This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
One of the most uncomfortable positions for a reporter is to know something and not be able to report it.
Journalists have an unspoken contract with their audiences: We will tell you what we know as soon as we can, as soon as we have verified and vetted the information, as soon as we can tell the story and be fair to the people involved.
Sometimes sources force our hand. For example, they give us information with the caveat that it is embargoed for release at a certain time. They try to level the playing field for news outlets, and control the news. Occasionally that works in our favor, giving us time to do more reporting and produce a better, more fully informed story right out of the gate. More often, it simply frustrates us, makes us feel like we are depriving our readers and puts us at riskof getting beat on a good story.
There are times when the restrictions are simply unacceptable. That happened last week.
Tribune sports reporters routinely attend football practice at the University of Utah. The U. doesn't allow news media to observe the entire practice, just the last portion. It's a chance for reporters to interview players and coaches, and observe some of the preparations for an upcoming game. The entire practice is not open, because there are things coaches want kept under wraps so as to not give opposing teams an edge. That's common in college and professional sports.
But at a practice last week, an assistant Utah coach informed reporters that, while they can observe parts of practices, they no longer could report on what they saw.
For example, if reporters saw a second-string quarterback or running back practicing with the first-team offense, writing about it would be off-limits. Reporting on injuries that occur during practice also is forbidden under the policy.
We can't live that way — knowing something and keeping it secret. So Tribune Sports Editor Joe Baird informed the U. that we simply won't be watching practice anymore.
When he learned of the rule, Baird faced three options: One, honor it. Two, if something newsworthy happens, break the rule and incur the wrath of the U. and possibly get every reporter banned from future practices.
The third option: Simply skip the practice and avoid the scenario altogether. Baird made the right call, going with this last option.
If something newsworthy happens at practice, there are other ways to get the story. Our reporters have sources within the organization. By attending practice, we felt like we would impose a gag order on ourselves.
Such is life these days in college sports. Utah isn't the first team to move to control information. Brigham Young University has closed practices, as have many top-tier college teams, citing the need to protect competitive advantages.
But, as Baird told U. officials: "We're not part of the team. We're working media, trying to get a story and inform our readers about what's going on with the Utes. If we can't report on what's happening at practice, what's the point of being there?"
No hard feelings, Baird added. Just want to clarify our role. We don't like being placed in a compromised position. And if there's news coming out of practice, we'll get it.
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Redesign delayed • Several weeks ago, I wrote about a new look coming to sltrib.com, and how that redesign will provide a superior viewing experience for smartphone and tablet users who visit our website via their Internet browser on those devices.
The redesign is still coming, but has been delayed by technical complications — not uncommon in these sorts of projects. We will launch as soon as we are confident it is, indeed, ready.
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Reader feedback • Recently, I was asked by Editor & Publisher magazine to weigh in on an interesting question facing our industry: Should newspapers make editorial decisions based on real-time reader feedback? The question was spawned after the Philadelphia Daily News tweeted a preview of their next-day front page with a photo of a man throwing a tear gas canister at police in Ferguson, Missouri. In response to negative feedback on social media, the paper changed to a less-confrontational photo of a woman holding a protest sign.
In a nutshell, my conclusion was that newsrooms must pay attention to social-media reaction to their reporting and presentation, and changing a story or a photo can be the right thing to do if the decision is based on improving the journalism. But news often makes people uncomfortable, and we can't be afraid to go there. Using social media as a flash poll to influence news decisions is a bad idea.
If you are interested, the discussion is online at http://www.editorandpublisher.com. Scroll to the Critical Thinking column.
Terry Orme is editor and publisher of The Tribune. Contact him at orme@sltrib.com.