ESPN expands their dynasty

Last night at mid-night, ESPN launched a new website, ESPNNewYork.com. New York Times writer, Richard Sandomir, reports on ESPN “going local,” and “conquering the United States,” on its multitude of media platforms. ESPN first came to Chicago, then Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and now, as of last night, New York. Sandomir describes how New York is an already crowed local market with multiple newspapers and profitable T.V and radio stations. But ESPN could care less. They are storming into the New York sports market and they are bringing big name writers with them. These writers include Ian O’Connor from The Record of Bergen County; Wallace Matthews from Newsday to cover the Yankees; and Adam Rubin from The Daily News to cover the Mets. Jane McManus, formerly of the downsized Journal News in New York’s northern suburbs, is the N.F.L. blogger. And two former Newsday columnists, Johnette Howard and Shaun Powell, who were laid off in a 2008, will be regular contributors.
With this on slot of new and talented writers, ESPN is likely to be a driving force in sports news in New York. But ESPN says that their goal is to add to the sports marketplace in each city, not hurt the outlets that are already there. “The last thing I want to do is to drive a stake into the heart of an incredibly important industry,” said King, a former newspaperman. “We’re making sure ESPN is doing everything possible to be where the fans are.”
And doing everything possible to be where the fans are is precisely what ESPN is doing. Sandomir uses words like empire, dynasty, conquering, and manifest destiny in association with ESPN. They are clearly a powerful company and are growing constantly. They offer products in the markets of radio, television, cable television, the Internet, and magazines. ESPN is a prime example of how media ownership is becoming increasingly concentrated. Media scholars, Croteau and Hoynes, contend that one of the clearest trends in media ownership is its increasing concentration in fewer and fewer hands. ESPN is one of these few hands that is controlling a multitude of different media markets. The result is yet to be determined but I would imagine fewer and fewer smaller hands will have a voice. This is what is happening in New York with the launch of ESPN’s news website yesterday. Smaller, local sports Newspapers, websites, radio shows, and television programs will be likely pushed aside to make room for the this “dynasty.”
Some people may be wondering; so what? Who Cares? ESPN does a great job at reporting sports news and broadcast great shows for a variety of different people. I would agree 100%. In fact, I was actually the one who wrote that last sentence and I believe it. The danger is that with the increase in media concentration of ownership, comes the decrease in the multiple voices being heard. In New York, only time will tell whether ESPN is true to their word when they say they aren’t trying to drive out other competitors. If they remain just as competitor then there is no problem at all. It is when they become top dog and all other sources are thrown to the wayside. It is crucial that we get our news, even sports news, from a variety of different sources.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/sports/golf/31espn.html?ref=media