ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong

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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#21 » by xxSnEaKyPxx » Wed Oct 9, 2019 4:52 am

azcatz11 wrote:
clyde21 wrote:
azcatz11 wrote:This is nothing new and nothing surprising. This has been their stance for over a year now (maybe 2) ESPN refuses to get into politics and alienate 50% of the population


wait, ESPN refuses to get into politics? since when? lol


They've issued memo's internally since the new prez took over. The only reason why I know this is because I listen to sports media pods and it's been discussed a lot. The issue is when their main talents talk politics it puts them in a bind...aka Le Batard

Their policy now is not to talk politics

Ah okay, I see this now. I was about to say, part of the reason I stopped watching ESPN is because it was getting too political.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#22 » by spikeslovechild » Wed Oct 9, 2019 4:58 am

azcatz11 wrote:
spikeslovechild wrote:
azcatz11 wrote:This is nothing new and nothing surprising. This has been their stance for over a year now (maybe 2) ESPN refuses to get into politics and alienate 50% of the population


Which side of the aisle is pro-china? This is all about their global brand not politics.


Same diff - I agree. Don't get involved in anything controversial


I mean the only thing I agree with is at least ESPN has a policy unlike the NBA. I also don't really see it as a political issue there is literally noone in the united states that is anti hong kong and pro communist China. From a political standpoint is a slam dunk ESPN would get zero blow back from either side speaking on this.

This isn't about some sort concern about staying out of politics. This is a global brand thing. One thing I will find interesting is lets see how Dan Le Batard and the rest react how much courage they actually show will they speak out against China and in support of Hong Kong? Or will they continue to cower before the Chinese who are literally sending their citizens to concentration camps and who employ slave labor (NK) they seem to have no problem just paying lip service to the policy when it comes to domestic politics.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#23 » by Big Lob » Wed Oct 9, 2019 5:00 am

I don't think this has anything to do with the don't push woke politics stuff. Not everyone who watches sports aligns with say, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. It did get annoying at one point. On the other hand, this is just the mouse not wanting to annoy China. Do politics and sports cross over or not? Hmmm
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#24 » by Harcore Fenton Mun » Wed Oct 9, 2019 5:03 am

By making a statement, they did pick a side.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#25 » by LKN » Wed Oct 9, 2019 5:18 am

ESPN is supposed to be a media organization covering sports - if they refuse to discuss issues impacting the sports world they are useless.

\I don't care if the NBA says anything or not - they are not in the journalism business.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#26 » by seorang » Wed Oct 9, 2019 8:51 am

I wonder if Disney will kill off Winnie the Pooh for real just to appease Xi Jinping.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#27 » by JN61 » Wed Oct 9, 2019 9:00 am

azcatz11 wrote:This is nothing new and nothing surprising. This has been their stance for over a year now (maybe 2) ESPN refuses to get into politics and alienate 50% of the population

But they constantly talk about sports and politics. Literally on weekly basis.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#28 » by First Take » Wed Oct 9, 2019 12:57 pm

Stephen A. Smith is the truth. ESPN went to commercial break when he was about to talk about the Isreal and Palestine situation as it pertains to China and NBA.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#29 » by bongmarley » Wed Oct 9, 2019 1:04 pm

First Take wrote:Stephen A. Smith is the truth. ESPN went to commercial break when he was about to talk about the Isreal and Palestine situation as it pertains to China and NBA.


The truth ????? lol he did a complete 180 turn form his Kapernick NFL stance. He bashed the nfl for the kapernick because they wanted to keep it quiet due to losing money. So now espn is in bed with nba and in bed with China and his view is total opposite side of the argument . Such a sellout lol i love it
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#30 » by mathgeek » Wed Oct 9, 2019 1:10 pm

spikeslovechild wrote:
azcatz11 wrote:
spikeslovechild wrote:
Which side of the aisle is pro-china? This is all about their global brand not politics.


Same diff - I agree. Don't get involved in anything controversial


I mean the only thing I agree with is at least ESPN has a policy unlike the NBA. I also don't really see it as a political issue there is literally noone in the united states that is anti hong kong and pro communist China. From a political standpoint is a slam dunk ESPN would get zero blow back from either side speaking on this.

This isn't about some sort concern about staying out of politics. This is a global brand thing. One thing I will find interesting is lets see how Dan Le Batard and the rest react how much courage they actually show will they speak out against China and in support of Hong Kong? Or will they continue to cower before the Chinese who are literally sending their citizens to concentration camps and who employ slave labor (NK) they seem to have no problem just paying lip service to the policy when it comes to domestic politics.


The problem with this is that both you and me are just simple minions. You got this information from Western capitalistic propaganda who have their own agenda against socialist ideologies. Who should we believe?
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#31 » by mathgeek » Wed Oct 9, 2019 1:16 pm

JN61 wrote:
azcatz11 wrote:This is nothing new and nothing surprising. This has been their stance for over a year now (maybe 2) ESPN refuses to get into politics and alienate 50% of the population

But they constantly talk about sports and politics. Literally on weekly basis.


Exactly this is hypocritical of them. They constantly talk about social injustice in America (not that i disagree with it). Usually are always leaning left (most media outlets are) towards socialism. But now that there is a risk that NBA and Disney might lose some Chinese money it's all we don't talk politics.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#32 » by 13th Man » Wed Oct 9, 2019 1:17 pm

This is hypocritical of them. They are ok tackling other SJW issues but are avoiding this one like the plague.

Either put up or shut up altogether.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#33 » by rzzzzz » Wed Oct 9, 2019 2:26 pm

Can't we all be satisfied with Tony and Mike bragging about hanging out at the Playboy mansion?
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#34 » by swyftdahoe » Wed Oct 9, 2019 2:29 pm

I'm actually, for one, glad that they're not jumping into the fray.

I can barely appreciate them for their sports talk, I really don't need to hear their shallow, non-researched opinions on international politics.

Hard to say where to get thoughtful, nuanced political news these days but I'm quite okay with ESPN not being it.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#35 » by MrDollarBills » Wed Oct 9, 2019 2:37 pm

Michael Kay tore into the Chinese government on his show yesterday, so if ESPN is putting the muzzle on their personalities to appease Xi Jinping's fragile ego some folks must not have gotten the message.

The very idea that a foreign authoritarian country feels like they have the clout to dictate American free speech is a disgrace.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#36 » by Liminy » Wed Oct 9, 2019 2:40 pm

DetroitPistons wrote:Awesome! Thank the Lord! Focus on sports, not politics.

Also, I hope no one is going to criticize ESPN for this. If most of us went around work talking about political issues that cost our company millions of dollars we would all be canned. I hope all sports media does the same and finds more appropriate ways to protest if they want without alienated people and compromising the fan base and league itself.


What exactly is politics though? Its not like there is was any controversy about talking about or showing 9-11 memorials at sporting events. The whole point of the Hong Kong protests is people fighting to maintain their freedom against a slowly encroaching tyrant menace. Everyone in the world should stand with them.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#37 » by ropjhk » Wed Oct 9, 2019 2:43 pm

I'm okay with this. ESPN hires its analysts based on their ability to do sports commentary. They hire people with expertise in sports. I think there's already too much analysis by ignorant untrained analysts on TV, we don't need more. I'm all for ESPN analysts speaking their mind on social media or whatever other platform, but if I'm the program director I would have sent the same or similar guideline. I would take this stance on both foreign policy and domestic politics.

Now, if ESPN were to bring on a panel who did in fact have political expertise and could competently present all sides of the issue then I would be a lot more accepting of watching political discourse on ESPN. My issue is less with the content and more with who gets to deliver such political content. I don't think it's appropriate for Stephen A. Smith to use on air time to weigh in on the merits of the Hong Kong protest and give his opinion on whether Hong Kong should be allowed to separate from China or not.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#38 » by ropjhk » Wed Oct 9, 2019 2:54 pm

Liminy wrote:
DetroitPistons wrote:Awesome! Thank the Lord! Focus on sports, not politics.

Also, I hope no one is going to criticize ESPN for this. If most of us went around work talking about political issues that cost our company millions of dollars we would all be canned. I hope all sports media does the same and finds more appropriate ways to protest if they want without alienated people and compromising the fan base and league itself.


What exactly is politics though? Its not like there is was any controversy about talking about or showing 9-11 memorials at sporting events. The whole point of the Hong Kong protests is people fighting to maintain their freedom against a slowly encroaching tyrant menace. Everyone in the world should stand with them.


9/11 memorials at sporting events are relevant to sports because they take place at.... sporting events! That's not the same as talking about the reasons behind the 9/11 attacks or the subsequent response by the US military.

The Hong Kong protests should be talked about in regards to their relevancy to the NBA. That's what sports analysts are qualified to do. Being a sports analyst does not make you qualified to have an important discussion on air on a sports news show to talk about the non sports related aspects of this story. That discussion should be left to the endless number of media outlets that do make global affairs a main component of their programming.

ESPN is not qualified to talk about things that exist out of their range of expertise. I don't want a geopolitics analyst giving me his opinion on who will win MVP this year and I don't want SAS giving me his opinion on how to end the US-China trade war.

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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#39 » by Triples333 » Wed Oct 9, 2019 3:29 pm

This is NOT the Kaepernick story people. This is much, MUCH bigger and involves two superpowers with a very tenuous relationship where the only common ground is commerce. The NBA can do without China, but it would be at the cost of hundreds of billions of capital to them, networks like ESPN, endorsement deals to players (rest assure, the players do NOT want a feud with China, that's why they have not spoken up), etc. China does not want to lose the NBA either, but they have the upper hand in this discussion.

It is unfolding as predicted so far. Inevitably unless Silver backs off his stance even further, we will likely lose their business in the near future. It will hurt the NBA (endorsements lost, cap money for teams plummet, and networks/the league lose their largest growing market), but from MY angle I say good riddance (easy to say for me/us with essentially nothing at stake).

You just have to understand that this is a situation that has massive implications and that memo from ESPN to its employees is as predictable as the sun rising. It would have been beyond wreckless not to proceed cautiously here.
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Re: ESPN Muzzles it's on air talent and refuses to allow them to speak on Hong Kong 

Post#40 » by MrDollarBills » Wed Oct 9, 2019 3:38 pm

Triples333 wrote:This is NOT the Kaepernick story people. This is much, MUCH bigger and involves two superpowers with a very tenuous relationship where the only common ground is commerce. The NBA can do without China, but it would be at the cost of hundreds of billions of capital to them, networks like ESPN, endorsement deals to players (rest assure, the players do NOT want a feud with China, that's why they have not spoken up), etc. China does not want to lose the NBA either, but they have the upper hand in this discussion.

It is unfolding as predicted so far. Inevitably unless Silver backs off his stance even further, we will likely lose their business in the near future. It will hurt the NBA (endorsements lost, cap money for teams plummet, and networks/the league lose their largest growing market), but from MY angle I say good riddance (easy to say for me/us with essentially nothing at stake).

You just have to understand that this is a situation that has massive implications and that memo from ESPN to its employees is as predictable as the sun rising. It would have been beyond wreckless not to proceed cautiously here.


I would love to learn what % of the NBA's yearly earnings comes from the Chinese market.
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