Pathetic local media coverage

[Dawg06]

I'm not making excuses for the company. I'm really not. But it's not like Scott Ferrell, Roy Lang or Sean Isabella had anything to do with those decisions. I know because I was part of the process. The employees in the building have zero control over what's being done out of McLean, Virginia.

I also don't think the layoffs factored into whether or not that game would have been staffed. The News-Star has used a single beat writer for Tech and Grambling for years. Almost every year that reporter has covered the Bayou Classic. There's no doubt with two undefeated SWAC schools that this year that beat writer was going to the Superdome. I don't think historically they would have sent a different reporter to Hattiesburg.

As far as running AP over another Gannett story, that's a legitimate criticism. I also went out of my way to find Gannett content when I was running things at The Town Talk, and I never understood why A) the north Louisiana folks didn't do the same or why B) their bosses were perfectly OK with that.

This is good. Somebody in Virginia is telling our local hacks to cover Grambling instead of Tech!

[Dawg06]

I don't know the answer to that. But then again, neither do you. We had quite a few GSU and Southern subscribers at The Town Talk. I'd imagine The Times and The News-Star do, too.

I can assure you there are $ignificantly more Loui$iana Tech subscribers to TNS and The Times than Grambling, and you know it, too.

[revf]

The fact remains that the news cartel in Shreveport does not care about Louisiana Tech. I doubt we will get much more coverage than present until there is a change in leadership (maybe at both places). Honestly with zero competition in the free market, the times has no real reason to change the way they cover sports.

[Dawgpix]

Okay, I decided to research the Gannett websites for staff directories. Folks, it ain't what it used to be. I'd start subscribing to your local weeklies or afternoon papers. They probably have more local on one day a week than all the dailies.

Shreveport Times:
Ferrell: Sports Planning Editor
Lang: Sport Engagement Editor
Watson: Sportswriter
LSU: Guilbeau

Monroe News-Star:
Hunsucker: ULM college beat and general assignment HS
Isabella: Tech and GSU beat and general assignment HS
Futrell: HS Sportswriter
LSU: Guilbeau

Alexandria:
Gafford: HS Sportswriter.
NSU coverage: SID
LA College coverage: SID
LSUA: SID
LSU: Guilbeau

Opelousas Daily World: (No online directory of staff)
Bobby Ardoin: Not listed as staffer, but writes a whole helluva lot.
LSU: Guilbeau
UL-LLLLL: Buckley

Lafayette Advertiser: (No online directory of staff)
Foote: HS
Labat: HS
Buckley: UL-LLLLL
LSU: Guilbeau

Monroe had another HS sportswriter, GM, and Lifestyle editor, but they were all laid off in the last go round of layoffs, but they're still listed in the online directory.
Shreveport had a GM, but I'm told he was laid off, too, but he's still listed on the online directory.
I noticed Alexandria depends heavily on SID stories for their local college print and online coverage. The Times disguises their news releases from SID as "Staff Reports".

The Times also used the AP for news and photo coverage of Tech at USM, even though they have a BEAT WRITER assigned to cover Tech.

[PawDawg]

While our people may not be perfect they do what they are supposed to do and what others, including lsu, do. Every week, media relations sends releases to the media. The stations and newspapers can use those releases or write their own, or do nothing, which seems to be the choice they've made recently since Scott Ferrell got pissed at our AD.

[latech]

so I guess it is time for you guys to stop subscribing/spending your money on these local newspapers.

[Blue Dawg]

TIL that Grambling, a SWAC HBC, is (apparently rightly) more important than a Division I team playing in a conference championship.

[Dawg06]

While our people may not be perfect they do what they are supposed to do and what others, including lsu, do. Every week, media relations sends releases to the media. The stations and newspapers can use those releases or write their own, or do nothing, which seems to be the choice they've made recently since Scott Ferrell got pissed at our AD.

The do nothing has been going on for a long time. It's just somehow gotten noticeably worse since the Rice game.

[JDubyadawg]

Maybe the term "media coverage " needs to be redefined or clarified. When we have a TAG event such as a coaches luncheon Jimmy Watson will attend the event because he received an email from us publicizing the luncheon.

He attends and interviews the coaches, even some of our Tech supporters and then writes the article which often includes some video. He will then publish that article on the Times website and then will also publish the article on our TAG Facebook page because he is a member of our TAG Facebook group. He told me he is a member of over 50 Facebook group pages to which he publishes articles.

I told him I had dropped my subscription to the times including the digital. He is always welcome to our events and I still can read his Tech articles. The Times makes money every time someone clicks on the article. My only regret about no longer getting the Times is that I'm not helping pay for the folks who get up early every morning to make some much needed extra money.

[Dawg06]

Maybe the term "media coverage " needs to be redefined or clarified. When we have a TAG event such as a coaches luncheon Jimmy Watson will attend the event because he received an email from us publicizing the luncheon.

He attends and interviews the coaches, even some of our Tech supporters and then writes the article which often includes some video. He will then publish that article on the Times website and then will also publish the article on our TAG Facebook page because he is a member of our TAG Facebook group. He told me he is a member of over 50 Facebook group pages to which he publishes articles.

I told him I had dropped my subscription to the times including the digital. He is always welcome to our events and I still can read his Tech articles. The Times makes money every time someone clicks on the article. My only regret about no longer getting the Times is that I'm not helping pay for the folks who get up early every morning to make some much needed extra money.

Jimmy maybe writes 4 Tech articles per year (3 coach's luncheons and Tech & Tails).

That guy in McLean, Virginia, has him covering girls volleyball, basketball, soccer, and softball (HS, BPCC, LSUS, Centenary, SUSLA) and then hunting and fishing once a week.

[JDubyadawg]

And he writes it because we invite him. We don't call Tech SID and ask them to call Scott Ferrell and tell him to ask Jimmy or anyone to please please come and cover our event. Some of you are bitching about corporate level and local management hacks about "coverage ". The goal is to get an article written and read by as many people as possible. The process I just described is how it now done - like it or not. If you are still looking for the daily "above the fold " article in either print or digital you are going to be disappointed.

[Dawg06]

And he writes it because we invite him. We don't call Tech SID and ask them to call Scott Ferrell and tell him to ask Jimmy or anyone to please please come and cover our event. Some of you are bitching about corporate level and local management hacks about "coverage ". The goal is to get an article written and read by as many people as possible. The process I just described is how it now done - like it or not. If you are still looking for the daily "above the fold " article in either print or digital you are going to be disappointed.

Which means Jimmy ain't our beat writer. He covers minor girls sports and outdoors. Gannett is paying somebody else to be our beat writer. The biggest problem is that significantly fewer Tech articles have been written over the last month because of our clueless AD, and most of the Tech articles that are being written are not being published online or in print by The Times aka Ferrell/Lang due to their disdain for Tech. That's really nice that Jimmy gets invited to a few Tech events and shares those articles. But most of our beat writer's articles are not being published in Shreveport, and those that are are being butchered by Ferrell/Lang or published so late that it's no longer news. That means Gannett's Tech content isn't being read by as many people as possible because they don't want it to be. Are you following now?

[TYLERTECHSAS]

Good gosh, perfessor. Gannett dug this hole with all their layoffs.
No pass to them for their non-commitment.
Hell, Monroe ran a story AND picture from the AP, not even from their Gannett-owned Hattiesburg newspaper. Quit trying to apologize for them.
As for a picture all they had to do was ask for one. I've been doing it all season FOR THEM FOR FREE . . . .

Serves that liberal news organization right. I stopped buying their lying and spinning garbage (USA Today) a long time ago. And their founder, Frank Gannett that once ran for GOP Presidential candidate of the US, is probably rolling over in his grave daily.

[JDubyadawg]

Which means Jimmy ain't our beat writer. Somebody else is. The biggest problem is that significantly fewer Tech articles have been written over the last month because of our clueless AD, and most of the Tech articles that are being written are not being published online or in print by The Times aka Ferrell/Lang due to their disdain for Tech. That's really nice that Jimmy gets invited to a few Tech events and shares those articles. But most of our beat writer's articles are not being published in Shreveport, and those that are are being butchered by Ferrell/Lang or published so late that it's no longer news.

Isabella is our beat writer and I understand the frustration of him being sent to cover Grambling instead of Tech this past weekend but he is also the beat writer for Grambling. As has been pointed out by others in this thread Gannett has slashed jobs and they will not be hiring anytime soon. Isabellas articles are also shared and linked from the Newstar website.

[Dawg06]

Isabella is our beat writer and I understand the frustration of him being sent to cover Grambling instead of Tech this past weekend but he is also the beat writer for Grambling. As has been pointed out by others in this thread Gannett has slashed jobs and they will not be hiring anytime soon. Isabellas articles are also shared and linked from the Newstar website.

You just don't get it, do you? Am I really going have to spell out example by example for you?