So, New York Jets quarterback (?) Tim Tebow had a speaking engagement at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi on Wednesday to talk about Tim Tebow-type stuff: Religion, and, um, other stuff tangentially related to religion, I guess is how you could put it.
Media were allowed to attend Tebow’s speech, but a sign was posted that outlined some very specific rules about what and what not would be tolerated by the cretinous members of said media. Because without rules, there is chaos, and left to their own devices, media members cannot be trusted, nor should they be expected to assume that since they were invited that they would be allowed to perform anything that could be considered journalism.
Via a Jim Romanesko post, entitled, “Whatacrock at Whataburger Field: Don’t even think about asking Tim Tebow a question!” (by way of SB Nation):
Wow. Romanesko reached out to Corpus Christi Caller-Times reporter Sarah Acosta and asked her what it was like to cover the event. Her report:
For the media it wasn’t a picnic. I lucked out and got to take up close pictures and video of Tebow, because our paper had a sponsor table on the field next to the stage, so I was no longer “media.”
So basically the general public had more access to Tebow than the media. We were only allowed to snap pictures of him or video (with no sound) of him walking in and out of the building. We weren’t allowed to ask him questions.
But of course, the four media groups in town- it’s not like we’re NY- it’s Corpus Christi, TX- we rolled our cameras with sound- and tried to ask him questions, for the 20 seconds we saw him. Like- why did you come to Corpus? What’s your message? Asked if he was available for questions afterwards- but he politely declined and all we got was a wave out of it.
My photographer and other videographers from other stations on the other hand had it really bad. They were trying to get footage while in the media section and kept getting scolded or would be asked to put away their camera. We weren’t allowed to photograph him while he was speaking- just the crowd.
Like I said, I got up close pictures of him on stage, because I posed as non-media, but as a regular person seated on the big dollar tables. Like several of VIP ticket holders did, they ran up to him and asked him to sign autographs or take pictures. I was snapping pictures of all of this and took video- and it’s funny because the ticket holders and kids that went to see him were asking him questions like- Are you going to play for the Jets next year? If you’re such a big Dallas Cowboys fan, why don’t you play for them? They got to play the role of the journalists.
Our photographer was able to get pictures of him on stage, because he eventually left the media section, and went up to our suite at the baseball stadium that our paper owns. I believe the other media got frustrated and left.
If our organization, the Caller-Times, hadn’t had the connections like a private suite at the stadium where you couldn’t be bothered or a sponsorship table on the floor of the event, then we wouldn’t had been able to take the pictures or videos we needed.
As a way around it, I live tweeted the event, since we weren’t allowed to record audio.
I do believe though, it was all about Tebow’s management, not him or the organizations that put the event on. The organizations were not pleased with the strict rules his management gave them about the media, because they wanted positive publicity for their event.
Sounds like a grand old time. Thanks, Sarah Acosta, for taking one for the team. But at least she was close enough to be able to reach out and touch the hem of Tebow’s garment. But that probably would have been frowned upon as well.
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March 20, 2013
You just showed exactly why Tim need to keep idiots like you from exploiting his appearances!
He is far more naturally talented and a pure athlete than most of the other football stars. His form of Performance Enhancing Substance is Jesus Christ! Your is Lack of Common sense!