Another edition of Sports Media Weekly. Keith Thibault of Sports Media Journal and I are back talking about the news of the week and we focus on what else? The replacement refs and the impact on the NFL’s ratings which is none. However, Keith and I talk about how the story of the replacements have gone from just a sports story to one that has grown into discussion on the morning news shows, The View and other non-sports programs.
Keith and I were hopeful that an agreement with the real refs can be made in time so that the train wreck interest factor can be reduced.
And we talked about Time Warner Cable finally adding the NFL Network.
Joe Flint of the Los Angeles Times is our guest. Joe is a TV writer and is part of the Company Town blog at LATimes.com.
Keith and I asked him about the new Time Warner Cable sports regional network that will rely heavily on Los Angeles Lakers games and content. Joe told us that the Lakers have control over who will cover the team on the network and that has already led to the dismissal of former NESN Red Sox reporter Heidi Watney.
We then went to talking about the NFL replacement referee situation and how the league’s television partners are not showing any muscle in getting the real officials back on the field.
Joe told us how the NFL ratings muscle can just about beat any programming including The Emmy Awards.
Keith and I then went off the beaten sports media path by talking about the new fall TV season as CBS and Fox have some red flags to be concerned with.
I also asked Joe about the Honey Boo Boo phenomenon and what he thought about Sunday’s Emmys.
Find the podcast on iTunes by doing a search for “Sports Media Journal” or go here right now to listen at your leisure.
