Big Loss for NKY HS sports coverage

[Crunch-time]

This is a huge loss for NKY sports coverage. With the loss of the KY Post, Don Weber, and now Ryan, the exposure for the NKY HS kids is taking a major hit.

 

Copied from the FB forum:

Leatherneck:

I could start this thread in any one of the high school sports forums, but since it probably will be seen by most in the football forum, I've chosen it. I just got an e mail from my friend, Ryan Ernst, notifying me that he's leaving the Enquirer. He got a job offer that he can't refuse. It was a tough decision for him, as he loves high school sports and loved covering high school sports in N. Ky. But you have to do what's best for your family and given the tough times in the newspaper industry, it was pretty much a no-brainer for him.

 

He did a fantastic job in the roughly 10 years he covered high school sports for the Enquirer. Just a fantastic job. Super young man on top of it. As I told him on the phone a few minutes ago, on one hand I'm really happy for him and his family. On the other hand, I'm really saddened. Saddended that we won't be getting the benefits of his talents any longer; and saddened that I won't be seeing him near as much as I used to.

 

Hopefully the Enquirer realizes the importance of getting good coverage of high school sports in N. Ky and replaces him with someone as talented and interested in high school sports.

 

Thanks again Ryan and best wishes for your future.

[FarBeyondDriven]

I disagree. Ernst and the Enquirer have done an absolute poor job of covering high school sports compared to the now defunct KY POST.

[Clyde]

I disagree. Ernst and the Enquirer have done an absolute poor job of covering high school sports compared to the now defunct KY POST.

 

While I agree that the KY Post did a superior job I don't lay that at the feet of the high school reporter on either side. Zero difference IMO if it was Boehmker(sp?) at the Enquirer. It's the economics of the world of print that caused the demise.

[El Corazon]

While I agree that the KY Post did a superior job I don't lay that at the feet of the high school reporter on either side. Zero difference IMO if it was Boehmker(sp?) at the Enquirer. It's the economics of the world of print that caused the demise.

I find this to be true, but there are more teams in NKY than just the ninth region and a few select teams from the 10th. The Walton Verona Bearcats got minimal coverage as did other NKY teams Simon Kenton, Grant, Williamstown, and Gallatin County because they are in the 8th region. I was not a fan of Mr. Ernst and for one am not sorry he is leaving.

[Clyde]

I find this to be true, but there are more teams in NKY than just the ninth region and a few select teams from the 10th. The Walton Verona Bearcats got minimal coverage as did other NKY teams Simon Kenton, Grant, Williamstown, and Gallatin County because they are in the 8th region. I was not a fan of Mr. Ernst and for one am not sorry he is leaving.

 

It's not the newspaper's obligation to cover every team and give them prime space. It's a business. They need eyeballs. Harsh but true.

[FarBeyondDriven]

It's not the newspaper's obligation to cover every team and give them prime space. It's a business. They need eyeballs. Harsh but true.

The Enquirer is and always will be nothing more than a good every day supply for lining the birdcage. Their sports coverage in general has always been lacking to say the least. All sports, not just high school. I have from a good source that The Enquirer refuses to post high school sports scores of some of the surrounding schools that El Corazon mentioned, they must not need the eyeballs that bad. But, the Lexington Herald Leader and The Courier Journal will gladly post any scores from any part of the state.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

I find this to be true, but there are more teams in NKY than just the ninth region and a few select teams from the 10th. The Walton Verona Bearcats got minimal coverage as did other NKY teams Simon Kenton, Grant, Williamstown, and Gallatin County because they are in the 8th region. I was not a fan of Mr. Ernst and for one am not sorry he is leaving.

 

I can understand the frustration of being "part of Northern Kentucky" and not getting much, if any coverage in the paper, but I'd be interested to see how many copies of the Enquirer are sold in those school districts on a day-to-day basis.

 

Like Clyde said, it's a business. The Enquirer has had to reduce the physical size of their paper to save on costs. With less space, comes less news. The small stories and the stories that don't have a very broad appeal are going to be left out. That's a fact of life. As a business, they need to realize where they sell the most papers, and report on the teams where those papers are sold to keep interest up. I'd be willing to bet that if papers were selling like crazy in Gallatin County, we'd be hearing all about the Wildcats all the time, win, lose, or draw.

[Crunch-time]

Man, I'm a little surprised at the negative.

 

Is it the difference of Girl's basketball versus football? the FB forum feedback is completely the opposite. We lost the post, ICN6 w/Don, and now Ryan. The HS coverage is hangin' by a thread. Ryan is "one" reporter and had to go where there's the most interest. That's just business!

[History]

Man, I'm a little surprised at the negative.

 

Is it the difference of Girl's basketball versus football? the FB forum feedback is completely the opposite. We lost the post, ICN6 w/Don, and now Ryan. The HS coverage is hangin' by a thread. Ryan is "one" reporter and had to go where there's the most interest. That's just business!

 

Had to go where he is told....I for one will miss Ryan and whether he covered Campbell County, Walton, or Ludlow-I thought he did a solid job. People have to be careful of what they wish for. Everyone loves the internet and forums like this, but you lose the objective touch of the stories being told. Most folks when describing the outcome of a game on BGP have a vested interest, and not that that is bad in intself. It is just the way it is. Even on here threads about Highlands or Trinity football garner more views and replies than a thread on Gallatin County football-regardless of how good the Wildcats may be. The market is going to be very fragmented for coverage with the different schools broadcasting their own games on the internet, and it won't suprise me to have a "reporter" from each school providing posts on formats like this one during their schools games, but interest in the future will be limited to the two combatant schools and their reporters. I think it will be good for UK-as that will be a place all can come together and root for (or against) a common opponent.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Had to go where he is told....I for one will miss Ryan and whether he covered Campbell County, Walton, or Ludlow-I thought he did a solid job. People have to be careful of what they wish for. Everyone loves the internet and forums like this, but you lose the objective touch of the stories being told. Most folks when describing the outcome of a game on BGP have a vested interest, and not that that is bad in intself. It is just the way it is. Even on here threads about Highlands or Trinity football garner more views and replies than a thread on Gallatin County football-regardless of how good the Wildcats may be. The market is going to be very fragmented for coverage with the different schools broadcasting their own games on the internet, and it won't surprise me to have a "reporter" from each school providing posts on formats like this one during their schools games, but interest in the future will be limited to the two combatant schools and their reporters. I think it will be good for UK-as that will be a place all can come together and root for (or against) a common opponent.

 

Exactly.

 

...and as for the bolded, I just can't wait until I start opening the Enquirer to read the article in which the contributing "reporter" from whichever high school writes and tells us all about how "the refs totally screwed us out of the win".

[Lawnboy13]

I find this to be true, but there are more teams in NKY than just the ninth region and a few select teams from the 10th. The Walton Verona Bearcats got minimal coverage as did other NKY teams Simon Kenton, Grant, Williamstown, and Gallatin County because they are in the 8th region. I was not a fan of Mr. Ernst and for one am not sorry he is leaving.

 

Other than SK football what do the others offer as newsworthy to the readers when it comes to High School sports.

[Lawnboy13]

I can understand the frustration of being "part of Northern Kentucky" and not getting much, if any coverage in the paper, but I'd be interested to see how many copies of the Enquirer are sold in those school districts on a day-to-day basis.

 

Like Clyde said, it's a business. The Enquirer has had to reduce the physical size of their paper to save on costs. With less space, comes less news. The small stories and the stories that don't have a very broad appeal are going to be left out. That's a fact of life. As a business, they need to realize where they sell the most papers, and report on the teams where those papers are sold to keep interest up. I'd be willing to bet that if papers were selling like crazy in Gallatin County, we'd be hearing all about the Wildcats all the time, win, lose, or draw.

 

You hit the nail on the head.

[ckshockey]

IMO he will be missed. Sadly, newspapers are becoming a thing of the past. I read the paper every day but I'm a fraid I'm in the minority.

[paNDA]

I for one would check to see what Ryan had to say every day, good luck to him and I will without doubt will miss his reporting.

[Jim Schue]

Exactly.

 

...and as for the bolded, I just can't wait until I start opening the Enquirer to read the article in which the contributing "reporter" from whichever high school writes and tells us all about how "the refs totally screwed us out of the win".

 

It's getting close, and that's very disturbing. I've seen some smaller (one-HS counties) newspapers where they will even go so far as to print their scores like this:

'Cats 47, Whatever Co. 68

 

I cringe when I see it.

 

 

As far as Ryan goes, I respect the job he does and think he does a pretty darned good job given the ridiculous limitations he faces working for a crummy paper like The Enquirer, which is owned by a crummier company, Gannett -- the same company that's actively destroying what was once a great newspaper in Louisville.

 

The Kentucky Post dug its own grave by trying to compete in Ohio with the Enquirer when it should have just closed ranks and become a Northern Ky.-only daily. As a result, the second-largest metropolitan area in Kentucky is criminally left without proper news coverage, because The Enquirer sure doesn't bother.