Friday Fun Thread - What do you think about ESPN's Liberal Political Agenda?

[theguru]

Ironically firing Jemele Hill might result in similar accusations being leveled against ESPN. It's a catch 22.

 

Personally I think she should be able to speak her mind - don't see how ESPN is any different than Fox with regards to people's expectations of "neutrality." There is no unbiased media - never has been.

 

The market - not the White House - will decide her fate. Frankly I'll bet more people will be watching her as a result of this firestorm. I'm no TV expert but isn't that what a network wants?

 

I think that is where the double standard comes in, she essentially was allowed to speak her mind because her mind fits the agenda of the powers that be at ESPN.

[Randy Parker]

Jemele Hill is without a doubt the single sports talking head I cannot stand the most. Skip Bayless is right next to her.

 

Skip is by far my least favorite, but Jemele is a distant #2.

[theguru]

Whether I agree or disagree with what she said, ESPN has been blatantly inconsistent in their response.

 

[CAL FAN]

I am a long time Disney stockholder. When it rebounds a little I will no longer be a stock holder. Espn needs to stick to reporting sports and quit trying to change the world.

[theguru]

I am a long time Disney stockholder. When it rebounds a little I will no longer be a stock holder. Espn needs to stick to reporting sports and quit trying to change the world.

 

Yep, ESPN hasn't been as cool as the other side of the pillow for a long time...

[ATLCat]

Ironically firing Jemele Hill might result in similar accusations being leveled against ESPN. It's a catch 22.

 

Personally I think she should be able to speak her mind - don't see how ESPN is any different than Fox with regards to people's expectations of "neutrality." There is no unbiased media - never has been.

 

The market - not the White House - will decide her fate. Frankly I'll bet more people will be watching her as a result of this firestorm. I'm no TV expert but isn't that what a network wants?

 

I can honestly say I am the opposite.

 

I refused to watch First Take when she was on it, I refused to watch His and Hers, and now I refuse to watch the Sportscenter she is on.

 

It's actually a shame as well.. I always liked her co-host Michael Smith. Always thought he was witty, intelligent, and charismatic.

 

If she can say whatever she wants Linda Cohn should be allowed to as well though you agree?

 

I prefer my sports to be free of race baiting, as well as contrarian viewpoints intended to cause division about socio-poilitical groups, and I say that on both ends of the spectrum. If Rush Limbaugh was still on ESPN I would never watch a second of his broadcasts as well.

[John Anthony]

Micheal Smith refusing to do the 6 without her, probably saved her job.

[Getslow]

I don't watch SportsCenter but it isn't because of politics, it's because the internet allows me to tailor my viewing experience to the things I'm interested in.

 

"Hey did you want to watch the Chargers/Raiders highlights?"

 

No! Maybe I want baseball, so I can open up my browser and find in-depth Twins coverage with almost no effort.

 

The internet was reshaping ESPN long before any of this stuff blew up and, to my mind, their forays into politics are part of a strategy to keep a market share during down times with original programming. It gave us the politics, sure, but it also gave us 30for30, which was the best original programming to ever come out of ESPN.

[ATLCat]

I don't watch SportsCenter but it isn't because of politics, it's because the internet allows me to tailor my viewing experience to the things I'm interested in.

 

"Hey did you want to watch the Chargers/Raiders highlights?"

 

No! Maybe I want baseball, so I can open up my browser and find in-depth Twins coverage with almost no effort.

 

The internet was reshaping ESPN long before any of this stuff blew up and, to my mind, their forays into politics are part of a strategy to keep a market share during down times with original programming. It gave us the politics, sure, but it also gave us 30for30, which was the best original programming to ever come out of ESPN.

 

30 for 30 is sensational...

 

If they needed an outlet to express political views it could have been relegated to this series as well as the stuff they do like E:60 and Outside the Lines.

[JC Alumni 76]

Haven't watched much ESPN as of late for these reasons. I think ESPN will continue to suffer from their bias, just my opinion.

[MentschTrachtGottLacht]

The only ESPN I watch is live games I'm interested in, as well as College Gameday when I'm free on Saturday mornings.

 

Like @Getslow , I haven't watched "Sportscenter" in a long time, not because I'm taking a stand, but because I can get highlights of games / teams of interest in 1,000 other places.

 

The people I know that work in positions of authority with ESPN and ABC are far from "liberals", so while I think we are painting with a bit of a broad brush here, I do think Jemele Hill is an example of a talent taking an extreme view that is going to alienate a lot of people.

 

The days of relying on Sportscenter passed over a decade ago. It is akin to me needing the "USA Today" sports page for box scores in the 80's and 90's, and I haven't touched that newspaper in over 10 years either.

[Wireman]

I used to watch ESPN because I enjoy sports.

 

Now, I don't watch ESPN.

 

I would watch SportsCenter but they have unfunny people who think they are funny hosting the show and it sucks.

[TheDeuce]

Do you not like the "liberal" stance because it is political, or do you not like the liberal stance because you don't agree with what's being said?

[Wireman]

Do you not like the "liberal" stance because it is political, or do you not like the liberal stance because you don't agree with what's being said?

 

I think the biggest issue is that I just want ESPN to be a sports channel. I don't want politics mixed into sports. But then again, I hate political stuff so I would just rather get my sports elsewhere.

[TheDeuce]

It's also interesting to me that "the left" are labeled as the snowflakes and needing safe spaces, but here we are with folks on "the right" complaining because a network, in their opinion, has a slant they don't agree with.