Media Coverage of SMU & email to WFAA

[No Cal Pony]

CP, that is true, but the sad lack of coverge is pretty weak. Even ecu get more press in the raleigh news and observer than SMU gets in its own town paper. I was wonderfully surprised to open the paper on Sunday to find on page 2 of this last sunday's N&O, the SMU/utep game headlined complete with a killer photo of Johnnie Fitzgerald flying into the endzone for his TD. It was beautiful.

Go Ponies!

[mr. pony]

Last Saturday's sportscast was just one minor example, Dirty Bird.

Besides, recruits' mamas and daddys are home watching the 10pm news on Saturday. So are potential ticket buyers, dimwit.

It matters.

[MrMustang1965]

CP & DB:

Don't the two go hand-in-hand? It's a chicken-before-the-egg syndrome.

Better coverage of the Mustang's successes brings more local attention to SMU's programs; more local attention brings more fans into the stadium/coliseum; more fans into those venues brings more local talent onto the field/court. So forth-and-so-on...

I don't expect SMU to lead the sportscasts every night. All I'm asking for is better coverage of SMU when warranted and last Saturday night did not fit that category.

[Treadway21]

When ESPN gives us better coverage than our local stations, that is something to be upset about. The smugness and dismissiveness of the email responses from WFAA in the other thread are shameful.

[MrMustang1965]

Another reply from Joe Trahan (uh, oh...is jtstang the ponyfans name for Joe Trahan? ) :

I welcome any comments from Mustang supporters who watch, and look forward to them.

But if they've got the same sort of viewpoint that you do about Texas not considered "local" in this market, you're only setting yourself and them up for dissappointment.

Also, I was talking with our executive sports producer about your e-mail, and he pointed out that we at channel 8 cover SMU more than any other station in the market, and it reminded me that I was the only reporter at the Mustangs practice the Sunday after they knocked off TCU.

I understand your passion about your program, but there's something you've got to understand. The sportscasters in this market, at least the ones I know, don't have anything against your team. I'll continue to cover your team, and as they keep winning, you'll see them climb up the run-down.

Thanks again for the spirited discussion...quite stimulating...

jT

My reply:

Joe:

SMU fans have been 'disappointed' for a long time. What you're witnessing (since I know you've received other emails on this subject) is a hardcore group of fans who are sick-and-tired of the Mustangs not getting coverage the way they should as Dallas' ONLY Div. 1-A school.

The University of Texas (or any other Texas-based school) being considered 'local' over SMU just doesn't pass 'the smell test'. Respectfully, please get a map and see how far Austin is from Dallas. And see how far College Station is from Dallas. And see how far Houston is from Dallas. The universities in those cities are their 'local' schools. Last time I looked, the University of Texas was in Austin, not Dallas. Therefore, it is not a 'local' school to Dallas...unless someone magically transported the entire campus and its student body to Big D overnight.

In comparison, do you consider Loyola University (your alma mater) in New Orleans a 'local' school in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, Monroe or Ruston? Of course you don't and neither should you consider the University of Texas (or Texas A&M or Baylor or Rice, etc.) a 'local' school in Dallas.

Thanks for attending the SMU practice the day after the Mustangs knocked off TCU. However, what was your reasoning (or your producer's) for not attending the other practices throughout the season? Was it a case of 'only winners get the coverage'? If so, then that's another discussion altogether...let's just say that I consider a lot of what's wrong in our society today is based on that premise. Remember: "It's not whether you win or lose but how you play the game." Or "Winning isn't everything." Young people are taught and shown (sometimes via the media) that winning is all that matters. While SMU may not have had a 'winning season', there are still lots of young men on that team who are winners and there are some great feature stories to be told about them.

And I respectfully disagree with your producer's statement that WFAA gives more coverage to SMU than any other station in the D-FW market. I watch all of the stations and their sportscasts and this is just not true.

Perhaps what you're witnessing via our emails and fan board discussion warrants a story in itself...? As a former sports reporter and producer, I would jump at the opportunity to produce a piece on SMU's successes this season and how fans are reacting.

All that I (and many other SMU fans) are asking for is fair coverage - when warranted - for the Mustangs. Last Saturday night's 10 p.m. sportscast did not fall in that category.

RH (MM1965)

[MrMustang1965]

More from Mr. Trahan at WFAA:

Mr. *****,

Now this is getting fun...

If you worked in the media, I'm not exactly sure how you don't understand the concept of the state school being considered local here, especially in the biggest market in the state. And I think you're getting all hung up in semantics. I'm talking about "local" in the sense of how we determine coverage. You can look on a map and tell UT's not in our locale. Why you would use that as an argument, I'm not sure, because it has nothing to do with what we're talking about.

And while Loyola wouldn't be considered "local" in Louisiana markets other than New Orleans...you missed the other side of the coin. LSU is considered "local" not only in Baton Rouge, but in New Orleans, Lafayette, Ruston, Shreveport, and Monroe. Its the state's school - as is UT.

And if I were back in New Orleans and my beloved Wolfpack would win their final basketball game of the season to finish one-game below .500, and I had an LSU basketball team in the running for a national title, you can best beleive the SEC and Tigers would get the lead, and my Wolfpack would have to wait a few seconds.

And let me be perfectly clear here. UT is not considered local "over" SMU as you stated in your e-mail. They're just both local. And the merits of coverage are considered with that in mind.

By the way, I've received one other e-mail from a fan who cited our original discussion. Please send more my way. I'd love to help them understand what goes into decisions we make about coverage. If more people understand the process, maybe they'll get the fact that we don't have anything against your Mustangs. Its as if you think I've got something against your team, and that's simply ridiculous.

I'd love to see them win every game so I'd have more good things to cover. It would certainly make my job that much easier. But in the meantime, I'll be more than happy to let fans like you know how my side of the business works.

Thanks again for the fun...

jT

And my reply:

Joe:

According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary the word 'local' is defined as "occurring in or particular to a specific place". The state of Texas is a BIG place and there are quite a few NCAA Div. 1-A schools here. To call U.T. specific to Dallas is incorrect.

When I worked in the media, I ALWAYS lead with the 'local' school whether it was a high school, college or university. My college broadcasting professor taught me that 'local news' comes first. In fact, it's what your brother and I did all the time at KTRH. The station's slogan is: "Local news comes first!"

I'll go ahead and 'give' you the U.T. Longhorns leading your college segment of the sportscast last Saturday night and then your Big 12 follow-up. But you then go to the University of North Texas before SMU...???? You (or your producer) should have at least put SMU immediately after the Big 12 segment, don't you think? UNT ended the season at 2-9 while SMU is 5-6 with major victories over top-ranked TCU and UAB this season.

SMU ended the season on a 'positive' note: three straight wins, second week in a row to upset a bowl-bound team and an upset of the CUSA western division leading UTEP Miners!

What will be interesting to see will be where WFAA will place the story about head coach Phil Bennett getting interviewed at Kansas State, if he gets the call.

All that I (and other SMU fans) are asking for is fair treatment - when warranted - for the Mustangs and last Saturday night that was not the case.

RH (MM1965)

[Eddie P]

I'm on your side of the argument, but you are getting hung up on semantics at this point and are probably losing some credibility. His counterpoints seem well reasoned and logical...and sadly probably true.

[DiamondM75]

Whatever.
But you're deluding yourself if you think any stud 18-year old recruits are home on a Saturday night at 10:00 pm watching the local news.

But mama is home at 10:00, and you have to recruit junior and mama. You have to make mama aware that there is a local D-1 team that is getting coverage, so when SMU coaches call, mama says, I heard about your team on the news and I would love for junior to play somewhere I can attend the games.