Posted on 11/03/2017 9:51:44 AM PDT by EdnaMode
ESPN distributed new social media guidelines to its employees Thursday, which reinforced some existing rules about not breaking news exclusively on social media, respecting colleagues, and—oh wait, here’s a new thing: “Do nothing that would undercut your colleagues’ work or embroil the company in unwanted controversy.”
The “unwanted” there is doing a lot of work. Unwanted for whom? The employee who feels so strongly about an issue, perhaps the direction his or her employer is going, that they use Twitter to provide their insight? Of course not. The controversies are “unwanted” for ESPN executives, who want to keep advertisers happy, avoid offending anyone at all costs, and protect the bottom line.
Given the obvious and probably intentional ambiguity and subjectivity of “unwanted controversy,” the next line—“We reserve the right to take action for violations of these principles”—seems quite clear. ESPN now has more explicit latitude than ever to silence its employees.
The best part of the report announcing the guidelines was ESPN President John Skipper offering the definitely true and not at all disingenuous claim that the updated guidelines were not a response to recent “unwanted controversies” surrounding Jemele Hill and Sam Ponder’s recent tweets. (Hill accurately called Donald Trump a racist and explained how capitalism works, earning her a two-week suspension. Ponder sarcastically welcomed Barstool Sports personalities to ESPN after the site that had called her a slut and said her only job was to “make men hard” got a pass from the network, which led to the network canceling Barstool’s show.)
“It’s all intertwined with a moment in our culture and our political environment of polarization,” Skipper said, per Sports Business Journal. “It’s the right time to do it. We would never react to one incident or two incidents and say, ‘Oh my gosh, we’ve got to look.’ It’s a unique moment in time.”
It’s “unique” because two notable female ESPN employees spoke their minds and ESPN felt threatened in some way, but okay.
Because everyone was waiting to hear what the dumbest person alive thought about all of this, ESPN’s public editor Jim Brady mashed his hands together in support:
I think this an important addition to the guidelines, even if there’s not a specific policy point included in the passage. The other option was to opt for a long, imposing, very specific set of guidelines that would likely have been impossible to police, and could have prompted ESPN staffers to decide social media wasn’t worth the effort. The tone of social media these days may be nastier than ever, but this too will likely pass, and — even outside the minute-to-minute political wars being fought on Twitter and Facebook — social media platforms remain very valuable ways for ESPN to build audience and loyalty.
Of course, he did not discuss the fact that the “controversies” around Hill’s tweet, and Ponder being forced to voice her concerns regarding Barstool’s place at the network, were manufactured by ESPN in the first place.
I suppose “Just read the damn scores and keep your opinions to yourself” didn’t make the list...
“UNWANTED CONTROVERSY” = DemocRAT crimes.
http://nypost.com/2017/10/17/no-one-worse-than-sam-ponder-espnerbarstool-tension-grows/
Probably more about Sam Ponder than Hill knowing ESPN...
Kinda late for all that isn’t it?
ESNPRN
ESDNCN
...too late to make amends...you should have wore Depends.
This is the same policy the almost EVERY responsible business has for their employees. The one addendem that is necessary:
1a. Do not be a racist and make exceptions for black employees because you want to be thought of as “enlightened”. Expect the same standard for all employees regardless of race or gender.
First, Trump isn't a racist. Second, Hill doesn't have the slightest idea how capitalism works.
Now all of a sudden it's "we don't want to get embroiled in unwanted controversy". I don't get it.
No kidding!
But, it’s a sign that there is some really big trouble coming financially to ESPN. Lost jobs, restructuring...mistakes were made...
I’ll never...and I mean EVER watch ESPN, NFL, or NBA again in my life. And at one time I was a very dedicated fan. Today? I don’t give a rats...
Hill Cheers Pizza Hut and blast Papa John’s on twitter over NFL
And yet the feminazi Sarah Spain tweeted her support for the rogue ex employee who shut down our POTUS twitter, labeling him a hero.
She is such a lightweight pos, was making stuff up out of whole cloth during the lie regarding Patrick kane’s fraudulent rape accuser.
Fire all the leftist blabbermouths and start over.
So when are they going to enforce that rule and fire half their staff?
“ESPN’s New Social Media Policy: “Don’t Embroil The Company in Unwanted Contrroversy””
I wonder what they would consider “wanted” controversy?
They don’t even have the “Or Else” option.
Lame, lame, lame.
Guess their Sarah Spain creature is exempt or must fall into the “wanted” category of political activity as her tweet today about Trump continues ESPN’s hatefest towards all things Conservative and Right.
All positive comments about the opponent are unwanted.
All negative comments about my team are unwanted.
This new policy kills all color commentary. ESPN can cut its staff budget and have only one person describing the game itself and nothing more.
ESPN is trying to sweep the “Unwanted Controversies” under the media carpet. Too late the viewers have already seen them.
That horse has already left the barn.
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