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NFL broadcaster Charissa Thompson said Thursday that she used to make up statements from coaches when she was working as a sideline reporter. She now works as a host for Fox Sports and Amazon Prime Video.
“I was doing the report sometimes because the coach wouldn’t come out at halftime or it was too late, and I’d be like, ‘I didn’t want to,’” she said on the Pardon My Take podcast. To spoil the report, I said, “I’m going to make this up.”
Many reporters across the sports world responded to Thompson’s admission, saying her actions violated the ethics of journalism, which would never tolerate the fabrication of information.
Mike Freeman of USA TODAY Sports wrote about the offense presented by Thompson’s actions.
“I had to watch the video several times to make sure I wasn’t being pranked. Yes, she said that,” he wrote. “There is no way Thompson, who has been doing this for over a decade and knows better, would have gotten away with this. This is a shooting crime. It’s not even close.”
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Several other sports journalists took to social media to share why Thompson was wrong.
Andrea Kramer and Lisa Salters respond to Charissa Thompson saying she is making up reports
Award-winning reporter Andrea Kramer, who received the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Award for Radio and Television in 2018, Go to X to explain why Thompson’s actions were offensive.
“As one of only three women in the ProFootballHOF, I am disgusted by the degrading ridicule made by sideline reporting, a challenging role run primarily by women – most of whom understand, respect and care about the values of journalism,” she said. Integral and trusted members of the broadcast team.”
Lisa Salters, a veteran journalist who serves as a sideline reporter for “Monday Night Football” and covers the Super Bowl, Published on X For the first time since March to share her thoughts on how Thompson’s admission leaves a bad mark on the industry.
“Shocked. Disappointed. Disgusted. What we heard today has raised questions about all sideline reporters. My job is an honor, a privilege, and a craft I have worked hard at…” He said in two letters.
“Trust and credibility. They mean everything to a journalist. Violating either of them – in any way – is not only a mockery of the profession, it is a disservice to the players, coaches and, most importantly, the fans.”
Other journalists ‘devastated’ and described Charissa Thompson’s comments as ‘unfortunate’
NBC Sports’ Katherine Tappen called Thompson’s statement “unfortunate.” In a post on X.
“I hold myself to the highest standards in everything I do, and I know my hard-working colleagues do the same,” she said. “We earn respect the hard way. To those who comment on the irrelevant role played by sideline reporters, get over it! We are journalists. This behavior is not normal.”
Tracy Wolfson, NFL and NCAA basketball reporter for CBS Sports, chimed in With how much the news affects her.
“This is completely unacceptable, not the norm and disturbing on so many levels,” she said. “I take my job seriously, hold myself accountable for everything I say, build trust with my coaches and never make anything up. I know my fellow reporters do the same.”
ESPN’s Molly McGrath viewed Thompson’s comments as a lesson for young journalists.
“This is not normal or ethical,” she said. Written on X. He added: “Coaches and players trust us with sensitive information, and if they know that you are dishonest and do not take your role seriously, then you have lost all trust and credibility.”
Chris Kirshner, The Athletic’s New York Yankees reporter, also shared some thoughts Via his personal account
“A large portion of the public does not trust the media as it is,” he said. “I can’t believe she would admit it so proudly. This is doing a huge disservice to people who take the job seriously. It’s completely unethical and I deserve to never work in this field again.”
Laura Okmin, who is also an NFL sideline reporter for FOX She shared her thoughts on the social media platform.
“The privilege of the sideline role is to be the only person in the world who has the opportunity to ask the coaches what is going on at that moment,” she said. “I can’t express the amount of time it takes to build that trust. I’m devastated by the texts I get asking if it’s okay. No, never.”
Sports reporters suggest how Charissa Thompson could have handled sideline reporting
ESPN baseball reporter Buster Olney Response to Okmin’s statement, agreeing with her comments. He added a suggestion on how to properly handle situations that Thompson said led her to prepare the reports.
“If the coach refuses to answer any questions, you start with that,” he said. “Then move on to other information.”
Veteran reporter Lindsay Rhodes, a former anchor for the NFL Network’s Total Access, also offered a solution for what someone could do if faced with a situation where Thompson felt pressured.
“I told the producer he didn’t stop and they didn’t go to the sideline reporter for an update he didn’t have.” She said on X. “Or, she tells the public about it in her report. Or she observes things herself and reports them without misleading anyone into thinking it came from someone who didn’t do it.”
Criticism of Charissa Thompson’s comments affecting women in sports
Lindsay D’Arcangelo, women’s basketball reporter for The Athletic, examined Thompson’s impact on women in sports media. Women have historically been the minority in this industry and they continue to break barriers.
“I don’t think she realizes what this feels like,” she said. He said on X. “Women had to work hard to gain credibility, prove themselves, and show that they were fully capable of not only doing sideline reporting but so much more. Think how many years it took for Beth Mowins to be able to call an NFL game.”
NFL reporter Lindsey Jones wrote that Thompson making up the quote was “inexcusable.”
“I thought it was an almost universal experience for women in sports media, to feel like you have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously, and that you can’t afford to make a mistake.” Jones wrote on X. “So the cavalier manner in which Charissa Thompson so brazenly admitted to making up quotes is inexcusable.”
Lindsay Gibbs is a women’s sports journalist and also the founder of the Power Play newsletter He expressed his frustration on social media Think about what the situation means for women.
“Just thinking about how hard women in sports work to be taken seriously, how many female trailblazers made it possible for her to have this job, just for her to go and do this (expletive),” she said.
Patriots host Tamara Brown Share feelings Comments like Thompson’s make an already difficult journey for women in sports, especially women of color.
“As a black woman seeking a job at the network as a sideline reporter, this is infuriating,” she said. “I’ve been told I wasn’t ready, nothing was open, nothing left to read… you name it. However, there are people like you in these roles who don’t take it seriously.”
ESPN college sports reporter Morgan Ober He echoed criticism of Thompson’s actionsHe called it “extremely infuriating and completely unethical” while noting the difficulties women have in being judged on their appearance rather than their work ethic.
“This is really a role in a profession that’s already been portrayed as just eye candy,” she said. “Good sideline reporters do their homework, talk to players and coaches throughout the week and on game day, and certainly don’t do reporting. Period. There’s still journalism involved, despite what you might think.”
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