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SNY Continues to Show Thick Skin


By Mike Silva ~ February 18th, 2011. Filed under: Mike Silva, Sports Media Commentary.

Just a few weeks ago there was talk in the blogosphere how the YES Network censored criticism from their affiliated blogs after the signing of Rafael Soriano. This shouldn’t be a surprise as Bob Raissman of the Daily News doesn’t call them Al-Yankzeera for nothing.

Although YES does a fabulous job with their non in game programming (something nonexistent at SNY), there is a certain childish homerism that exists starting with Michael Kay. For all the great work YES does with the production of its programming, they come across second rate with how they attempt to shield the viewer from any negative news or serious debate. This would work if, let’s say, we still lived in the 1950′s and “Father Knows Best” was the only form of entertainment. In an era of blogs, independent media, and 24/7 news cycle the viewer is just as savvy, if not more, than the anchor that’s in front of them. With all due respect to Bob Lorenz, I wonder if someone at YES steals his personality before he goes on air and then deprograms him when the camera lights are off.

Compare this to SNY, that’s handled numerous controversial events covering the Mets the last three years. Their first test was during the Omar Minaya/Adam Rubin press conference fiasco in 2009. The network handled it as Rubin was interviewed immediately after and had Minaya on with Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling just a day later. None of the anchors appeared to be censored throughout the process.

Since the news that Fred and Jeff Wilpon were looking for a minority partner this issue has been discussed on “Hot Stove” and updated on various network blogs, including the anchor site Metsblog. Fans have been allowed to comment on the site about the situation, despite the fact this bleeds past the baseball line and squarely into the Wilpon’s personal affairs.

Team owned websites and networks are a tricky proposition. No one can have “full autonomy” to write about the team when their check is signed by that very entity. Very few individuals are like a Howard Stern and are so comfortable with their position they can attack the “hand that feeds them.” However, there’s professional integrity at stake. If you work for a network and discuss the situation in a fair manner there should be no issues. SNY doesn’t do investigative journalism, all they do is report the news the viewer already has information on. Why drive them to other outlets and lose credibility? Do you think we are so dumb that we can’t see through the propaganda?

How do you think the Madoff ownership scandal would have been handled at YES? Would it have existed? Would Michael Kay attack Madoff personally for daring to swindle the Steinbrenner’s? Would the staff have to go under a lobotomy? One of the few critical member of the YES staff, in my opinion, was David Cone, who is returning this season. Will we see a more filtered Cone, or the individual who told Mike Francesa bluntly last week that A.J. Burnett needs to work on his craft? Also give credit to field reporter Kim Jones who asks tough questions, but has seen an icy stare from a Torre or Girardi during their tenure.

SNY isn’t perfect. They still are embarrassingly thin on non in game programming. YES still is the gold standard when it comes to a regional sports network. With that said, SNY’s team of reporters from the booth all the way to the studio in Rockefeller Center is first rate. The fact they are allowed to speak to me, the viewer, honestly goes a long way. Apparently, YES didn’t get that memo during any of their staff meetings. I suspect they never will.

Mike Silva is a freelance writer and radio host since March of 2007. This website is his own personal "digest" of New York Baseball He's also hosts NYBD Radio on Blog Talk Radio and 1240 AM WGBB. Check out his sports media commentary at www.sportsmediawatchdog.com. Check out his official website, www.mikesilvamedia.com
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4 Responses to SNY Continues to Show Thick Skin

  1. Russ
    February 18th, 2011 at 8:23 pm

    Whenever I hear people refer to SNY as a “cash cow”, I’m puzzled.

    I just don’t get where the money comes from since outside of Mets games, I have no idea what else is on that station besides those cool old “Mets Yearbook” season highlight films they found when cleaning out Shea.

    I am a Yankees fan, but I watch a lot of other stuff on YES, like Yankeeography, This Week in Football, Center Stage and the excellent specials they’ve done like the Hot Corner, The Line Up & Catcher round tables. While, I’m no longer a NBA fan, it has to help that they also have Nets games. Supposedly, Mike’d Up brings in some quality ad money as well. As a sports fan in general, YES just brings much more to the table than SNY or MSG.

    Whoever is in charge of programming at SNY does a horrible job. I wonder if they have budget restrictions that limit their ability to create programming. There clearly are certain niches in the sports programming landscape that they can fill that would make sense for them (and money). For example, none of the NY regional sports nets has a fantasy sports presence. That’s an easy and cheap one that would be destination programming, especially in football season. A deal to broadcast a International League minor league game of the week might be something to consider for Mondays or Thursdays during the season because of all the off days and because it would attract both Mets and Yankees fans. I also think they could work a deal to do English language broadcasts of Winter League games in the off season when SNY has to be making no money at all. Classic games from the 70′s & 80′s with enhanced features like pop up facts and in-set interviews would be fun and inexpensive to produce. Hell, even re-runs of classic Kiner’s Korners would be cool. These are ideas that took very little time to come up with, yet SNY has been around for years now and I honestly have no idea what they air.

    While I understand the critics of YES’ cheerleader approach when it comes to the Yankees, there is one area where they are far more broad and less homer-ish than SNY. That’s with their respective Hot Stove shows. YES’ Hot Stove show is far more in-depth and simply a better product since they will go around MLB and discuss all the important transactions, while the Mets Hot Stove show is a shallow 30 minutes of Mets-only promotion that will often waste valuable time with things like player interviews which are usually a total waste of time. More information guys and a broader approach to Hot Stove coverage would serve them well.

    In a way, SNY is in a tough spot because with YES having the Nets and MSG really being a network built on the winter sports means there are few options for SNY in terms of expanding their coverage of live sporting events. Still, that’s also a large amount of money that they don’t have to spend in rights fees that should be used to create in-house programming. I’d be very interested to know why they haven’t done anything since they launched to expand their programming. If I had to guess, it’s a cost cutting measure because with their main revenue being ad sales during Mets games, they can maximize their returns by keeping programming costs down. However, the downside is that they are left with a dull network, which gives off the impression that it is done on the cheap, that really is a total bore and a virtual non-factor in the NY sports media landscape.

  2. Mike Silva
    February 18th, 2011 at 8:37 pm

    Russ

    This is a great response and I agree.

    I am critical of SNY and 100% agree with your take on their programming. I do think YES should loosen up when it comes to Yankees criticism (I mean Soriano signing can’t be questioned?).

    SNY is run to make profit, so apparently brokered time for non sports related programming like “Foreclosure Profits” is probably how they do it. It doesn’t grow the core philosophy (NY sports), which is why it will ultimately fail, and from a programming standpoint, is failing.

    All your ideas make sense, and the only obstacle would be the rights, which I admit I know nothing about.

    You gave me something to think about and I will do a follow up and quote some of your ideas.

  3. Benny
    February 19th, 2011 at 7:47 am

    Russ:

    They are a cash cow for the following reasons: 1) If you have looked at your cable bill lately, please see how much it has gone up. This is because of the monthly charge ALL cable and satellite subscribers must pay for SNY, YES MSG and of course that great channel MSG II! Depending on your provider you are required to pay for these channels whether one wants them or not and this monthly fee provides a steady stream of cash to the channels and their respective owners of these channel. 2) Regarding International Minor league Games. First of all they actually have to be broadcast on their home teams markets and I can tell you from first hand experience in Buffalo I did not see a lot of Buffalo Bisons games on tv there. I am sure SNY would be happy to fill some of their off days with Bison’s games. The Rich family (owners of the Bisons) would not mind their games on SNY but then who would pay for the associated costs (broadcasting, transmission and satellite fees). After selling ads would SNY make a profit on Bisons games? The only team I can think of that broadcasts their minor league games on off day and taped delay basis is the Cleveland Indians with their Columbus Clippers franchise, because they own them and they also own STO their cable channel similar to SNY. Larry Dolan controls this team and franchise and from what I have heard makes a profit on these games.

    On a side note would it be interesting if Jim Dolan could acquire the Mets and SNY. Doubt it would happen since Comcast and Time Warner have first rights to any purchase of SNY (since they are partners with the Mets on the channel) but it would be interesting to see how one Dolan family member runs one franchise versus another Dolan family member

  4. Russ
    February 19th, 2011 at 6:06 pm

    I’m pretty sure that YES has aired some minor league games, in the past. It’s just an every once in a while thing but I think they have. (In fact, I actually remember Ch. 11 showing Clippers games during the 1981 strike, in the middle of “Bye-Bye” Balboni fever). In fact, didn’t they used to do “Minor League Mondays” on YES?

    That’s where the idea came from.

    As far as Winter League Baseball goes, I know I have watched those in the past, so someone could theoretically make a deal to pick up the feed from the Spanish language network and broadcast them with English commentary. You could do the commentary from a NY studio off of a monitor since with someone else handling the actual broadcast, there would be no travel costs as there is no need to be there in person.

    As far as the monthly fee goes, you are right but I would never notice because I have Direct TV and subscribe to the regional sports pack simply for the chance to see extra Yankees spring training games that the opponents broadcast. Although, I have to admit, while this was really cool like 5 years ago, it’s now becoming far less necessary with 19 of 32 spring training games scheduled to be on TV this year. That’s amazing for those of us who remember when they’d televise 3-5 spring training games per year (and George would flip out if the Yanks lost, thinking that would hurt advance ticket sales)

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