For the most part, the Great NASCAR Blogger/Journalist War of recent years seems to have wound down. There’s still the occasional skirmish, and twats like John Daly continue their shouting into the wind for having the temerity to blow without first seeking their permission. Overall, though, things have calmed down considerably.
A lot of this is due to the realization how neither side is going anywhere, so all concerned parties might as well get used to each others presence. A growing appreciation of the better blogger’s work by traditional media members comes into play, this coordinated with the admittance by bloggers how much we depend on traditional media for the information upon which we offer observation and commentary. Also entering the calculation is how NASCAR and associates (teams, drivers, etc.) have come to accept bloggers as an asset, including us in the supply of basic information such as press releases. We’re also seeing the further breaking down of barriers through social media such as Facebook and Twitter, where traditional and new media freely share information without either passing judgment on the other for being, well, the other.
Unfortunately, as traditional media continues to crumble in the face of decreasing ad revenue and increasing belief by users that all news content should be provided free of charge, we’re seeing a steady deterioration in the level of local coverage provided for NASCAR. Sure, when it’s in town for the weekend the local paper or papers will send someone to the track. But consistent, weekly coverage by local media as opposed to strictly national/international news organizations such as AP? It’s disappearing. And that’s not good.
Debates about the merits of assorted national reporters aside, I don’t want to hear about NASCAR strictly from a small handful of voices. Today’s NASCAR beat writers already traipse across the slippery slope inherent whenever a single reporter provides both the daily news and editorial content. You’re asking a lot of the reader when you expect them to believe one can be done without colorization of, or by, the other.
I don’t want to see the Matt Humphreys from the Orlando Sentinel and other writers like him who both cover the sport well and often bring to light stories national writers don’t cover for whatever reason go away because of budget cuts. We of the blogosphere, bloggers and commenters alike, have never hesitated to cut loose with both barrels whenever a member of traditional media has rubbed us the wrong way. Shouldn’t we be equally vocal about supporting those who deserve supporting? Without them, we’re left with the aforementioned handful. Frankly, having but a handful is a handful I’d just as soon not have to handle.
