The death of journalism in sports broadcasting continues with the cancellation of “Around the Horn” after 23 seasons on ESPN.
“Around the Horn” was far from perfect. Host Tony Reali did a marvelous job holding things together and will be an asset wherever he winds up.
The panelists were journalists, not entertainers. Things were more factual, opinions more grounded. Attempts at humor often fell flat. “Around the Horn” could be dry. But the credibility factor was high.
That’s not what sports broadcasting wants anymore, least of all ESPN.
These days, sports broadcasting is rumor, hot takes, abject conjecture presented as possible fact, bro talk, ex-jocks and more ex-jocks, propose and deny what never had a chance of happening in the first place, hammer big markets and big stars to death, laughing uproariously, yelling, dancing, mugging, plausibility as a distant afterthought.
Journalism has no place in that. Journalists like ESPN’s Adam Schefter have crossed over to showbiz, slowly becoming more sizzle than steak.
Having gone to high school with Pat McAfee gives you a better chance at employment with ESPN than having a journalism degree from Northwestern. Plum High School graduates outnumber all others at the Worldwide Leader.
It wasn’t ratings that got “Around the Horn” canceled. They’re on a par with “Get Up” and “First Take,” two of ESPN’s franchise shows.
But “Around the Horn” just wasn’t big, loud and schlocky enough. It included too much actual journalism. That’s not what ESPN wants.
“Pardon the Interruption” has been on ESPN since 2001. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon are the grandfathers of the genre, the perfect mix of wit and credibility, maintaining just enough dignity while their bastard descendants mangle everything “PTI” started.
“PTI” never descends into self-parody. (That’s Stephen A. Smith’s biggest downfall.)
How long before “PTI” gets the ax?
Maybe ESPN could do a spinoff featuring the guy with the cowboy hat on McAfee’s show.
Journalism in sports broadcasting, we hardly knew ye.