1replied:
  
  View October 6, 2011
  
  She dropped it. And I don\’t know the fallout.
  
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orioles chick

View October 6, 2011

I’m really glad that I got to hear this and hear Jen explain in an eloquent and rational way what she has been going through in my city. However I am going to have to call bullsh*t on several things she says in this. First I would like to say that now I understand why it was so awkward watching her cover the Ravens. When I was sitting on my couch thinking to myself that she really didn’t know what the hell she was talking about, it was because she really didn’t know what the hell she was talking about! I understand now why that was. I wish I knew that earlier because I would have cut her some slack. I’m sure most people would have been.

I agree that no reporter, male or female, should be told that they need to die or that they are ugly. I do acknowledge that there are people who go out of their way to be mean online. I get that, but any rational person should know to brush it off and either block the person or not post the comment. I’m really surprised that someone who is from Boston and who worked in New York (two markets with the toughest fans) is so sensitive and thin-skinned. Who cares what anonymous people think about you? Seriously, who cares? Why would you care? Why would you let it bother you?

Here is what really bothers me, and what probably bothers other people in Baltimore, about her:

She gets on a soap box and preaches that female reporters shouldn't be judged on their looks but then days later she tweets a link to a list on this blog that says she in the top 5 hottest women in sports. And she gives you a picture to post! I thought women shouldn’t be judged on how they looked? Does that only apply for anyone who says you’re ugly? That’s a little hypocritical to me.

She acts like a 14 year old high school girl on her Twitter page. Someone tweet something bad at you? So what? Block them! Don’t retweet it to your followers so you can get sympathy. Someone not tweeting at you but still talking about you? Same answer, don’t retweet it and then start a little Twitter fight. Some people will talk about you. You are in the public eye and people are going to have something to say. Get over it. Someone says you're not pretty? Get over it. Replying to it and retweeting it on your Twitter page to get sympathy or to play the victim makes you look sad and unprofessional.

She claims that Baltimore doesn’t like outsiders. BULLSH*T! We love outsiders. What we don’t like are people who constantly make fun or treat our town like it’s nothing. We may not be a fancy city but we sure do have some hometown pride. Go look at her blog posts for MASN. There’s usually a dig at Baltimore or Maryland sprinkled in there.
She got offended if you disagreed with her. Even the people who respectfully disagreed with her were told not to read the blog or comment because she ‘could do with one less negative Baltimorean’. Anyone who disagrees with her is negative? What other sports journalist does that?

She’s thin-skinned, defensive, rude, and she plays the victim card way too much. Stop acting like everyone is picking on you. Stop retweeting mean things people say to you or about you so you can get sympathy. You are 36 years old. People who are nearing 40 shouldn’t act the way you do on social media outlets.

Jen, it’s obvious that your contract will not be renewed and I think that will be good for you and for Baltimore. Maybe you can learn from the mistakes you made here and apply them to your next job. Maybe not insult the local fans, get involved in Twitter wars, or play a victim every time some stranger on the internet is mean to you. Despite what you think some of us really were rooting for you in the beginning. It wasn’t where you were from, or who you covered, that made us dislike you. It was how you handled yourself professionally.

Or maybe I'm just another negative person from Baltimore.

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- Charm Cityreplied:
  
  View October 7, 2011
  
  Fantastic post. I agree totally with all the points you've made.
  
  If Royle kept her head down and did her job as reporter/info gatherer, she'd have no issues. But her goal seems to be a "media personality" instead of a reporter. Arguing on Twitter, attacking other reporters, and taking shots at the O's, Baltimore, etc., just isn't the way to gain respect.
  
  I totally agree that she shouldn't have to take some of the insults hurled her way – they cross the line more often than not. But she lowers herself to her attackers' level by engaging in Twitter fights, suing other media outlets, and playing the victim.
  
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Lisa

View October 12, 2011

GREAT POST..Kim Jones in NY does the exact same thing. She behaves immaturely on Twitter and retweets insults. Women reporters want respect? Then stop acting like children. Tina Cervasio is much more interactive with fans and is a great reporter.

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